Training opportunity with ICRA : Design and Management of InterActive Learning, Action Research and Outreach in Higher Education

Design and Management of InterActive Learning, Action Research and Outreach in Higher Education

Three-week course for lecturers and researchers working in higher agricultural and rural education organisations.

Date: 20 Oct-7 Nov 2014.

Location: ICRA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Apply for the course at ICRA before 29 April 2014. Apply for a scholarship for this course from the Netherlands Fellowship Programme before 6 May 2014.

For more details, Please visit ICRA website: http://www.icra-edu.org/page.cfm?pageid=ardsharingIA2014-1

2014 Year of Agriculture: AU SAFGRAD and CILSS to revisit their MOU

Ouagadougou, 04 February 2014. AU SAFGRAD, the Specialized Office of African Union Commission in charge of Agricultural Research and Development in the Semi-Arid Zones (SAZ) of Africa and The Permanent Inter-States Committee for Drought and Desertification Control in the Sahel (CILSS) have decided to revisit their previous five years MOU. This decision is the main conclusion of discussions during a visit paid on Tuesday, February 4^th 2014 by DR Ahmed ELMEKASS, AU SAFGRAD Coordinator, to DR Djimé ADOUM, new CILSS Executive Secretary.

Accompanied with close collaborators, Dr Ahmed ELMEKASS has visited his CILSS peer with the purpose to greeting him and discuss the way to strengthen the cooperation between the two institutions. Responding to his guest, Dr ADOUM expressed his honor in receiving AU SAFGRAD Coordinator and his team. While discussing on the relationships and activities of their respective institutions, the two persons in charge agreed to reinforce the collaboration between AU SAFGRAD and CILSS in particular within Sahel Region. Taking opportunity of the framework of the 2014 African Union Year of Agriculture, Dr ElMEKASS and Dr ADOUM have decided to revisit their Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) signed since 2006. In this regards a couple of experts representing the two organizations will meet in the coming weeks to reread the past MOU. Invited by his counterpart, the head of CILSS has accepted to visit AU SAFGRAD Office as soon as possible.

Established respectively in the seventies (1973 and 1977), CILSS and AU SAFGRAD are both located in Ouagadougou City. CILSS intervention is limited to the Sahel Region while AU SAFGRAD mandate is targeting all the semi-arid zones across Africa including the Sahel.

For further information, please contact: Mr Youssoupha MBENGUE, Senior Information Officer at AU SAFGRAD, Ouagadougou. Email: Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser.

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VALIDATION WORKSHOP ON A STUDY ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURAL INPUTS IN SAHEL REGION AND HORN OF AFRICA.

Ouagadougou, 15 December 2013. AFRICAN UNION SAFGRAD, in collaboration with the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) convened a two days meeting, 12-13 December 2013, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, to review the draft reports of a study on “Climate Change and Africa Agricultural Inputs for Improved Production with special Emphasis to Drought Tolerant Varieties”. The bilingual (French and English) study covered two vulnerable semi-arid regions of the continent namely the Sahel and the Horn of Africa.

The meeting was attended by various experts and stakeholders from  National and International organisations of the two regions. Chaired by the Director General of Vegetal Productions, Burkina Faso, representing H.E. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Burkina Faso, in presence of AU SAFGRAD Coordinator and a Representative of GIZ. The Workshop first paid tribute to late Nelson Mandela by observing a minute of Silence at the opening. Was also shown a ten minutes video summarizing the rich activities held in Burkina Faso during the long year celebration of the OAU/AU 50th anniversary.

Taking the floor at the opening, Dr Ahmed ELMEKASS, AU SAFGRAD Coordinator, has underlined “The Decision of the AU 2009 Summit, on climate change, is eloquent testimony of the importance that Africa’s political leadership attaches to this matter and not just as an environmental issue, but as one that is affecting other aspects of our lives including direct effect on agriculture productivity”. He also explained that, for the importance of the climate change issues and the key role of the Agricultural research in the adaptation and mitigations of the climate change, AU-SAFGRAD office agreed with GIZ to develop a document on the Climate Change and Agriculture Inputs Use in Africa, particularly in the Sahel zone and East of Africa region as well.

