Biosciences eastern and central Africa Hub: Capacity Building

Empowering African scientists to solve Africa’s agricultural challenges

Segenet KelemuDirector, BecA HubNairobi, Kenya

Initial hosting arrangements and the creation of BecA

AU/NEPAD – Africa Biosciences Initiative (ABI): Creation of four regional networks:

1. BecA (Biosciences eastern and central Africa) for countries in eastern and central Africa2. SANBio (Southern African Network for Biosciences)

for southern African countries

3. WABNet (West African Biosciences Network) consisting of ECOWAS countries

4. NABNet (North African Biosciences Network) for the countries in North Africa.

BecA Hub: Core activities

1. ResearchCore competencies and research programs in agriculture: crop, animal health and microbial sciences

2. Capacity building and training3. Research and Technology-related services4. Focal point for the agricultural research community in eastern and

central Africa5. Promotion of product development and delivery

BecA Hub Core competencies

• Genomics/Metagenomics• Functional genomics • Bioinformatics • Genetic engineering• Diagnostics • Molecular breeding (marker development and application)• Proteomics• Vaccine technology/Immunology• Vectors (e.g. ticks)• Mycotoxins

Capacity Building Objectives

• Strengthen capacity of individuals and institutions to harness the latest biosciences technologies to improve agriculture in Africa

• Support African scientists efforts to lead and sustain biosciences research in Africa

• Promote access to world-class research and training facilities at the BecA–ILRI Hub

Capacity building activities

• Research placements and individual/small group trainees (275 from 21 African countries since 2007)• Training workshops (49 workshops; 1120

trainees from 21 African countries since 2007)• Institutional capacity building• Creating linkages and partnerships; information

sharing; creating awareness of BecA-ILRI Hub• Conferences

Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund (ABCF)

• Established in September 2010• New and innovative way of building African biosciences

capacity while tackling agricultural constraints• Established as part of the BecA-CSIRO partnership with

funding from AusAID• Expanded with funding from BMGF and the Swedish

Ministry for Foreign Affairs through Sida• Core support from Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable

Agriculture• Growing number of capacity building partners providing

co-support (AWARD, ASARECA, UNECSO, LEAP, IFS)

ABCF Research Fellowships

Research outputs, plusBuilding capacity to do research

Technical skills Good lab practice and H&S Research ethics Science communication

• Presentations, posters • Publications

Develop partnerships Research sustainability

ABCF fellowship projects: examples of outputs

Photo credit: A. Bombom

• Striga resistance in sorghum• Passion fruit virus diagnostics• Maize-sorghum hybrids• PPR thermostable vaccine • East Coast fever: rapid sero-diagnostics• Disease studies

- Cassava virus - CBSD - first description in DRC- Potential new races of wheat stem rust Ug99 (Kenya)- Possible new Taro virus (Ethiopia/Burundi)- New virus (Ndumu) in pigs - (Uganda)- African Swine Fever diversity (Uganda)- Northern limit of East Coast fever in South Sudan

Alexander Bombom (Uganda)• Maize-sorghum hybrids• Invited BMGF proposal

Dr Felix Meutchieye (Cameroon)• Cameroon goat diversity• BecA-Sweden project

Dr Dora Kilalo (Kenya)• Passion fruit virus rapid diagnostics• BecA-Sweden project

ABCF Fellows: leveraging funding

Partners

…and many more

Thank youAustralia, Benin, Cameroon, England, Ethiopia, Italy, Kenya, USA