Knowledge for development

We are pleased to forward the March 2013 issue of the CTA and S&T Knowledge for Development (K4D) e-newsletter. In this issue, we feature two lead articles written by Professor Norman Uphoff, Cornell University and Professor Calestous Juma, Harvard University and his co-author Prof Yee-Cheong Lee. These should cause us to reflect on how we provide advice on, as well as embrace and apply, science, technology and innovation (STI) for solving global, national and local challenges.Download the newsletter below. 18/04/2013
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In this new lead article, Prof. Calestous Juma, Harvard University and Prof. Yee-Cheong Lee, UNESCO, reflect on the progress made since the UN Millennium Project's Task Force report on science, technology and innovation (ST&I) was published. In 2005, the Task Force released the report Innovation: applying knowledge in development. It outlined a number of ways in which ST&I could be used to realize the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The authors claim that the report has played a key catalytic role in raising global awareness of the importance of ST&I in development.  10/04/2013
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Prof. Uphoff notes that relative water scarcity is growing at an alarming rate and it is the efficient and effective management of water that must help ACP countries, where agriculture remains primarily rain-fed, cope with scarcities and surfeits. In reflecting on the contemporary experiences that the ACP-EU Think tank deliberated on in their annual 2012 meeting, Prof. Uphoff noted that the more 'efficient use of water can, in effect, expand its supply, while on the other hand, the more productive use of water can ease the demand or need by giving farmers "more crop per drop"'. He makes a plea for more contemporary thinking and approaches to addressing water for agriculture and suggests a softer focus to embrace the concept of water governance.  10/04/2013
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Call for more proactive approach to drought in the Caribbean-With a below normal 2012 rainy season, countries in the Caribbean have been confronted with low water availability for rainfed farming and reduced water levels in waterways. Adrian Trotman, chief agrometeorologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Barbados, believes that unless more is done to increase the region's resilience to drought, the region will be challenged to sustain its socio-economic development. Areas where more needs to be done include (i) enhancing the quality, delivery and targeting of climate services to national and regional stakeholders, (ii) increasing data sharing, enhancing collaborations between national, regional and international stakeholders, (iii) policy reform with respect to IWRM, and (iv) public education, and (v) monitoring the impacts of these events. 11/04/2013
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CTA/FARA/IFS/ANAFE/RUFORUM/NPCA/AGRA: Promoting excellence in science, technology and innovation for agricultural and rural development in Africa-Top 20 finalists of the 3rd Africa-wide women and young professionals in science competitions-CTA and its partners, FARA, IFS, ANAFE, RUFORUM, NPCA, AGRA are pleased to announce the top 20 finalists of the 3rd Africa-wide women and young professionals science competitions 'Feeding 1 billion in Africa in a changing world' which was launched in 2012.The twenty finalists will vie for the top five places and awards (including trophies, cash and other prizes, book donations) in each category; women and young professionals, at a side event which is planned for 15 - 16 July 2013, during the 6th FARA General Assembly and Science Week in Ghana. Each finalist will make a 15 minute scientific presentation on their research and outreach work to a multi-disciplinary high-level panel of judges drawn from Africa. The chief judge will be Professor Ameenah Gurib-Fakim who is a past winner and role model and also now a member of the expert panel for the science competitions.CTA and partners are very pleased with the high quality of the final papers which were submitted by the 45 semi-finalists who had benefitted from a scientific writing, communication and policy advocacy training course which was organized by the consortium partners in September 2012 in Uganda. The scientific contributions of all semi-finalists will be published by CTA, FARA and partners.All semi-finalists will also be fully supported to attend the 6th Africa Science Week and FARA General Assembly from 15-20 July 2013 in Accra, Ghana. The Award ceremony to recognize the winners as well as all the semi-finalists for their contribution to science and development on the continent will be held during the FARA General Assembly.  Get the list: Top 10 Women finalists  Get the list: Top 10 YPOs finalists   11/04/2013
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Synthesis Workshop on Integrated Seed Sector Development II-08 - 09 April 2013, KNUST Campus, Kumasi, Ghana-CTA had partnered with the Centre for Development Innovation (CDI), Wageningen University and Research centre and several international partners in Phase II of the Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) project which focussed on seed entrepreneurship. This project was endorsed by the African Union and will end in April 2013. CTA supported the participation of knowledge institutes, mainly six African universities; the Universities of Burundi, Ghana and Zambia, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources - Malawi, Makerere University - Uganda and Mekelelee University - Ethiopia, in the project.Each university representative undertook a case study on the university's contribution to innovation in the national seed system and then presented the results to a national forum comprising university peers and public and private sector officials involved in the national seed system. Outcomes and lessons from assessments undertaken by the ISSD national task forces were also presented