Selected publications
Publications and reports in the field of S&T for Development in ACP countries.
Food security in Africa: an innovative technique for cowpea storage
Dr Binso won the fourth prize in the Women in Science competition. In her interview with Knowledge for Development she explained that her research had shown that hermetic triple bagging is effective in reducing post-harvest losses of cereal and legume grains without the use of insecticide. ‘Hermetic triple bagging technology is a viable alternative because it is effective in reducing grain storage losses and it provides farmers the flexibility to store and sell when prices are high’. She expects that effective extension approaches will lead to quick adoption and commercialisation of the bagging method among smallholder farmers and thus will improve food security through steady supply of quality grain. ‘This recognition means a lot to my career and should serve as an encouragement to women scientists whose research contributes to food security. It gives me confidence to commit myself more to research that supports smallholder farmers, especially rural women to improve their livelihood.’ In five years time Dr Binso sees herself as a specialist in crop storage and an advocate of triple bagging technology.
28/03/2014
Recovery of urban solid waste in Lomé: methodological approach towards sustainable compost production
Dr Koledzi, who was awarded the fourth prize in the Young Professionals in Science competition considers the most relevant result of his project the sorting-composting platform that was developed through the research and that is now processing 20 tonnes of waste every day, with a staff of 35. He told Knowledge for Development that ‘compost producers and farmers both benefit: the compost is being sold to farmers who use it instead of chemical fertilizers to maintain and even regenerate soil fertility in their fields.’ The award for his research is a recognition that even a simple adaptation of existing technologies can help Africa feed itself and the prize will boost the importance of the sorting-composting platform and help me become a full-fledged research professor in this field.’ In five years’ time Dr Koledzi hopes to still be working as a researcher, with engagements both in Togo and Canada.
28/03/2014
Agronomic performance of extra-early maize hybrids under stress and non-stress environments in Nigeria
Ms Akaogureceived the third prize in the Women in Science competition. She clarified to Knowledge for Development that she was the first to research extra-early maize hybrids with a resistance to Striga and a tolerance for periods of drought during the flowering and grain- filling periods. She considers her research important because the adoption and commercialisation of extra-early maize hybrids with these qualities could contribute significantly to food security goals and improved incomes and livelihoods of farmers. She explained that ’the award is a great motivation and encouragement for me. It also inspires me to work harder in order to be one of the winners of the world food prize in the next few years to come. In the next 5 years, I hope to become the head of the maize breeding programme in Nigeria or be working in one of the CGIAR centres developing improved maize varieties that will bring about a maize revolution in West Africa.’
28/03/2014
Labour saving tools for women: the forage chopper for smallholder dairy farmers in Uganda
Dr Kiyimbawon the second prize in the Women in Science competition. She told Knowledge for Development that she considers the most relevant result of her research her finding that the effectiveness of using forage choppers depends on the social structures of households, community and support facilities. She explains: ‘To be effectively achieved, mechanised agriculture must be embedded into existing production strategies, recognise what community resources are available and how these can be mobilised to facilitate the use of the machines.’ She considers the award a big milestone in her career, one that makes her believe that although as one person she may not change the world, she can change the world for one person, the smallholder farmer. In the next five years she plans to build a network of researchers working on labour saving technologies, especially for women.
28/03/2014
Landscape-scale management of invasive Cymbopogon afronardus (Stapf) in the rangelands of Uganda
Mrs Kabiri, who won the second prize of the Young Professionals in Science competition, said to Knowledge for Development that mapping Cymbopogon afronardus in Uganda had shown the unprecedented scale of the weed’s invasion. ‘I observed that an essential oil from C. afronardus controls Cyperus rotundus, another weed severely affecting crop production in Africa. C. afronardus is a cheap and environmentally friendly alternative for selective biological weed and pest control in high value crops. Moreover, its harvesting will improve the quality of rangeland pastures.’ She continued: ‘The award gave me confidence as a scientist. It made me realise that my research is important for society and that, in its own small way, it contributes to improving food security. I hope that in five years I am a reputable scientist who contributes towards the consolidation of food security and poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa.’
28/03/2014
Valorisation of poultry litter to compost: an assessment of the pathogen reduction potential
Dr Sobrateewon the first prize in the Women in Science competition. She considers the identification of the weak points, in terms of sanitisation status, that allow bacterial pathogens to proliferate during composting the most relevant result of her project. ‘Optimised practices of composting, as a component of both conservation agriculture and conventional farming, is one of the solutions to Africa’s soil fertility crisis.’ She continued; ‘being at the first place in the competition gives me a legitimate sense of fulfilment with respect to the relevance of my research. It has also instilled in me the confidence that I can make a difference in the field of bio-resource management.’ Dr Sobratee sees herself in five years’ time working in academia in Mauritius, being engaged in both teaching and learning and in research, whereby teaching and learning activities will be driven and informed by her research and development work.
