WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ... · PDF filewest and central...

CONSEIL OUEST ET CENTRE AFRICAIN POUR LA RECHERCHE ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT AGRICOLES

WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

CORAF/WECARD

2007 ANNUAL REPORT

Strategic and Operational PlansAn Appropriate Responseto Agricultural Challengesin West and Central Africa

© CORAF/WECARD, 2008. Tous droits réservésISBN 2-916111-08-5

CORAF/WECARDWest and Central African Councilfor Agricultural Research and DevelopmentHeadquarters: 7, avenue Bourguiba, DakarPostal Address: BP 48, Dakar RP, CP 18 523 (Sénégal)Phone : (221) 33.869.96.18Fax: (221) 33.869.96.31E-mail: [email protected]: www.coraf.org

COMMENTS OF TH EXECUTIVE DIRECTORA New Vision and Mission.................................................................................................................................. 4

ZOOM ON THE NEW STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANSAn Appropriate Response to Agricultural Challenges in West and Central Africa.............................................. 7 An Overview of the 2007-2016 Strategic Plan................................................................................................... 8The Operational Plan: Two Five-Year Periods..................................................................................................... 13

CORAF/WECARD IN 2007An Overview of 2007 : Rich Activities for a Sustainable Agricultural Growth in WCA......................................... 16SCARDA : A Research Capacity Strengthening Tool............................................................................................ 20 Fiscal Year 2007 Audit and Certification, Income Statement............................................................................... 22The Regional Competitive Fund: A Dozen Projects for Technology Development and Transfer....................... 24CORAF/WECARD Main Workshops and Meetings in 2007.............................................................................. 28

RESARCH HIGHLIGHTSRESEARCH PROGRAMMES

Biotechnology and Biosecurity: Flagship Activities for the Programme Enhanced Development...... 30Cereal Network/Staple Crops Programme: A Database on Cereal Technology................................. 31

RESEARCH NETWORKSCotton : Plant Improvement Programme............................................................................................... 33

THE BASE CENTRESCIRDES : Strengthening the Animal Biotechnology’s Emergeny Pole................................................... 34 CERAAS : Various Works for the Improvement of Drought Adaptation................................................. 36 CARBAP : Activities to Support the Sectors’ Stakeholders.................................................................... 37

ADVANCEMENT OF REEARCH PROJETCS AND PROGRAMMESPhytogenetical resources, GRENEWECA.............................................................................................. 39

HONOR TO...Congo : Return towards the International Scietific Community............................................................................ 40Dr. Grégoire Bani: A Preeminent Entomologist.................................................................................................... 42

ANNEXESThe Governing Organs of CORAF/WECARD (General Assembly, Governing Board, Scientific and Technical Committee, Executive Secretariat)................................................................................. 44Member Countries of CORAF/WECARD.............................................................................................................. 48 List of NARS Coordinators of CORAF/WECARD................................................................................................. 49Abbreviations and Acronyms................................................................................................................................ 51

2007 CORAF/WECARD ANNUAL REPORTStrategic and Operational Plans: An Appropriate Response to Agricultural Challenges...

3

2007 ANNUAL REPORT

Strategic and Operational PlansAn Appropriate Response to Agricultural Challenges in West and Central Africa


4

A New Vision and Mission

Through the adoption of the roadmap forthe development of plans aiming atstrengthening West and Central Africanagricultural research, at the end of itsseventh General Assembly in 2006,

CORAF/WECARD laid the foundations of the in-depth reform of its strategy for cooperation. It isglad to see the various stakeholders’ involvementand adherence in the development process of thenew strategy of cooperation. This was emarkablysupported by development partners, continuedthrough 2007 and allowed the CORAF/WECARDto end the cycle of the seven workshops for thedelivery of its Strategic Plan (2007-2016) andOperational Plan (2007-2011). These Plans wereadopted by the Extraordinary General Assembly,held in May 2007, in Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.

The 2007 Annual Report that you are holding,devotes a special place to these Plans bydedicating its “Zoom” section to the strategy andmechanisms through which CORAF/WECARDintends to give an appropriate response to thechallenges that agriculture faces in the sub-region.It must first be noted that the new strategy ofcooperation is nested in the ComprehensiveAfrican Agriculture Development Programme(CAADP) that aims, among other objectives, toachieve a 6% average annual agricultural growthby 2015.

To this end, CORAF/WECARD has carved a newvision and a new mission that put producers andusers at the centre of its activities. Hence, its vision

is to achieve “…a sustainable reduction in povertyand food insecurity in WCA through an increase inagricultural led economic growth and sustainableimprovement of key aspects of the agriculturalresearch system”.

