Knowledge for Development
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CTA S&T programme

CTA’s Knowledge for Development programme supports the policy dialogue on S&T for agricultural and rural development in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. It enables the ACP scientific community – primarily agricultural research and development scientists and technologists, policy makers, farmers and other stakeholders – to share and review the results of national and regional efforts and collaborate in harnessing S&T for the development of agriculture in their countries.


8th meeting of Advisory Committee on S&T for ARD, November 16-20, Montpellier, France

ICTs transforming agricultural science and innovation – implications for ACP agriculture The ACP agricultural sector faces numerous challenges in effectively satisfying the food and nutrition needs of its growing population and the requirements for competing in global markets in addition to fulfilling its role as a driver of economic growth and social development. These challenges are compounded by (i) under investments in agriculture, science, research, tertiary education and inadequate physical infrastructure, (ii) dwindling natural resource base – land and water, climate change and soil degradation, (iii) declining human resource base with the necessary competencies and skills to generate, access, contextualize and optimize knowledge and technologies, (iv) inadequate recognition of local / traditional knowledge and (v) the global economic meltdown and energy crisis. ICTs hold the potential but there is need to overcome the barriers to making optimum use of science and technological innovations if the ACP region is to fully participate in the global knowledge system for improving ACP agricultural performance. Investments in physical infrastructure and human resource development must increase. 29/10/2009
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The 2008 E-Consultation Report of the Advisory Committee “Building a Critical Mass”

by Rutger Engelhard, Judith Francis
The concept of a ‘critical mass of scientists’ has entered the policy discussions of the Advisory Committee on Science and Technology for ACP Agricultural and Rural Development. The AC members took up the challenge to reflect and elaborate on the concept during their 2008 e-consultation. 02/12/2008
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Building a Critical Mass of Scientists

Views from leaders in the ACP scientific community. 02/12/2008
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Update on Women and Young Professionals in Science Competitions

CTA in collaboration with the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is pleased to announce that 248 entrants from 34 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt and Germany submitted abstracts in response to the two science competitions that were launched in July 2008. The partners received 133 abstracts from women in science and 115 abstracts from young professionals. The competitions seek to identify and recognize women and young professionals in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the Diaspora who are engaged in innovative and pioneering research and development and communicating the outputs (knowledge, technologies, approaches) for enhancing agricultural performance in SSA. The expert group is now reviewing the submissions and will select the top 40, who will be invited to present their full papers for final judging at the Ministerial Forum on Higher Education in Lusaka, Zambia from 27 – 31 October 2008. 09/09/2008
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