1 The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform “Rural communities, Environment and Climate in West Africa” UE, Bruxelles 26th November,

1

The Regional Multidisciplinary

Platform

“Rural communities, Environment

and Climate

in West Africa”

http://www.ppr-srec.ird.fr/

UE, Bruxelles 26th November, 2013

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The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform“Rural communities, Environment and Climate in West Africa”

How do European and African research, innovation and development actors cooperate ?

Why must European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?

Focus on WEST AFRICA

• a region of high population growth,

• sensitive to climatic hazards,

• the well-being of its population depends heavily on the availability and

the access to natural resources

• the projections for the future are uncertain,

Food security, environment and climate are linked in West Africa.

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The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform“Rural communities, Environment and Climate in West Africa”


Moreover, it is estimated that• 80% of Africa's population depends directly on agriculture for their

livelihood • and the sector has 70% of full-time jobs. • a 1% increase in agricultural productivity reduces poverty by 0.6% in

Africa (Source: Forum for Agricultural Research in• Africa: http://www.fara-africa.org).

In this perspective, small farmers have a key role to play in improving

the food security and preserving natural resources

Food security & the preservation of natural resources In the face of climate change

Not only African challenge, but African and European shared and common interest taken into account by Bi-regional dialogue & Strategy

Why must European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?

http://www.fara-africa.org/


How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?


Sharing a commun platform towards a commun objective

At the regional

scale in order to

impact strategies at

national & regional

levels

Should be tackled

In a cross-disciplinary

approach

To promote innovations

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At the regional

scale in order to

impact national &

regional strategies

In a cross-disciplinary

approach

Innovations for the resilience of rural communities and natural resources in West Africa, and promote

Adaptations to climate change

Environment

Rural communities

Clim

ate




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Environment

Rural communities

Clim

ate

Merging various Scientific Expertise for

New knowledge; Education & training, Innovation

66

Rese

arch

Policy makers

End-Users

Strengthen the dialogue

Between

Provide EXPERTISE to decision-makers and end users




A regional

ambition

7

4 pillars

Regional Research projects Field Observatories

International laboratories Capacity building



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AgronomyEthno-botanic

Plant genetics

Hydrology

Soil Ecology

Phyto-pathology

Anthropology

Example; Benin


Gathering EXPERTISE

At the beginning 300 scientists, from 100 institutionsLarge diversity of expertise (excellence scientific, on fields)

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Example; Burkina Faso

Ecologie

Agronomy

Soil Science

EconomyEntomology

GeographyHydrology

Sociology

Virology


Gathering EXPERTISE


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Example; Ivory Cost

AgroMeteorology

Climate Sc.

Ecologie

Hydrology

Climate Model.

GIS

Chemistry


Gathering EXPERTISE


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• AMMA : West African Monsoon, its variability and its impacts

examples

To encourage multi-disciplinary High level regional ProgrammesPillar : Regional Research

projects


Gathering EXPERTISE

• CEREO : ecological and social meta-rules that confer viability and sustainability to agro-socio-ecosytems (cereals)

• …. (see web site for others)

• ESCAPE : past and future vulnerability of rural communities in Africa to environmental and climate change; adaptation


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Creating common infrastructure

Joint Laboratory

Pillar : International Lab

LMI Prediction of climatic and anthropogenic impacts on Water Resources in sub-Saharan Africa

LMI IESOL Ecological intensification of agricultural soils in West Africa

LMI ECLAIR West-African Climate, African Monsoon, Climate change

LMI PATEO Heritage and Territory of Coastal Wetlands

LMI Plant Pathogens Observatory in West Africa: Biodiversity-Biotechnology-Biosafety

and Biosecurity

LMI LAPSE Adaptation of plant and soil microorganisms to abiotic stresses

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PhDs students,Technical trainings

To stimulate the reinforcement of building capacity of African students, and permanent staff