Its mission is to achieve “sustainable improve-ments to the competitiveness, productivity andmarkets of the agricultural system in West andCentral Africa by meeting the key demands of thesub-regional research system as expressed bytarget groups…”

CORAF/WECARD will achieve the objectives ofits vision and mission through its commitment todeliver four different results that are conventionalresearch, policy research, capacity strengtheningand knowledge management and the use ofinnovation platforms.

The programme approach, identified as the solesystem for which sub-regional collaboration and thedelivery of the aforesaid results are guaranteedthrough eight priority programmes for the StrategicPlan Implementation through the Operational Plan.Therefore, in 2007, CORAF/WECARD devoteditself to strengthening cooperation with subregionaland regional economic communities that are theCAADP’s focal points.

In fact, a third cooperation agreement has beensigned with the Communauté Economique etMonétaire des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale(CEMAC).

The year 2007 was characterized by thecelebration of CORAF/WECARD’s 20th anniversary.


5

This celebration was the occasion not only devotedto review successes and failures but also toacknowledge the merit of all the men and womenthat, remarkably, contributed to the strengthening ofthe subregional cooperation by awarding themhonours.

The Association went through painful momentswith the painful deaths of two members of itsExecutive Board.

Finally, the statutory structures were held. Theyadopted the new Strategic and Operational Plans.

The regularity of organization of these statutorysessions also facilitated improvements intransparency in the Association’s financial mana-gement sysem at the level of the ExecutiveSecretariat.

One achievement that is worth underlining is thestrengthening of the account service staff and thesetting up of a system of control with the recruitmentof an internal auditor.

Lastly, other initiatives are underway. The firstactions for the implementation of the new strategyhave started, namely at the level of the “StapleCrops” and “Biotechnology and Biosecurity”

Programmes. Two managers have therefore beenrecruited.

The chapters “CORAF/WECARD in 2007” and“Research Highlights” describe the main initiativesand state of progress of the main activitiesconducted by the Operational Units : the onededicated to Congo, through the presentation of itsNational Agricultural Research System (NARS) is onthe main focus.

Like many other NARS, this country’s experienceda considerable decrease in its resources due toarmed conflicts that caused its isolation from theinternational scientific community. But its ongoingreforms, supported by CORAF/WECARD, providesa better future towards its efficiency andeffectiveness.

One can then believe and hope thatCORAF/WECARD will effectively help the subregionachieve its targeted objective of 6% growth inagriculture. q

Dr. Paco SÉRÉMÉExecutive Director of CORAF/WECARD

Field visit on theoccasion of

CORAF/WECARD’stwentieth

anniversarycelebration

organized inAbidjan in May

2007.


6

OBJECTIVES

CORAF/WECARD 2007-2016 new Strategic Plan’sobjective is to contribute to foster sustainabledevelopment in the agricultural sector of West andCentral Africa through the fair involvement of itsstakeholders. It will reach its objective essentiallythrough the achievement of four main results.

The first action consists of enabling the agriculturalsector’s stakeholders to use the appropriatetechnologies and innovations. Then, the strategicoptions for decision-making as far as policy,institutions and markets are concerned will bedefined. The strengthening and the coordination ofthe agricultural research systems form the thirdimportant result that is expected from this Plan. The


7

An Appropriate Responseto Agricultural Challengesin West and Central Africa

The CORAF/WECARD’s new 2007-2016 Strategic Plan takes intoaccount the concerns of all the agricultural sector’s stakeholders, thatof large business companies as well as that of smallholder farmers andbreeders, but also the concerns of women, the heads of households,and that of people living with HIV/AIDS. This very inclusive andconsensual Plan forms an appropriate response to agriculturalchallenges in West and Central Africa.

final action corresponds to the demands foragricultural innovations from target groups that aremet.

This Strategic Plan is in keeping with theComprehensive Africa Agriculture DevelopmentProgramme (CAADP). One of the CAADP’sobjectives is to help Africa achieve an annualaverage growth rate of 6% by 2015. The CAADP alsotakes into account the principles and objectivesdefined by the Forum for Agricultural Research inAfrica (FARA), the New Partnership for Africa'sDevelopment (NEPAD) and other sub-regionalorganizations.

The new 2007-2016 Strategic Plan’s implemen-tation strategy is based on new principles. The“programme” approach as opposed to the “network”approach involves various stakeholders and gives


8

CORAF/WECARD Strategic and Operational PlansThe New

them a sense of responsibility. This necessarily leadsto significant changes in institutional andorganizational systems. In addition, concerns aboutpoverty reduction, equity between men and women,the AIDS pandemic and environmental sustainabilityand protection are taken into account.