during the university seminars.Some of the key lessons learned by the universities at individual and institutional levels included the need for: (i) integrating informal (familial) seed systems in their research, teaching and outreach especially given their importance to food security and the conservation and optimization of indigenous genetic resources to minimize biodiversity erosion; (ii) greater coordination of research and teaching undertaken within the university for achieving greater impact; (iii) increased networking and sharing of knowledge and experiences among universities within countries and across regions; (iv) including seed policy and legal issues and for curricula review and; (v) universities to play a greater role in influencing national and regional policy processes as they relate to seed sector development in Africa as well as internationally.CTA will continue to work with African universities and network partners in their efforts aimed at strengthening the informal seed systems and supporting innovations that address hunger, poverty and climate change challenges.Previous notes on the ISSD initiative can be found here (March 2013) and here (October 2012).Download Judith Francis' presentation on CTA planned and ongoing work in Seed Sector Development in Africa (ISSD Ghana April 2013).Download the newsletter ISSD Africa no 4 of April 2013. 11/04/2013
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Plant geneticists successfully isolated the gene that creates dwarfed varieties of pearl millet. The dwarf varieties are economically important in the U.S., India and Africa, in particular. The knowledge gained in pearl millet will help to develop semi-dwarf lines with high agronomic performance in other cereal crops but dwarf varieties of pearl millet are not ideal for every planting situation. In Africa, many farmers prefer taller varieties because they use the long stalks for roofing thatch and other applications. However, where millet is intensively cultivated, dwarf millet allows farmers to harvest the grain with mechanical threshers. Ranchers like dwarf millet as a forage plant because it has a high leaf-to-stem ratio. Knowing more about the plant in general is key to broadening production of the very drought-resistant, hardy grain. (Phys.org, 29/03/2013)  10/04/2013
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The launch of the Regional Sago Network for Asia and the Pacific (SNAP) in March 2013 marks the promotion of underutilized indigenous food crops such as Sago palm. Sago has a high starch yield potential and grows in swamps and wetlands with minimal competition from other food crops for land and water use. Sago has many advantages over other starch-producing food crops. It can grow in swamps and wet land which are not suitable for agricultural production. It is tolerant to drought and floods. It increases farm household income and employment through the production of confectionery and cookies, roofing material from leaves and the production of woven mats and handicrafts. The Sago worm cultured from old Sego trunks is a local delicacy with high market value. Additionally it contributes to slowing the pace of global warming through its year-round carbon dioxide absorbing function. (FAO, 14/12/2012)  10/04/2013
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Intellectual Property Watchreports on the efforts made by several countries in Africa to find appropriate intellectual property policies and discussed at the Africa IP conference (February 2013). The issue of applying intellectual property rights to indigenous knowledge, in order to protect holders of this knowledge from exploitation, while at the same time leveraging it for development was a vibrant thread of debate throughout the conference. IP-Watch.org also reports on the March 2013 workshop 'Practical Approaches to IP Utilization and Protection in Africa' co-organised by the US Commerce Department and the African Intellectual Property Group (AIPG), a new pro-IP association of stakeholders. Participants there emphasised the need to set an Africa IP agenda, more research on the impact of strong IPR protection, and to debunk the idea of a 'one-size-fits-all' IP policy for Africa. More recently, IP-Watch.org wrote about the draft protocol for the protection of new varieties of plants proposed by an inter-governmental African regional economic community, the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It reported that the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) draft protocol is provoking the ire of civil society concerned about its potential impact on small farmers, and the lack of consultation of farmers. According to the draft protocol, plant breeders' rights 'in the region will allow farmers access to a wide range of improved varieties to contribute to the attainment of the regional goal of economic development and food security'. The civil society groups said that the protocol would not develop a suitable regime to the needs of SADC member states and their farmers. The latter rely heavily on farm saved seed, exchanges with relatives and neighbours, bartering with other farmers or local markets to access seeds. (Intellectual Property Watch, March/April 2013) 10/04/2013
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Farmers in Cameroon are growing new varieties of beans that are providing up to three times the yields of traditional crops, which have been under attack from pests and disease as well as adverse weather patterns. Seven varieties of hardier and more nutritious beans are now being distributed to farmers, following extensive trials by the country's Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD). The varieties were selected from hundreds given to Cameroon by the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), a multi-agency initiative that coordinates research on the continent. (SciDev.Net, 22/03/2013)  10/04/2013
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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
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