After two days discussion the experts deeply reviewed the document and made relevant recommendations by focusing on themes such as the Increased use of drought tolerant varieties, the promotion of crop diversification, the Implementing integrated drought management methods and the Implementation of comprehensive policies for climate change and agriculture inputs in Sahel and East Africa.

AU/SAFGRAD is one of the specialized technical offices within the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) of the African Union Commission. Its vision falls within the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development (CAADP) framework. AU/SAFGRAD has been designated as the institutional focal point of UNCCD for coordinating the Thematic Program Network for the Promotion of Sustainable Agricultural Farming Systems to Combat Desertification in Africa (TPN6) activities. For more details, Please check  Press Release on December 2013 Workshop

Mandela is no more, Africa is bereaved

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 6 December 2013

 Africa is bereaved

Madiba Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Pan African hero, Former South African President is no more.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, on behalf of the Commission and its staff, and indeed, on behalf of the Union and the rest of the continent, expressed her grief on the passing of a Pan African icon and Nobel Peace Laureate, President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

Madiba, as he was fondly known, symbolises the spirit of Pan Africanism and solidarity in the struggles of humanity against apartheid, oppression and colonialism and for self-determination, peace and reconciliation.

Before his imprisonment in 1963 for twenty seven years, he visited countless African countries that without fail pledged and rendered unflinching support for the struggle of the South African people.

Mandela has fought a good fight, and bowed out with great reverence. His passing on is a great loss to his family, to our continent and indeed to humanity itself.  

AU Joint visit with UN, AfDB, WB and EU in Burkina Faso and Sahel Region

AU SAFGRAD was honoured by the visit in Burkina Faso of Dr Dlamini Zuma, African Union Chairperson. Mrs Zuma  had undertaken a joint visit in the Sahel Region from 05 to 07 of November 2013 and had stayed in Ouagadougou, the Capital City of Burkina, from November 6th to 7th. She was accompanied with the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, African Development Bank (AfDB), the President of World Bank (WB) and European Union (EU) Comisionner for Development. In fact, there is a braod recognition that the multifaceted challenges facing the Sahel region require a concerted, integrated reponse that builds on the continental, regional and national efforts. 

Therefore, the objective of this joint visit is to serve as a tangible demonstration of the commitment of the International community to work with the governments of the Sahel Region to help lift the Sahel from poverty and insecurity. The African Union has been promoting development in the Sahel Region and is helping Member States implement its counterterrorism framework.  In addition, the AU Mission for Mali and Sahel (MISAHEL), various Regional Economic Communauties (for instance ECOWAS) as well as technical offices such as African Union SAFGRAD are commited to implement relevant programmes within the Region.

Several important annoucements in terms of actions and financial supports for the Sahel Region have been made during this joint meeting by the five international organisations. The key objectives of the joint visit included the following:

1. Highlight the commitment of the United Nations, African Union, World Bank Group, African Development Bank and European Union to work together, in collaboration with other partners, to help countries and organizations in the Sahel tackle insecurity and poverty in the region,
2. Demonstrate well coordinated international support for efforts to address the regional drivers of longstanding fragility in the Sahel in accordance with the priority areas identified by countries and organizations n the region,
3. Draw attention to neglected but critical issues such as the link between security and development, and the importance of demographics,
4. Promote the establishment of a coordination platform between countries and organizations in the Sahel to foster cooperation across the region and ensure national and regional ownership of the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel, as well as the strategies and initiatives of key partners.

During the joint visit Mrs Zuma, in company with the four other heads of delegation met with HE President of Burkina Faso, Mr. Blaise Compaoré as well as the Government of Burkina Faso leaded by the Prime Minister.