Eight programs will be implemented using theprogramme approach; these are: Livestock, fisheriesand aquaculture, Staple crops, Non-staple crops,Natural resource management, Biotechnology andbiosafety, Policy, markets and trade, Agriculturalknowledge management and Capacity strengtheningand coordination. Each of these programs will bedirected by a manager who reports directly toCORAF/ WECARD’s Director of Programmes. TheManager is in charge of setting up a specific strategicplan for his programme (yearly and five-year

midterm) which will be part of CORAF/WECARD’sgeneral inclusive planning process.

The programme’s plans will include the specific andgeneral objectives, budgets, staffing and themonitoring and evaluation mechanism. They will alsogive a description of the deadlines for completion ofprojects, in order to take advantage of the lessonslearned to make the necessary adjustments in sub-sequent research’s activities to ennhance progress.

This move toward a programme based approachdemands, as mentioned earlier, significant changesin the organizational and institutional systems ofCORAF/WECARD and its structures as well. Thechanges will be implemented in all the sub-regionand will need a strictly planned management system.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE 2007-2016 STRATEGIC PLANThe challenges of agriculture

Agriculture faces a lot of challenges in West and CentralAfrica. Despite heavy investments, its productivity andcompetitiveness are low and chronic poverty is stillprevailing in the subregion. The eradication of hunger,through food security, presents a major challenge in acontext characterised by various biophysical constraintssuch as drought, the depletion of nutrient elements,acidity, the degradation of soils, climate change, etc.Conflicts and post-conflicts situations that manyCORAF/WECARD member states are experiencing cometo add to that state of things and make compulsory theappropriate revival of agricultural research. Persistentinadequately articulated policies and the difficultcoordination of agricultural research in national systemswith limited funding are also among these challenges.

Why a new Strategic Plan?In response to AU-NEPAD strategy for the growth of

African agriculture, nested in the Comprehensive AfricanAgriculture Development Programme (CAADP) that iscoherent with the principles of the Framework for African

Agriculture Programme (FAAP), as far as itsimplementation is concerned, CORAF/WECARD needed toreview its Strategic Plan in order to achieve the objectivesof the CAADP. Therefore, the new Strategic Plan alsorespond to the agricultural policies of the West andCentral Africa Economic Communities (ECOWAS, CEEAC,WAEMU, and CEMAC).

Innovative objectivesThe objective of the New Strategic Plan is to achieve

“sustainable growth of the agricultural sectors in Westand Central Africa” by taking into account environmentalissues while avoiding growth based on the degradation ofresources. That growth will have to be “driven by the fairinvolvement of its stakeholders” whose concerns must beconsidered seriously (be they big commercial busi-nesses, small farmholders and breeders or female headsof households and HIV/AIDS affected individuals).

CORAF/WECARD’s specific objective is to achieve imp-rovement, in West and Central Africa, of the “sustainablegrowth in the productivity, competitiveness, and marketsof the agricultural system in West and Central Africaemanating from the adequate involvement of its

THREE CORE FUNCTIONS

A technical research based on the “innovationssystems” concept should, here, be combined with theprogramme approach. This research places theusers at the heart of the innovative practices thatfoster learning and the search for solutions throughdialogue and the exchange of ideas among allstakeholders.

Within the framework of the 2007-2016 StrategicPlan’s implementation, CORAF/WECARD rationalizesits activities around three core functions.

The first one is capacity strengthening. To this end,the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS)and other institutions and partners would operateunder four main principles: the sharing of resourcesthrough specialization centers, the creation and themaintenance of a minimum basis for expertise in thevarious zones, the generation and the maintenanceof an environment that furthers quality and skills


9

development for the practical application of theagricultural innovations system’s method.

The second function consists of coordinating theNARS’ initiatives. This is vital in avoiding duplicationof efforts, create synergies and optimize the availableresources. This coordination will be executed throughdirect (advocacy, forums and meetings) and indirectparticipation (resource mobilization, information,dialogue).

The third important function is knowledgemanagement. The specific knowledge managementprogram is in charge of disseminating informationand of converting it into knowledge for advocacy,coordination and practical learning.

IMPLEMENTATION

The implementation of the 2007-2016 StrategicPlan occurs in a particular context for the agricultural

stakeholders”. These improvements in this field will coverthe whole value chain: not only producers, but alsostakeholders and consumers.

