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Optimism emerges over European funding for African research facilities
Political momentum is growing in both Europe and Africa behind the idea that investment in research facilities is as important as investment in roads and schools for a country's development. This was the main conclusion to emerge from a two-day conference that took place as part of the meeting on EU Science: Global Challenges & Global Collaboration, which ended in Brussels early March 2013. Those attending the meeting agreed that research infrastructures should be a priority focus of bi-regional cooperation in science, technology and innovation between Africa and the EU. While it is essential for politicians to be able to demonstrate to their electorates the direct benefits to be drawn from investment in research infrastructure, it was emphasised that demand for investment in research facilities needed to come from African countries themselves. In addition, attenders stressed the need to ensure that spending on infrastructure is complemented by investment in 'human capacity development'. Additional comments on the conference: 'In Perspective: Focus cash on research infrastructure' (SciDev.Net, 11/03/2013)
10/04/2013
EU says more need to use science to cut fish quota
The WWF reported in December 2012 how EU nations have followed scientific advice in only 13% of their decisions on setting fisheries quotas over the last decade. The quotas EU nations set for their fisheries are on average 45% higher than the scientific recommendations. The consequences of this bad decision-making are depleted fish stocks. The EU is working on a wholesale reform of its policies to kick in during 2014, seeking to tackle the problem of discards and subsidies for boats, which can contribute to overfishing. http://phys.org/news/2012-12-eu-science-fish-quota.html (Phys.org, 14/12/2012)
7/03/2013
Fostering breakthrough research: a comparative study
This comparative study of the research policy system of five countries, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Switzerland was commissioned by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA). Worried that the international importance of Swedish research is declining, the KVA sought to understand the reasons and explore avenues to counteract the decline. Some reasons that were identified include: 1) the rapid increase in undergraduate education without adequate funding and the increasing separation of education from research; 2) the ongoing shift towards more strategic research and the increase in short-term external funding which has weakened the sector’s more challenging, investigator-driven basic research, which requires a longer-term view. The report recommended that the Swedish research universities take steps to improve conditions for research which a) give the universities more independence from government regulations and thus greater freedom; b) secure the universities’ long-term block funding for core, basic research; c) develop more efficient administration systems for operational sectors; undergraduate education, independent long-term academic research prioritized by the university, externally financed, targeted research and externally funded commercialization; d) establish internationally attractive research chairs and increase researchers’ national and international mobility and e) handle issues of intellectual property rights (IPR) more professionally.(KVA report via University World News, 16/12/2012)
8/02/2013
The Paradoxes of Transparency: Science and the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management in Europe
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is the central scientific network within the massive set of bureaucracies that is responsible for Europe's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). While spending the past 25 years failing to sustain Europe's fish stocks, this management system also became adept at making the lives of its scientists miserable. Now it is being confronted by the complex challenge of an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. If this combination of a multi-national bureaucracy, hard politics, and scientific uncertainty has made it impossible to maintain many individual fish stocks, how are decisions going to be made that consider everything from sea birds to climate change? The old political saw that ‘if you can't solve a problem, make it bigger’ has never been put to a test like this! Yet ICES has begun to rise in an impressive way to the scientific challenge of providing advice for an ecosystem approach within the world's most cumbersome fisheries management system. This book (PDF) lays out the results of extensive sociological research on ICES and the decision making systems into which it feeds. ICES is finding ways to provide effective advice in the many situations where scientific advice is needed but a clear, simple answer is out of reach. In spite of the difficulties, scientists are beginning to help the various parties concerned with management to deal with facts about nature in ways that are more useful and transparent.(Douglas C. Wilson, 2009)
23/11/2012
More effective and efficient support of Learning and Innovation Networks for Sustainable Agriculture (LINSA)
The overall objective of this FP7 project is to identify effective and efficient approaches for the support of successful LINSA (Learning and Innovation Networks for Sustainable Agriculture) as drivers of transition towards Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) for sustainable agriculture and rural development. In order to achieve this objective the project will: Explore LINSAs empirically as bottom-up drivers of transition Improve understanding of barriers to complex learning processes and developing recommendations on how to avoid / remove them Create open learning spaces for actors outside the project by sharing and disseminating project findings Identify institutional determinants that enable or constrain existing AKS in supporting effective LINSA in the context of changing knowledge and innovation policies Develop a conceptual framework for innovation for sustainable agriculture and rural development. The study will be carried out in 3 fields: (i) consumer oriented networks, (ii) non-food oriented networks and (iii) purely agricultural networks or networks for sustainable land use. Strategic objectives of the projects are to contribute to more effective research-practice linkages in the complex innovation and value chains, and to a policy framework for innovation in agriculture.