28/03/2014
Identification of QTL conferring resistance to Ethiopian stem rust in durum wheat
Dr Haile, who was awarded the first prize in the Young Professionals in Science competition, told Knowledge for Development that the findings of her research could contribute useful information for developing wheat varieties that are resistant against stem rust. ‘Developing resistant varieties with high yields will increase the productivity of wheat farming in Africa and secure more food for the continent. Having won the first prize is an immense honour for me. I feel strongly motivated to continue working hard and contribute to more research on wheat production for the benefit of African farmers.’ Dr Haile described herself as being on the road to becoming a full-fledged enthusiastic scientist.
28/03/2014
2013 Global Food Policy Report
IFPRI’s 2013 Global Food Policy Report reviews major food policy developments and trends from the past year, documents emerging issues, examines key challenges and opportunities, describes the rising political commitment to food and nutrition security, and sets an agenda for action. It calls for ending hunger and under-nutrition by 2025. In order to achieve these goals, IFPRI's Director General Shenggen Fan stresses the need to: promote country-driven, context-specific, and evidence-based strategies; build on evidence and past experiences such as those from Brazil, China, Thailand, and Vietnam; share ideas and knowledge on lessons learned; enhance and expand partnerships. Chapter 5 of the Report, written by Nienke Beintema and Gert-Jan Stads, provides a data-driven analysis of recent progress in investing in financial resources and human resource capacity related to agricultural R&D in Africa south of the Sahara. Of note is the rise in private investment in agricultural R&D. http://www.ifpri.org/gfpr/2013 (IFPRI, 11/03/2014)
28/03/2014
Knowledge gaps and research needs concerning agroforestry's contribution to sustainable development goals in Africa
This review by Cheikh Mbow and colleagues from the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) addresses the role of agroforestry in the links between food security and agricultural sustainability in Africa. The paper poses the hypothesis that 'Agroforestry concepts and practices can form an effective, efficient and fair pathway towards the achievement of many sustainable development goals'. It aims to demonstrate that the products and services emanating from the integration of trees within farming systems can contribute to food security, farmer livelihoods and environmental resilience. Agroforestry requires several enabling conditions beyond biophysical suitability. Many pending research questions must be explored to optimise agroforestry knowledge and practice, as failure of some agroforestry strategies is related to lack of integration and system approach. For agroforestry to be adopted it should not be constrained by policies which hinder the integration of trees, with crops and livestock. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877343513001929 (Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 20/02/2014)
28/03/2014
Scoping report on biofuels projects in five developing countries
This report by ODI, UK, summarises the results of scoping exercises carried out in early 2013 into the status of biofuel projects in five countries: Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. These scoping exercises were undertaken to determine: (i) Whether countries which are commonly referred to as important for biofuel production have seen proportionate levels of biofuel project activity; and (ii) if so, whether projects have reached a stage at which it is possible to assess the impacts of biofuel projects on local food security. The report concludes that in the four African countries, there is little basis to comprehensively investigate the possible effects of increased biofuel production on food security. What could be further researched is the impact of the displacement of people and their agricultural activities, which often occurs as part of biofuel projects. It is too early to know whether the contraction in biofuels project development is indicative of a temporary setback or whether it is of a more permanent nature. However, the number of projects which have already ceased their operations and the time required for new projects to start up operations indicate that production will not reach significant levels in the four African countries anytime soon. http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/7441-biofuels-land-agriculture-indonesia-ethiopia-zambia-mozambique-tanzania (ODI, 05/2013)
28/02/2014
Retrospective: bottlenecks to Jatropha curcas bioenergy value-chain development in Africa – a Kenyan case
Jatropha curcas (Jatropha), a shrubby tree native to Central America, thrives in many parts of the tropics and sub-tropics in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Asia. Though an essentially undomesticated shrub, Jatropha suddenly emerged as a promising biodiesel feedstock during the period 2003-2009, when rising petrol prices fuelled global interests in bioenergy crops. Jatropha was claimed to produce high-quality oil, and had a wide adaptability to diverse climatic zones and soil types, minimum input requirements, short gestation period, easy multiplication, drought tolerance, pest and disease resistance and an ability to grow under marginal conditions without competition for resources for food production. It was considered a ‘silver bullet’ to solve energy insecurity in low-income countries and to support economic development. Similarly, investors from developed nations were eager to grow it in large commercial plantations in SSA and elsewhere for export.