Clearly identified steps and processes

The new 2007-2016 CORAF/WECARD Strategic Planpresents itself as a series of steps and coherentprocesses presented in a logical framework of cause andeffect relationships. This plan sets the objectives (globaland specific) that CORAF/WECARD should achievethrough the obtention of the four following results:

w Appropriate technologies and innovations aredeveloped;w Strategic decision-making options for policy,

institutions and markets are set;w The Sub-regional agricultural research system is

strengthened and coordinated;w The Demand for agricultural information from target

groups is facilitated and met.

A programme approach

The implementation strategy for the Strategic Plan restson a “programme” approach, opposed or against to a“network” approach, which involves various stakeholdersand gives them the sense of responsibility. The fouridentified results (see above) will be achieved through 8programmes:

w Livestock, fisheries and aquaculture;w Staple Crops;w Non staple Crops;w Natural Resource management;w Biotechnology and Biosafety;w Policy, Markets and Trade;w Agricultural Knowledge management;w Capacity Strengthening and Coordination. ...

sector in West and Central Africa. In fact,CORAF/WECARD’s 21 member countries rankamong the world’s poorest countries. Of their totalpopulation of about 318 million people, over a thirdlives below the poverty line. This population ismajority and rural (70%) and almost essentiallydepends on agriculture for subsistence and incomes.

Over the last decade, this population experienced arapid expansion, which caused massive urbanization.

In such a context, structural transformations and anincrease in the agricultural productivity are vital forthe improvement in economic growth and foodsecurity.

Moreover, it has been proven that in West andCentral Africa, agriculture accounts for over 35% of


10

the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and over 40% ofits exports. Therefore, the sub-region’s economicgrowth largely depends on agriculture, despites itsglobal weak productivity. Out of the 3,9% annualGDP growth recorded between 2000 and 2004, only1,2% came from the agricultural sector

Irrespective of the poor performance, the sub-region is endowed with a rich agricultural base,spread over a wide range of agro-ecological zones.This diversity, combined with the rapid demographicgrowth, represents an opportunity to improve theagricultural systems productivity and increase thecompetitiveness of products and markets.

It is well known that the sector is also characterizedwith small farm-holders that heavily rely on rain fedproduction systems and natural methods of

An Overview of the 2007-2016 Strategic Plan

CORAF/WECARD four core principles

In the process of its implementation, CORAF/WECARD’sStrategic Plan is governed by four principles:

w 1 - Subsidiarity in delegating responsibility to thelowest appropriate level;w 2 - Delivery of the expected results and impact

through the effective and efficient use of resources.w 3 - Accountability to stakeholders for the use of

resources and the delivery of results.w 4 - Participation of all stakeholders in the activities,

the results and the objectives’ planning, implementation,monitoring and evaluation.

Cross-cutting issues

Some specific issues must be especially consideredduring the implementation of the Strategic Plan. It must beensured that the various programmes first address thepoor and the individuals that live with HIV/AIDS that theytake into consideration the gender approach and

contribute to ensure environmental sustainability. Workingin innovating systems and following FAAP principles andthose of subsidiarity form also part of this Strategic Planmain points.

CORAF/WECARD seeks to ensure that extendedinnovations are made available to vulnerable populations.The integration of gender considerations in theagricultural sector is one main focus of the new StrategicPlan not only for the promotion of equality between menand women, but also for a sustainable agriculturalproduction. HIV/AIDS reveals to be not only an emergencybut also a long-term issue for agricultural development.CORAF/WECARD calls for more awareness raising on theimportance of agriculture in the national strategies for thefight against HIV/AIDS, directed to poor rural populationsin particular.

Besides, as far as the issue of environment isconcerned, CORAF/WECARD is willing to serve as thefacilitator for research and development services pro-viders and lay the emphasis on agro-ecological principlesand collective learning more than on technology pres-criptions and transfer. The Council also commits itself to

...



11

maintaining soil fertility, with limited access tomarkets.

The sub-regions’ main staple foods are roots andtubers, cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables, andplantain. Major industrial and export commodities arecoffee, palm oil, cocoa, rubber and cotton. Emergingcrops are gaining importance in food security, incomegeneration, and as non-traditional export commo-dities.

Despite major investments in the sector, theproductivity and competitiveness of agricultureremain weak. So far, they haven’t yielded muchimpact on the producers’ income.

Food insecurity constitutes another aspect of thecontext. This report throws light on the sub regioneconomic communities’ agriculture policy primarilythat focus on increasing food availability andaffordability in the subregion in order to meet theneeds of the steadily burgeoning population.

It must also be noted that the sub-region facesbiophysical constraints such as droughts, soil acidity,

facilitate the training of African scientists throughparticipatory research methods, agro-ecological principlesand tools that facilitate the analysis of environmentalrisks.

Monitoring and evaluation

The monitoring and evaluation system applies to allCORAF/WECARD activities and will synchronise as far aspossible with that of FARA through the use of similarapproaches and methodologies.