Pillar : Building capacity



Joint Laboratory

Pillar : International Lab

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Multidisiciplinary Observatories

Pillar : Observtories

Long-term monitoring from 1990’s over key regions of Land surface, Ocean, Atmosphere, Aerosols and chemistry

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EXPERTISE (Science & Field) common infrastructure+

• To transfer of inoculation technology (symbiotic microorganisms) to famers in West Africa

• To monitor and forecast crop yields in west Africa (Agrhymet)

• To set up on field participatory plateform for Jatropha (UE-Europaid Project)

Rese

arch

Policy makers

End-Users

• Able to answer to local needs (some examples)

How can research advance the innovation process ?

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An example

Societal research: Partnership Research Laboratories - Producer organizations

for transfer of inoculation technology (symbiotic microorganisms)


Innovation plateform

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Inoculation (addition to plant culture of microbe cells) of selected symbiotic microorganisms (rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi):

- technological innovation of research, alternative to chemical fertilizers- environmentally friendly and inexpensive- improves agricultural productivity and soil fertility

Soyben inoculation of in Bénin (source : P. Houngnandan) Peanuts inoculation in Senegal (source : A. Kane)

Non inoculé InoculéNon inoculé Inoculé

Integration of symbiotic micro-organisms in soil crop management

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Fact: Inoculation underutilized by users West Africa

Conclusive lab results but lack of in situ research

Lack of dissemination of inoculation technology to users

Establishment of partnership in SENEGAL Researchers in Soil microbiology Producer organizations Agricultural and Rural services

based on network of producers' organizations in Senegal under the leadership of CNCR (Conseil National de Concertation et de Coopération des Ruraux)

Partnership approach• Get to know• Working together• Consider a long-term collaboration• Ensure capacity building• Enter the research in societal project

Social value of research

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Initiative released in West Africa under leadership of ROPPA based on existing networks:

Laboratoires of microbiological research

National farmers' platformsMali

Senegal

Burkina

Niger

Benin

Project of incubationOrganization of inoculum production and

quality control

Quality control Mass production

Up-scaling using

OPs

Social entreprise Laboratory

Impacts : • Sustainable development and respect for users

• Long-term collaboration between researchers and farmers

• Appropriation and diffusion of innovations driven by the Producer Organisations (OPs)

• Present demand of producers:inoculum in mass and of quality

• Need partnership with the private sector

Social value of research

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Rese

arch

Policy makers

End-Users

Monitoring and forecasting the crop yields in Africa

An example

Observation of millet cropping systems in Niger

Research topic: Impact of climate on crop yields

Development, improvement of a crop model in Niger

y = 0,63x + 472,68R² = 0,34

0200400600800

10001200140016001800

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

Sim

ulat

ed g

rain

yie

lds

(kg

ha-1

)

Observed grain yields (kg ha-1)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Main collaborations : CIRAD (Montpellier) et AGRHYMET (Niamey)

The crop model is now used by AGHRYMET to provide a monthly bulletin of monitoring and forecasting of the cropping season

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Large diversity of Scientific “expertise” For Innovation and Participatory R&D

Large diversity of InfrastructureFor building capacity

Field ObservatoriesFor long term multi-disciplinary surveys

The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform

“Rural communities, Environment and Climate

in West Africa”

Environment

Rural communities

Clim

ate

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Rese

arch

Policy makers

End-Users

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The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform

“Rural communities, Environment and Climate

in West Africa”

Environment

Rural communities

Clim

ate

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Rese

arch

Policy makers

End-Users

SREC a West African - French network

BUT wish to move from an African-French level

to a more African – European Level

WISH to share SREC to European partners :• Sharing forces and scientific competences• Identifying synergies and Seeing how to work together• Strengthen Researcher - end users - policy makers links• Being more competitive for funds

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Thank you for your attention

Documents

1 The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform “Rural communities, Environment and Climate in West Africa” UE, Bruxelles 26th November,