4/03/2014
Biofuels: Are They Still Relevant?
With the race to find new gas deposits and develop production of other carbon-based fuels, such as shale oil in the USA, Argentina, Russia and Algeria, the development of the tar sands in Canada and the return to coal in some countries, biofuels might appear irrelevant. But this ignores the high cost, both financially and in terms of water use, impact on local habitats and the longer-term consequences for climate change that result from exploiting both the old and these new sources of oil and gas (Crooks, 2013; Lattanzio, 2013). Such exploitation undercuts efforts towards an energy transition in which clean transport technologies, such as biofuels, could be important. Some options that biofuels are already providing in developing countries are briefly examined and factors that contributed to their positive impact on inclusive development are discussed.
4/03/2014
First major study of science granting councils in Sub-Saharan Africa
In February 2014, the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at the University of Stellenbosch published the first comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the roles and functioning of science granting councils (or equivalent bodies) of 17 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study found that dedicated funding councils were largely characteristic of the science systems of Anglophone countries. Francophone countries, such as Rwanda and Cameroon traditionally do not have ST&I funding councils. However, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal do have efficient funding agencies particularly in agriculture. The study identified a number of models that capture the most commonly found organisational arrangements for public research funding: The paradigm principal-agent model (delegation of responsibility for research funding to a autonomous body); the sector-differentiated model (different research funding councils for different sectors in the science system – causing challenges around coordination in science funding); the multiple principal-agents model ('non-government' science funding channels, usually international donors – there is no coordination between these channels); and the embedded principal-agent model (an extension of government with no obvious independence). The study developed ‘milestones’ in the areas of science and technology governance and policy development to allow for comparison between countries’ S&T trajectories. http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20140117123959927 http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=1130 (University World News and Stellenbosch University, 17/01/2014)
28/02/2014
Mapping of best practice regional and multi-country cooperative STI initiatives between Africa and Europe
The Africa-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on STI commissioned this study to assess existing bi-regional STI cooperation initiatives and to identify successful, best practice models of Africa and Europe cooperation. This study also identified gaps and effective financial mechanisms that could have a positive impact cooperative initiatives. In terms of collaboration, financing, and private sector participation, the report notes that the current funding landscape is rather dependent on European and on international instruments, weakening the potential of genuine co-ownership. Promising co-financing models for common research priorities are being piloted (notably by the ERAfrica consortium, www.erafrica.eu). The report argues that joint funding, strong leadership and effective governance; clarity and understanding of joint objectives; strong interpersonal relations, equitable resource and benefits sharing, full transparency and open communication all build create mutual trust and foster co-ownership as necessary conditions for optimal efficiency. Other topics addressed by the study include: impact, success criteria, gaps, barriers and challenges. http://hrst.au.int/en/sites/default/files/STI%20study%20final%20report%20-%20revision%20October%202013.pdf (via CAAST-Net Plus, 19/12/2013)
28/02/2014
Training workshop on Open Access Publishing Using Open Journal Systems: Proceedings, 2013
From a series of sub-regional workshops on ICT/ICM/IKM that APAARI conducted together with FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, GFAR and other partners, it was identified that the capacity to make research journals open access was a main hindrance among most NARS in this region. This publication details eight hands-on training sessions on: (i) overview and feature of Open Journal Systems (OJS), (ii) hosting journal and journal set up, (iii) user roles and navigating OJS editorial process, (iv) user interface customization and notification, (v) user management and the role of an editor, (vi) statistics and reports, publishing, back-up and restore, (vii) database of reviewers, and (viii) increasing visibility of OJS and setting up a Community of Practice. This publication could be useful to professionals who are involved in editing and publishing agricultural research journals, planners, administrators and researchers in the Asia Pacific region. http://www.apaari.org/publications/ojs-2013.html (APAARI, 12/2013)
28/02/2014
Fiji Agriculture Journal re-launched
The Fiji Agricultural Journal (FAJ) has been revived. The journal includes reviews, feature articles, scientific papers, and short technical notes on Pacific island countries' sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry. Those interested in the Pacific islands’ agriculture sector are encouraged to contribute their experience and knowledge. This issue contains articles on topics such as tomato varieties, introduced wheat, invasive trees, soil health, Mucuna pruriens cultivation and properties of Xylopia pacifica (Dulewa). http://www.fiji.gov.fj/Media-Center/Press-Releases/FIJI-AGRICULTURE-JOURNAL-LAUNCHED.aspx http://www.agriculture.gov.fj/images/docs/publications/fiji-agricultural-journal/fiji-agricultural-journal-vol-53-issue-1-2013.pdf (Fiji Agricultural Journal, 23/12/2013)
