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Sparkle Vol. 4, Issue 1. January - March, 2016
Enhancing Capacitie
s for
UNU-INRA Holds Peer Review Workshop
Cross-section of participants at the workshop
UNU-INRA organised a two-
day Peer Review Workshop for
its current Home-based
Scholars from 1st - 2nd March,
2016, in Accra. The workshop
brought together Home-based
scholars, from different
African countries, to present
their research reports to other
researchers for feedback.
Dr Elias T. Ayuk, Director of
UNU-INRA, in his opening
remarks at the workshop,
emphasised the need for
African researchers to produce
quality and policy relevant
research to help inform policy
formulations in the continent.
He stressed on the importance
that UNU-INRA attaches to
quality research reports, hence
the need for the peer review
workshop.
There were twenty-four participants including
seven females, coming from Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya,
Mali, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda,
Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Home-based Scholars programme falls under
UNU-INRA’s project entitled “Unleashing the
Potential of African Rural Economies through
Green Growth”, which is being supported by the
International Development Research Centre
(IDRC). The project seeks to provide a better
understanding on how African countries can
translate increased innovations for low-carbon
technologies and services, productivity from
efficient use of resources, recycling and waste
management into better employment opportunities
from green jobs, inclusive growth and enhanced
natural ecosystems.
Enhancing Capacity for Managing Africa’s Natural Resources
_____________ UNU-INRA
Holds Peer
Review
Workshop
_____________
Director Calls
on Cameroon
Government _____________
Public Seminar _____________
JICA
Donates
GPS
Equip-
ment to
UNU-
INRA ____________
UNU-INWEH
Students Visit
Ghana _____________
UNU
Recognises
Four UNU-
INRA Staff _____________
UNU-
INRA
Receives
New
Visiting
Scholars _____________
Upcoming
Event: PPP
National
Dissemination
Workshops
UNU-INRA Sparkle Volume 4, Issue 1
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Sparkle Vol. 4, Issue 1. January - March 2016
UNU-INRA Director Calls on Cameroon
Government
The Director of UNU-
INRA, Dr. Elias T. Ayuk
paid a courtesy call on the
Government of Cameroon
to express the Institute’s
appreciation to the
Government for the
country’s decision to
support UNU-INRA.
Dr. Ayuk was received by Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute,
Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External
Relations in charge of Relations with the
Commonwealth, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo,
Minister of Higher Education, and Dr. Dongmo
Thomas, Director of International Cooperation in
the Ministry of Scientific Research and
Innovation.
Dr. Ayuk also seized the opportunity to update the
Government on the progress made so far in the
implementation of the cooperation agreement. The
cooperation agreement was signed in November
2015 between UNU-INRA and the Government of
Cameroon, with the latter pledging to provide a
funding support of two million US Dollars ($2
million), that is one billion CFA Francs (1,000 000
000 CFAF) per year, over a period of three (3)
years to UNU-INRA, through the Institute’s
Endowment Fund.
The Minister Delegate, Dr. Dion Ngute, noted that
his Ministry will play its role to remind the
Government to honour its commitment.
Public Seminar Held
UNU-INRA held a seminar to share information
with the public on research being conducted by
two of the Institute’s visiting scholars. The
seminar held on 31st March, 2016, received
presentations from Dr. Totouom Fotue Luc
ARMAND, a Visiting Scholar from the University
of Dschang-Cameroon and Dr. Kabir Kayode
Salman, a Visiting Scholar from the University of
Ibadan, Nigeria.
Dr. ARMAND’s presentation was on the topic
“Efficiency of Informal SMEs in Agro-
processing in Rural Cameroon”. His research
aims at analysing the technical efficiency of
informal SMEs in agro-processing in rural
Cameroon. The study specifically seeks to
examine the characteristics of informal SMEs in
agro-processing in rural Cameroon; measure the
level of technical efficiency of SMEs, and
determine the key factors affecting the inefficiency
of SMEs.
Section of participants at the seminar
Dr. Salman’s presentation, on the other hand, was
on the topic: “Impact of Green Infrastructure on
Labour Productivity in Rural Nigeria”. The study
seeks to investigate the determinants of access to
infrastructure and influence of rural infrastructure
on labour productivity in rural Nigeria.
The visiting scholars received useful contributions
from the participants to help improve the quality
of their studies.
JICA Donates GPS Equipment to UNU-INRA
Ms. Kurata presenting the GPS equipment to Dr.Ayuk
The Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) donated ten (10) GPS 64s equipment to
UNU-INRA. The items were presented to Dr Elias
T. Ayuk, the Director of the Institute by Ms.
Madoka Kurata, Project Coordinator of CECAR
Africa on behalf of JICA.