23/10/2012
Monoculture mania must and can be overcome
This opinion piece published on the OurWorld2.0, an initiative by the United Nations University, argues on the need to reign in the drive to monocultures. It offers avenues for alternatives citing efforts in the EU and the US and arguments from big name economists (Paul Krugman) and op-ed from the NY Times. It makes for an interesting read.(UNU OurWorld2.0, 20/8/2012)http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/monoculture-mania-must-and-can-be-overcome/
26/09/2012
PURE 1st annual newsletter: Testing innovative crop protection systems
PURE, a project supported by the EU on integrated pest management, is compiling data on various crop protection systems across the EU. Its first annual newsletter, along with several publications, has been published and covers the subject of innovative IPM solutions related to wheat, maize, field vegetables, pomefruit and grapevine cropping systems. The webpage has a link to resources from the ENDURE project that assess major specific crop-pest problems.(PURE Newsletter, 27/8/2012)
26/09/2012
Trees breathing new life into French agriculture
by recent agronomic research. Christian Dupraz, a researcher at the National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA) in Montpellier, has been studying this type of mixed farming for the past 20 years. He believes in the importance of switching to ‘agro-ecological’ systems that do not depend on the petrochemical industry. ‘The fertility of French land is due to its forests, which have enriched it with carbon. Planting trees can replace chemical fertilisers’, he said.(The Guardian, 21/8/2012)http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/21/agroforestry-france-farming-revival
26/09/2012
Research into mild preservation techniques for food products
These days, food can be kept a lot longer than in the past. But techniques such as pasteurisation and sterilisation also affect the quality of the products. The nutritional quality suffers, the product has less aroma and the flavour and smell of the food sometimes deteriorate. New, milder preservation techniques go a long way to preventing this loss of quality. Wageningen UR Food and Biobased Research have joined forces with a group of Dutch companies in the food industry to explore the application of these techniques.(Wageningen UR, 2/7/2012)
14/09/2012
New project and call for evidence at EASAC: ‘Planting the future: opportunities and challenges for sustainable crop development’
EASAC – the European Academies Science Advisory Council – announced late July 2012 the new project to address genetics and the sustainable intensification of agriculture, covering science and technology in the context of EU food security and EU-global relationship. It is meant to explore the implications of alternative policy decisions on bioscience strategies in agriculture. One of the work streams is to collect evidence on the applications of molecular biosciences in agriculture in African countries.EASAC invites contributions of written evidence to this project, to be submitted by 30 September 2012.(EASAC, 24/7/2012)
14/09/2012
Climate-smart agriculture: Possible roles of agricultural universities in a strengthened Norwegian climate change engagement in Africa
In addition to industrial emission control, Norwegian efforts to restrict climate change have focused on mitigation through forest protection (REDD+) and clean energy (Energy+). A third area of attention is climate-smart agriculture. Producing food in a more ‘climate smart’ way is seen as having three advantages: 1) Providing food for an increasing population, 2) maintaining food production under a changing climate, and 3) reducing greenhouse gas emission from agriculture while absorbing carbon in vegetation and soil. This report explores how Norway can support Africa’s efforts to make agriculture more climate-smart through support to African universities.(Via Eldis, 2012)
14/09/2012
The CASCADE project: Making drylands more resilient by studying catastrophic shifts
Resilience of landscapes is sometimes stretched to a tipping point and adverse changes then follow quickly. At the moment, little is known about the connection between environmental stresses and catastrophic shifts. CASCADE will investigate a range of dryland ecosystems in southern Europe to study a range of physical and socio-economical drivers and obtain a better understanding of sudden shifts in drylands that may lead to major losses in biodiversity and concomitant ecosystem services. By focusing on vulnerable drylands as the target ecosystems, it builds further on existing knowledge regarding shifts in these ecosystems. CASCADE will improve our understanding of the biogeochemical mechanisms underlying sudden and catastrophic shifts, and of the key biotic and abiotic factors influencing these processes. The CASCADE approach will develop a common-ground participatory approach that will serve as the basis of the sustainable management of the ecosystems, the biodiversity within these ecosystems, and the services provided by the ecosystems.(via Wageningen University, 18/6/2012)
16/08/2012
Growing fresh lettuce with less irrigation
Lettuce growers could safely reduce the amount of irrigation water used on their fields by 25 %, so say researchers working on an ongoing EU-funded project into how climate change and globalisation affect the production of fresh produce. The findings of the Veg-i-Trade ('Impact of climate change and globalisation on safety of fresh produce governing a supply chain of uncompromised food sovereignty') project, coordinated by Mieke Uyttendaele from Ghent University in Belgium, show that using less water also helps increase the shelf life of fresh-cut lettuce, reduces farming costs and improves sustainability. One of the Veg-i-Trade partners has investigated the influence of different irrigation water doses on the quality and safety characteristics of two different types of fresh-cut lettuce: Romaine and Iceberg. The results show that using 25% less irrigation water prolongs the lettuce's shelf life, decreases browning on the cut edge of lettuce pieces and preserves microbiological quality.(CORDIS, 9/7/2012)