28/02/2014
The system of crop intensification: Agro-ecological innovations to improve agricultural production, food security, and resilience to climate change
This monograph on the System of Crop Intensification (SCI), published by the SRI International Network and Resources Center (SRI-Rice), Cornell University, USA, is a compilation of extraordinary reports from the field written by the Centre's Norman Uphoff and Erika Striger and their research partners from South Asia and East Africa. SCI, an ensemble of agro-ecological innovations generalised from the precursor System of Rice Intensification (SRI), aims to achieve higher output with less use of or less expenditure on land, labour, capital, and water – all by making modifications in crop management practices. The contributors to this monograph are reporting as initiators or supporters of the changes being introduced, not as researchers studying them, although all have done and continue to do publishable research. By communicating observed outcomes achieved under real-world circumstances as accurately as possible, this information could stimulate the interest of others to undertake more systematic studies and to help establish scientific explanations for promoting the greater utilisation of SCI adaptations. The focal crops of the systems of agricultural intensification described in this monograph include wheat, tef, maize, finger millet, sugarcane, legumes and vegetables. http://sri.ciifad.cornell.edu/aboutsri/othercrops/SCImonograph_SRIRice2014.pdf (SRI-Rice, 01/2014)
28/02/2014
Fish to 2030: Prospects for fisheries and aquaculture
This new joint report by World Bank, FAO, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on the prospect for fisheries and aquaculture shows that fish farming will provide close to two thirds of global food fish consumption by 2030. It estimates that catches from wild capture fisheries will level off while demand from an emerging global middle class will increase substantially. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to see a per capitafish consumption decline of 1 % per year from 2010 to 2030 but, due to rapid population growth of 2.3 % in the same period, the region's total fish consumption will grow by 30 % overall. By 2030, 62 % of food fish will come from aquaculture with the fastest supply growth likely to come from tilapia, carp, and catfish. Threats from large-scale disease outbreaks in aquaculture and climate change-related impacts could dramatically alter this, and the potential of small scale aquaculture must be exploited. http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/213522/icode/ http://www.ifpri.org/pressrelease/fish-farms-produce-nearly-two-thirds-global-food-fish-supply-2030-report-shows (FAO and IFPRI, 05/02/2014)
28/02/2014
Small-scale fisheries governance and supply chain in the Ocean View fishing community, South Africa
In this case study of a fishing community in Ocean View, Cape Town, South Africa, researcher Moenieba Isaacs of the University of Western Cape, examines a snoek (Thyrsites atun) fishery that operates through a community supply chain and informal markets. It found that this small scale fishery operates much differently than that of the high value regulated species, and yet plays a significant role in the livelihoods of artisanal fishers and in the food security of poor households. The findings of this case study show the failures of existing policy frameworks to take into account these smaller supply chains and point to the implications for the implementation of the new small-scale fisheries policy in South Africa, notably regarding the role of certification. The research article is part of a special feature of the Ecology and Society journal on The Recent History and Practice of Local Fisheries in a Globalizing World. http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol18/iss4/art17/ (Ecology and Society, Vol. 18, Iss. 4, 2013)
28/02/2014
Food fortification: New findings and implications
Johanna T Dwyer of Tufts Medical School, Boston, USA and colleagues from various research institutes review in this article current food fortification in the United States. They discus and evaluate the value of fortification, the success of current fortification efforts, and the future role of fortification in preventing or reversing nutrient inadequacies. Fortification of the food supply with vitamins and minerals is a public health strategy to enhance nutrient intakes of the population without increasing caloric intake. Many individuals in the United States would not achieve recommended micronutrient intakes without food fortification. The achievement and maintenance of a desirable level of nutritional quality in the nation's food supply therefore is an important public health objective. The authors argue that, while the addition of nutrients to foods can help maintain and improve the overall nutritional quality of diets, indiscriminate fortification of foods could result in over- and under-fortification and nutrient imbalances in the diets of individuals. Any changes in food fortification policy must be considered within the context of the impact they will have on all segments of the population and of food technology and safety applications and their limitations. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nure.12086/full (Nutrition Reviews, 21/01/2014)
27/02/2014
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