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Sparkle Vol. 4, Issue 1. January - March 2016
In expressing the Institute’s gratitude to JICA for
the kind gesture, Dr Ayuk noted that the equipment
will be very useful to the Institute’s Geographical
Information Systems (GIS) students and will help
improve UNU-INRA’s GIS training programme,
which is organised periodically.
The presentation was made amidst cheers and
applause from some UNU-INRA staff who were
present at the donation.
UNU-INWEH Students Visit Ghana
A staff at the Kpong Water Treatment Plant explaining water
treatment
processes to the team.
Students of the United Nations University Institute
for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-
INWEH) based in Canada, paid a working visit to
key water and environmental project sites in
Ghana.
The ten-member team, comprising two faculty
members and eight PhD students, visited Safe
Water Network, Water Research Institute, Kpong
Water Treatment Plant of the Ghana Water
Company, Volta River Authority-Akosombo,
Tema Metropolitan Assembly’s (TMA) Sewage
Treatment Site and Kofi Annan Peacekeeping
Training Center, all in Ghana.
Section of the team being briefed at the TMA’s Sewage Treatment
Site
The leader of the team, Dr. Lisa Guppy was
impressed about the hospitality of Ghanaians and
found the places visited interesting. On behalf of
the students, Ms. Sherry Du expressed their
excitement to be in Ghana. She indicated that
lessons learnt from the sites visited will be useful
for their studies.
The team expressed appreciation to UNU-INRA
for facilitating the visit.
UNU Recognises Four UNU-INRA Staff for
Dedicated Long Service
The Awardees. From left: Dr. Elias T. Ayuk, Mr. Benjamin
Turkson, Ms.
Eugina Aggrey and Mr. William Briandt.
The United Nations University (UNU) has
recognised four UNU-INRA Staff for dedicated
long service to the University. The staff were Dr.
Elias T. Ayuk, Director of the Institute (5 years),
Mr. Benjamin Turkson, Finance and
Administrative Officer (5 years), Ms. Eugina
Aggrey, Administrative Assistant (15 years) and
Mr. William Briandt, Liaison Clerk (20 years).
The Certificates of Appreciation, signed by Dr.
David Malone, the Rector of the UN University,
were introduced by UNU to recognise employees
who have served the University with dedication
over a period of years.
UNU-INRA Receives New Visiting Scholars
Dr. Totouom Fotue Luc
ARMAND, a lecturer from
the University of Dschang-
Cameroon, holds a Ph.D. in
Environmental Economics,
from the University of
Yaoundé II.
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Sparkle Vol. 4, Issue 1. January - March 2016
His main research interests are applied
econometrics, environmental and natural resource
economics, health economics, development
economics, and gender issues. He has authored
several publications and has been involved in
several research projects with institutions such as
CEEPA, AERC and PEP.
Dr. Kabir Kayode
Salman obtained a
Ph.D. degree in
Agricultural
Economics from the
University of Ibadan,
Nigeria. He is
currently a senior
lecturer in the same
Department. He is
lecturing resource economics, human capital
management, econometrics and research
methodology.
His research interests are rural economics,
political economy, impact assessment, policy and
development. He has worked with IFPRI, AERC
and FARA. He is a member of AGRODEP and
Nigerian Association of Agricultural Economists.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Event: National Dissemination Workshops on Improving the
Development Outcomes of
PPPs in Agriculture & Environment
Date: 18th March – 26th May, 2016
Countries Date
Cameroon 18th March, 2016
Ghana 7th April, 2016
Senegal 21st April, 2016
Mozambique 28th April, 2016
Burundi 12th May, 2016
South Africa 26th May, 2016
Location: Second Floor, International House, Annie Jiagge
Road,
University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
Address: Private Mail Bag, KIA, Accra, Ghana Email:
[email protected]
Tel: +233 302 213850. Ext. 6318 Website: www.inra.unu.edu
UNU-INRA appreciates the continued contributions from the
Governments of Ghana and Zambia to its endowment fund. The
Institute is also grateful to the following organisations for the
funding support to carry out specific projects:
| | | | |
About UNU-INRA UNU-INRA enhances the capacity of African
researchers to conduct research on natural
resources management issues to inform policy
formulation and implementation.
Although UNU-INRA is an institute of the
United Nations University (UNU) system, it was
an African concept developed by some committed
top African scientists. Its establishment is
supported by the Assembly of Heads of States and
Governments of the African Union (AU). On this
strong political and moral support, UNU-INRA
was established in 1986.
Sparkle is a quarterly newsletter of UNU-INRA.
It is an acronym for Sustainability through Partnership in
Africa where Resources are optimally utilized using
Knowledge that is holistic, Leadership that is inclusive and
Economy that is green.
mailto:[email protected]://www.inra.unu.edu/
