Agreement to enhance collaboration in advancing a Science and Technology Agenda for African Agriculture
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 15 January 2012 – in an event that highlights continued progress towards African agricultural sustainability, African Union Commission (AUC) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime and Chief Executive Officer of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR Consortium), Dr. Frank Rijsberman today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the two organizations.
The MoU describes a strategic partnership under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) of the AUC and CGIAR Consortium to facilitate, “enhanced coordination, collaboration, and alignment between CGIAR Consortium members and initiatives and those of African agricultural research and development organizations at the country, sub-regional, and continental levels with regard to their respective priorities, objectives, and programs for increased agricultural productivity in Africa.”
In her welcome remarks during the signing ceremony, held at the AUC Headquarters, H.E. Tumusiime stated that, “The signing of this MoU with CGIAR Consortium has a special significance, for it comes at a time when global attention has focused on Africa’s resolve to shoulder its responsibilities of making hunger and destitution history.” She further stated that, “The AUC recognizes that feeding Africa’s population and enabling agriculture play a critical economic transformation role in much of Africa needs to be supported by tried and tested technologies and home-grown policy initiatives.”
Mrs. Tumusiime also expressed her confidence that the CGIAR Consortium would prove to be a significant partner in the AU Commission’s quest for science-based agricultural transformation in Africa.
Dr. Rijsberman stated that “through better alignment with CAADP, CGIAR can help ensure that we are providing the right science for real impact on the ground.” He also noted that more than 50% of CGIAR funding goes towards projects on the African continent, and that “more effective research-to-practice alignment is a fundamental pillar of CGIAR’s work.”
The MoU signed today calls for joint actions to guide implementation of alignment of programs and support activities for CAADP, including: a research alignment plan that coordinates research programs with CAADP National Investment Plans; a Science and Technology Agenda for African Agriculture; a joint plan to support regional and sub-regional research activities; the development of joint African and CGIAR technology platforms; technical support; and joint sharing of information and knowledge.
The AUC, through the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA), has been implementing CAADP, which addresses policy and capacity issues across the entire agricultural sector and African continent. CAADP is entirely African-led and African-owned and represents African leaders’ collective vision for agriculture in Africa. This ambitious and comprehensive vision for agricultural reform in Africa aims for an average annual growth rate of 6 percent in agriculture by 2015.
Good morning
I am a researcher at the National Institute of Agronomic Research of Algeria. My team and I are working on a project to replace the fallow by a legume crop in the wheat system in arids and semi-arids régions of algeria. We would like to join the African union commission.
In anticipation of a favorable response to a collaboration please accept my respectful regards.
Dear Dr Abed,
Thank you for your query which I have forwarded to the African Union Commission directly.
Kind regards, Kay
This move is welcome so far as it will not compromise the evolving capacity of African agricultural research organizations, especially at sub-national level. Africa should be building own capacity NOT relying on ‘foreign’ expertize. I am afraid this model of engagement with the CG smacks of the infernal ‘technical assistance’ often tied to donor aid – and Africa’s own capacity is much the worse.
I share Matt’s concerns because hunger and malnutrition are global problems of a failure of social justice and equity, not a shortage of science or supply.
There is no global food shortage but food supplies are now a globally traded commodities which go where they are most profitable, not where most needed. Cargill, Archer Daniel Midland and a handful of other corporations make sure of that.
We should all support the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Professor Olivier De Schutter, who asserts everyone’s right to be fed and our capacity to make it happen, if there were the political will.
A study just published by the UK-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers confirms other findings that 30 to 50 per cent of the world’s food goes to waste between paddock and plate for a variety of preventable reasons – poor storage, strict sell-by dates, bulk offers, consumer fussiness, etc. Half of the food purchased in Europe and the US is thrown away after it is bought.
More resources are needed to fix these systemic problems in the food supply system, not to create high technologies that promise more yield, create more gluts, depress prices and profits, and further marginalise the world’s farmers.
La Via Campesina and the food sovereignty movement world-wide should be heeded. See: http://viacampesina.org/en/
We in the Africa region of the World Bank applaud the news of the signed MoU, realizing it is an important first step towards aligning research objectives and establishing strong partnerships between the African institutions responsible for implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) — an African-led and African-owned framework that represents African leaders’ collective vision for agriculture in Africa — and CGIAR. This partnership is not about technical assistance, but rather about a shared vision to facilitate agricultural transformation across the African continent.
We look forward to hearing more from the CAADP partners, including the sub-regional organizations (ASARECA, CORAF/WECARD, CCARDESA) and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) focused on improving agricultural research, extension and education programs, at the national, regional and continental level — and who will play a critical role in facilitating and implementing this alignment.
It is estimated that 30-40% of all foor produced in Africa is lost to bugs due poor storage or post harvest handling. It is also estimated that up to 30% of food already cooked and especially in the developed world is ‘wasted. These statistics exclude the billions of dollars wort of food processed for pets. Where is the effort to capture the food ‘leakages’ and bring them for human consumption? Would the recoveries not meet a good percentage of the demands of food in 2050?
The signed MOU is a welcomed move. It is reported that Africa holds over 60% of the remaining global arable land and thus has the potential to the world food security. Africa agricultural production is more focused on subsistence farming yet there is great potential for competitive commercial investments. CAADP can work on shifting to improving Africa share in the global agricultural market by focusing on competitive trade at local, regional and international levels. There is a lot of research developments that are held on researchers shelves especially on improved crop varieties, while farmers continue to ignorantly use very inferior landraces. The major problem, to me, is adoption of research findings and this contributes to slow agricultural development in Africa. Suitable national agricultural policies and harmonised trade regulations may add value to the Africa agriculture development towards enhanced food production and improved livelihood. I work for Africa Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), a nonprofit body that promotes use of quality improved seeds in Africa as a service to its members and farmers. Our members are Africa countries national seed trade associations, private seed companies and individual institutions from both public and private bodies