16/08/2012
Farm ponds cut agricultural water pollution
Diffuse pollution from scattered sources on farms and fields, transported by runoff rainwater through the complex network of drains, ditches and streams in the countryside, poses a significant threat to water quality. New research led by Lancaster University (UK) indicates that farm ponds can significantly reduce agricultural pollution in the watershed. Environmental scientists have created ten new field wetlands in areas of unproductive farmland such as field corners and buffer strips. The field wetlands – single or paired ponds of varying designs and sizes – are being monitored to measure how much runoff, sediment and nutrients they can trap. Over three years, the monitored ponds have collected large quantities of sediment, acted as carbon sinks and helped reduced the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in runoff waters. (AlphaGalileo, 14/06/2012)
12/07/2012
Centre for Agroecology and Food Security (CAFS)
The aim of the Centre for Agroecology and Food Security (CAFS) is to conduct critical, rigorous and relevant research which will contribute to the development of agricultural and food production practices, which are economically sound, socially just and promote long-term protection of natural resources. CAFS brings together social and natural scientists whose collective research expertise in the fields of agriculture and food spans several decades. The centre is hosted by Conventry University, UK.
11/07/2012
Fisheries science falls foul of privacy rules
EU Scientists warn that European restrictions on personal data endanger marine research and sustainability. A little-noticed tweak to one of the EU’s many rules and regulations is leaving fisheries scientists struggling to access vital data. The rule change means that raw data from devices used to monitor fishing vessels are no longer available to some scientists. This information is vital for proper, scientifically based management of Europe’s troubled fish stocks. At the heart of the problem is information from devices called Vessel Monitoring Systems, which are attached to many fishing boats to record their position, direction and speed. From these data, the boats' fishing patterns can be reconstructed, allowing researchers to assess fishing activity and, for example, examine the environmental impact on specific areas. In 2009 a new EC rule was brought in, restricting who could access what data within the EU. This rule took some time to filter through but it is now becoming apparent that the very detailed fisheries data needed by some academics are no longer available. (Nature News, 6/6/2012)
11/07/2012
New project ‘Gratitude’: Gains from Losses of Roots and Tuber Crops
Private and public sector organisations from Thailand, Vietnam, Ghana, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Portugal and the UK came together at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, UK, in April 2012 to launch the new European Union Framework 7 funded project ‘Gratitude’ (Gains from Losses of Roots and Tuber Crops), and to begin the planning phase. The project aims to help small-holder farmers and small-medium enterprises to find and disseminate solutions that will reduce waste from postharvest losses of root and tuber crops and turn typically discarded by-products into something of increased value. By addressing food security, creating demand for root and tuber crops and improving efficiency at all stages along the value chain; this unique and innovative project will greatly improve the livelihoods of people with low incomes. (NRI via AlpĥaGalileo; 18/4/2012)
4/06/2012
Mapping out agriculture and food security in changing climate
The Joint Programming Initiative FACCE–JPI has announced the approval for funding of its first joint action which brings together 67 research groups from 17 European countries. The initiative’s research agenda will address the modelling of impacts of climate change on European agriculture and food security and the reduction of uncertainties in climate change scenarios. An innovative, tailor-made instrument, a ‘Knowledge Hub’, was developed by the FACCE–JPI, associating three complementary dimensions: networking, research and capacity building. (Via WUR, 12/04/2012)
31/05/2012
New era in EU-Africa scientific collaboration
The adoption by the European Parliament of Written Declaration 45 on Science Capacity Building in Africa has given practical effect to a vibrant Africa-EU partnership by supporting stronger collaboration in radio astronomy projects. This collaboration will bring the importance of research, development and innovation into clearer focus and expand the relationship between African and Europe beyond the traditional emphasis on aid cooperation. (via AfricaBrains, 27/03/2012)
31/05/2012
Towards open science in the 21st century
The initiative ALLEA (All European Academies) released April 2012 the Declaration ‘Open Science for the 21st century’ to acknowledge Open Access as part of the future of Open Science. The declaration describes the vision of Open Science in the 21st century and lists the requirements that need to be fulfilled to realise this vision: Open Scientific Content arising from publicly funded research Open e-Infrastructures for public and private research Towards an Open Science Culture It describes under the title ‘Making it happen’ how ALLEA and its member academies will advocate the adoption of Open Access and Open Science.(Via AIMS, 04/2012)
31/05/2012
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