The monitoring and evaluation system wants itselfholistic: it must give the information, data and analysesthat will be used to amend or improve the ten - yearstrategy based on lessons learned and in line with thechanging political, market and climatic environments.

Integrated agricultural research for development

The Strategic Plan’s new paradigm lays a particularemphasis on an IAR4D approach (Integrated AgriculturalResearch for Development). It puts the targeted producersand users at the centre of innovative practices and

encourages stakeholders to learn through the exchange ofideas by taking example on the successes and failures ofthe ones and the others. The emphasis must be laid onadaptive and applied research, and imply at least 70% ofall available resources.

Research on policies, markets and trade

Research on policies, markets and trade is a new andsignificant element in CORAF/WECARD's portfolio. In itsbroadest sense, policy research responds to the demandfrom decision makers on how to improve policies. The aimis enhance decision-making based on relevant, factualinformation. In fact, this implies identifying the key policyand decision makers in the sub-region and creatingeffective working partnerships between them and theProgramme and any other relevant policy researchconstituents.

Finally, a communication strategy is expected to bedeveloped, as a component of this Programme. Thisprogramme will ensure that relevant and appropriatemedia channels and mechanisms are used to share andadvocate the policy options which are developed.

Chronic poverty, that is still very prevalent in West andCentral Africa, is one of the challenges the newStrategic Plan must take up.

...


12

and nutrient-depletion and degraded soils whichimpinge on agricultural development. In addition, thethreats of climate change could prove to be mostchallenging to an already overstretched sub-regionalproduction system.

Therefore, the challenge consists of promotingholistic productivity approaches based on socialpractices that respect the environment and supportthe sustainable management of natural resources.

Conflicts and post-conflicts situations are a truereality in a large number of CORAF/WECARD memberstates. These circumstances require an appropriaterevival of agricultural research, through appropriateand adequate interventions

Development strategies initiated and implementedby some West and Central African States over thelast 20 years focused on national agricultural policies.Under the framework of structural adjustment

policies, the focus was on the production systems’financial profitability rather than on the supportivemeasures necessary for achieving the agriculturalpolicy goals of food security, rural employment, andintegration of the sub-regional market. Agriculturalpolicies, often defined without the participation of thegrassroots stakeholders, were not only inadequatelyarticulated with macro-economic policies, but theyoften amounted to action plans, programmes andprojects whose implementation largely depended onexternal financial assistance.

CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME

The difficult task of coordinating agriculturalresearch constitutes a major handicap. In fact, duringthe 1970s and 1980s, several national governments

CORAF/WECARD core functionsCORAF/WECARD has been identified as a partner for the

implementation of the CAADP with regard to its provencapacity in conducting the following three functions:capacity strengthening for the NARS constituents, know-ledge management and advocacy building, coordinatingand facilitating collaborative research.

Capacity strengthening. The subregion’s nationalagricultural research systems must project themselves inan innovative agricultural system. CORAF/WECARD re-quired support will focus on priority sectors where allstakeholders are concerned.

The Capacity Strengthening Programme also supportsCORAF/WECARD's coordination role. It targets public andprivate sector organizations, NGOs, producers, univer-sities, trade organizations, International AgriculturalResearch Centres (IARC) and Advanced Research Insti-tutes (ARIs), consumer organizations, technical partners,decision-makers and other sub-regional institutions.

Knowledge Management. The specific knowledge man-agement programme is in charge of disseminating inform-

ation and of converting it into knowledge for the advan-tage of advocacy, coordination and practical learning.

The Information and Communication Unit within theCORAF/WECARD Secretariat –it is different from theKnowledge Management Programme– has a publicrelations function and, as such, it provides support foradvocacy processes while serving as the interface andprimary point of contact for external enquiries.

The coordination and facilitation of collaborativeresearch. Such coordination allows to reduce theduplication of efforts, to optimize synergies and to supportthe mobilization of financial, physical and humanresources. The aim is also to improve CORAF/WECARDefficiency and guarantee the implementation of itsobjectives.

Innovation systems and IAR4D’s innovative approachrequires all stakeholders’ involvement at all levels andtheir coordination too The most important question is toimprove coordination of the stakeholders that sometimeshave very different visions and interests so that to makethem share the same objectives. q

An Overview of the 2007-2016 Strategic Plan...


created various research institutes and otherstructures in an effort to address problems relating tofood insecurity and low agricultural productivity.However, most of the national systems haveremained unsustainable, mainly due to the verylimited amount of the allocated budgets (in particularfor operational expenditures).

Appropriately coordinating the distribution of thesupport granted to agricultural research in West andCentral Africa remains a major challenge toovercome. At the same time, it is necessary toefficiently coordinate, harmonize, and channelresearch efforts to ensure a greater impact on thepopulations

In such a global context, the 2007-2016 StrategicPlan presents itself as CORAF/WECARD’s responseto the challenges that agriculture is facing in Westand Central Africa.

As a sub-regional organization committed to theimplementation of agricultural policies, CORAF/WECARD gathered, on a regular basis, interestedstakeholders, in an effort to develop strategiescapable of ensuring an agriculture - led growth. Onthis point, CORAF/WECARD stands by its mandatepromoting cooperation, consultation and informationexchange between member institutions on the onehand, and the partners on the other. It is also aboutdefining joint sub-regional and regional researchobjectives and priorities as well as serving as aconsultative body for research carried out by regionaland international organizations operating at the sub-regional level.


13

CORAF/WECARD’s 2007-2016 new Strategic Plan will be executed through two operational plans of fiveyears each. Those plans provide the details of the expected results and the necessary resources. The firstOperational Plan starts from 2008 and goes until 2013; the second goes from 2013 to 2018.

The Operational Plan has been developed in the context of CAADP and FAAP. It addresses, amongothers, issues related to the West and Central African agricultural research system’s priorities. It furtherbenefits from a logical framework that stands as the management and planning tool, particularly, withreference to coherence with the strategies and objectives of FARA, NEPAD and the other nationalagricultural research systems.

Among discussed priority issues, feature not only the promotion of research, but also the use ofinnovation platforms, capacity strengthening, and coordination in policy, knowledge management andothers, in an effort to create an integrated agricultural research that fosters development.

The Operational Plan : Two five-year periods

Another part of the mandate is to develop andensure the efficient implementation of sub-regionalresearch for development programmes, aimed atadding value to national programmes.

REVIEWS AND AMENDMENTS. – In order to recall theglobal process, it is necessary to explain thatthe1998 CORAF/WECARD ‘s General Assembly, inAccra, agreed to develop a strategic plan for 1999-2016, whose main thrusts were to identify prioritiesfor sub-regional agricultural research cooperation;and establish a framework for negotiation anddialogue with the various agricultural research anddevelopment partners.

In 2003, this fifteen-year Strategic Plan adopted in2000, was reviewed and amended, after a three-yearoperation. The 2003 review was particularly neededgiven the new strategic relationships establishedbetween CORAF/WECARD and the RegionalEconomic Communities.

In 2006, the Plan underwent a thorough review thatwas centered on the very strategy ofCORAF/WECARD, in order to take into account thenew orientations of the CAADP and the Frameworkfor African Agricultural Productivity (FAAP). Sevenmain issues had been examined during this lastreview. It was noticed that the fragmented supportwhich agricultural research in Africa receives, wouldneed to be coordinated and harmonized by involvinga wide range of stakeholders, especially theproducers. Besides, the Strategic Plan should takeinto account the links between the different pillars ofthe CAADP, as well as agricultural research,technology dissemination and adoption.

sub-regions within the framework of the newStrategic Plan. Consequently, any component of thesystem is of interest: producers, stakeholders andconsumers.

Such a specific objective is ambitious, butCORAF/WECARD strongly believes in its feasibilitygiven the high commitment and ownership degree ofits stakeholders observed during the planning stage.

The new 2007-2016 CORAF/WECARD StrategicPlan presents itself as a series of steps and coherentprocesses presented in a logical framework of causeand effect relationships. This plan sets the objectives(global and specific) that CORAF/WECARD shouldachieve through four results that constitute itsnecessary and sufficient conditions. It stipulates thatappropriate technologies and innovations will bedeveloped, as well as strategic decision-makingoptions for policy and institutions. In the same vein,the sub-regional agricultural research system will bestrengthened and coordinated; finally the demandsfor agricultural information from target groups will befacilitated and met.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Collaboration in the subregion and the delivery ofresults will be ensured through the networking of thevarious organizations. In the reviewed 2007-2016Strategic Plan, the base centres, the centres forexcellence and the poles keep on playing animportant role in the programmes’ implementation,but are no longer in charge of their globalmanagement. The “Capacity strengthening andcoordination” programme based at theCORAF/WECARD Secretariat will manage theaccess to resources and reports. In fact, capacitystrengthening will allow a larger number of actors toparticipate in the technical activities ofCORAF/WECARD’s agenda.

Finally, the 2007-2016 Strategic Plan is theoutcome of a consultation and coordination processwhose implementation is governed by following fourprinciples: subsidiarity in delegating responsibility to


14

Two procedures had been chosen: the first consistsof identifying and classifying the priority researchsectors and the second seeks to largely involve theagricultural sector’s stakeholders.

SEVEN CONSULTATION WORKSHOPS. For the 2007-2016 Strategic Plan, the priority research sectorshave been identified and classified. In that way, as aprelude to the planning process, CORAF/WECARDcommissioned the International Food PolicyResearch Institute (IFPRI), to conduct an economicand geographic analysis that defined the sub-regional priorities in the field of agricultural productionand food security. That study’s results emphasizedand formed the alternatives to the sub-regioninvestment opportunities into a hierarchy.

CORAF/WECARD organized seven consultationand planning workshops for its new Strategic Plan.They mainly broadened all the stakeholders’understanding and ownership of the Strategic andOperational Plans.

The new strategy’s global objective is to ensure asustainable growth in the West and Central Africaagricultural sector. This sustainable growth takesenvironmental issues into consideration whileavoiding an agricultural growth based on thedegradation of resources and any practice that couldbe harmful to the environment. Besides, this growthshould be induced by the fair involvement of theagricultural sector stakeholders. According to the newStrategic Plan, the concerns of all the stakeholdersshould be taken into account from this time on. Thisincludes large scale business companies as well assmall farm-holders and researchers, with a specialattention given to female heads of households andHIV/AIDS affected individuals.

COHERENT PROCESSES

The new Strategic Plan’s specific objective isbroad-based agricultural productivity, competitivenessand markets sustainably improved. This growth,fostered by the involvement of all stakeholders, willbe improved in the whole West and Central Africa


the lowest appropriate level; the delivery of therequired results and impact through the effective andefficient use of resources; stakeholders’accountability for the use of resources and the


15

delivery of results, and finally, the participation of allstakeholders in planning, imple-menting, andmonitoring and evaluating activities, results andobjectives.

From 2007-2016, this new strategy will beimplemented through two Operational Plans, eachrunning for five years. These plans list the expectedresults and the necessary resources. The Opera-tional Plan will be reviewed annually.

The monitoring and evaluation system, applied toall CORAF/WECARD activities, will be harmonized inthe best way possible with that of FARA through theuse of similar approaches and methodologies. q

The numerous biophysical constraints (drought, the depletion of nutrient elements, acidity and soil degradation,etc.) are challenges that the Strategic Plan takes into account.

The new 2007-2016CORAF/WECARD StrategicPlan presents itself as aseries of steps and coherentprocesses presented in alogical framework of causeand effect relationships.


16

Rich Activities for aSustainable Growth in Agriculture

for West and Central Africa

AN OVERVIEW OF 2007

The review of CORAF/WECARD activities in 2007 can be summed up in thesewords.

During the 2007 – 2016 Strategic Plan reviewprocess, five consultation and developmentworkshops were held in 2007 and they came to addto the two workshops held in November 2006.

In 2007, regular exchanges betweenCORAF/WECARD’s Executive Secretariat andECOWAS Commission of Agriculture, Environmentand Water Resources facilitated the organization of atripartite meeting between ECOWAS, CILSS andCORAF/WECARD, in August, at the Community’ sheadquarters.

This concertation meeting allowed to retain priorityactions for the implementation of the BiotechnologyDevelopment Action Plan in the ECOWAS zone from2007 to 2008 and the consideration ofCORAF/WECARD in the ECOWAP/CAADP –NEPAD Regional Agriculture Investment Programmethat is being implemented.

Ressources mobilization

Concerning other issues, the CORAF/WECARD –CEMAC protocol of cooperation was signed by the

Community’s Vice President and CORAF/WECARDExecutive Director, in Bangui, in July 2007. Thisprotocol allowed CEMAC to make CORAF/WECARD become its technical branch for itsagricultural research activities.

The lobbying performed at the level of developmentpartners through the different contacts and visits ofthe Executive Director to these partners facilitatedthe achievement of important results. Resourcesmobilization at the level of DFID for the setting-up ofthe systems necessary for the new plans’ effectiveimplementation, the acknowledgement of CORAF/WECARD by the European Commission in its newagricultural development strategy for Africa and thepreparations, on IFDA’s request, for a project in theframework of the implementation of the Livestock,Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme and thecoordination of FIDAfrique are also elements that areworth noticing.

USAID/WARP commitment to support CORAF/WECARD during the 2008 fiscal year (October 2007– September 2008) is worth noting. As far asinformation and communication are concerned, the


17

SUBVENTIONS2006

USAID Trust Fund

SSA CP

DFID InvestorsMeeting

DFID CGS

DFID DPSAR

IDRC

CTA

GRPI/WCA& Gloval Dv

Contributions of NARS

TOTAL

ConventionAmount

127 500 000

30 600 000

23 072 003

351 833 799

706 230 720

35 441 898

28 074 960

51 000 000

18 000 000

1 371 753 379

Date

28-06-06

17-10-06

15-03-06

28-04-0628-10-06

18-08-0626-03-07

23-12-0512-04-07

28-12-0528-11-05

08-06-0613-06-0624-06-06

26-06-0616-06-06

AMOUNTS RECEIVEDAmount

127 739 835

15 692 700

18 171 660

172 938 799178 895 000

314 597 250316 915 335

9 467 62824 374 476

1 705 48819 456 289

5 577 00016 896 00010 647 701

1 000 000500 000

1 234 575 162

To bereceived

14 907 300

30 600 000

4 900 342

0

74 718 135

1 599 794

6 913 182

17 879 299

16 500 000

137 418 052

Observations

127 739 835

15 692 700

Transferedto Paris

178 895 000

314 597 250316 915 335

(3)24 374 476

1 705 48819 456 289

5 577 00016 896 00010 647 701

1 000 000500 000

1 234 575 162

%

100,2 %

51,3 %

78,8 %

100,0 %28-10-06

89,4 %26-03-07

95,5 %12-04-07

75,4 %28-11-05

64,9 %13-06-06

24-006-06

8,3 %

16-10-0690,0 %

RAISING OF SUBSIDIES UNTIL APRIL, 30, 2006 (IN CFA FRANCS)

main activity performed in the former period dealtwith the Plan’s preparations for the setting up of atraining and agricultural information system (RAILS,Regional Agricultural Information and LearningSystem) funded by the African Development Bank tothe advantage of FARA and SROs.

Advocacy actions

AfDB funded project on « the promotion of scienceand technology for agriculture development in Africa» aimed at strengthening capacity in the field ofknowledge management through agriculturalresearch in Africa and at supporting provenagricultural technology’ adoption and dissemination.

Thanks to the concertation between the agriculturalresearch sector stakeholders convened by FARA,CORAF/WECARD adopted a roadmap. Thisroadmap is experiencing an important delay in itsimplementation due to the resignation of theInformation and Communication Manager in April.

The issues 39 to 42 of the CORAF Actionnewsletter have been released and disseminated onthe Internet. Distribution by mail, that was interruptedsince issue 36 because of financial problems, hasresumed. The delay recorded in the regularity ofrelease for various issues of the newsletter has beenshortened.

In the framework of the Strategic Plan and of thefirst Operational Plan review process, 4 workshopsamong which 2 dedicated to the identification of theOperational Plan’s points and to the search for aconsensus on the Operational Plan draft versionwere held from January 2006 to May 2007. Like theprocess’s three first workshops, the two workshopshave also benefited from media coverage. Theactions started in the framework of the advocacy foragricultural research were mainly concerned withensuring the participation of CORAF/WECARD’svarious partners in the preparations for the newPlans that aim at strengthening agricultural researchin West and Central Africa.


18

CORAF/WECARD in 2007

SUBVENTIONS2006

USAID Trust Fund

SSA CP

DFID InvestorsMeeting

DFID CGS

DFID DPSAR

IDRC

CTA

GRPI/WCA& Gloval Dv

Contributions of NARS

TOTAL

ConventionAmount

127 500 000

30 600 000

23 072 003

351 833 799

706 230 720

35 441 898

28 074 960

51 000 000

18 000 000

1 371 753 379

Date

28-06-06

17-10-06

15-03-06

28-04-0628-10-06

18-08-0626-03-07

23-12-0512-04-07

28-12-0528-11-05

08-06-0613-06-0624-06-06

26-06-0616-06-06

AMOUNTS RECEIVEDAmount

127 739 835

15 692 700

18 171 660

172 938 799178 895 000

314 597 250316 915 335

9 467 62824 374 476

1 705 48819 456 289

5 577 00016 896 00010 647 701

1 000 000500 000

1 234 575 162

To bereceived

14 907 300

30 600 000

4 900 342

0

74 718 135

1 599 794

6 913 182

17 879 299

16 500 000

137 418 052

Observations

127 739 835

15 692 700

Transferedto Paris

178 895 000

314 597 250316 915 335

(3)24 374 476

1 705 48819 456 289

5 577 00016 896 00010 647 701

1 000 000500 000

1 234 575 162

%

100,2 %

51,3 %

78,8 %

100,0 %28-10-06

89,4 %26-03-07

95,5 %12-04-07

75,4 %28-11-05

64,9 %13-06-06

24-006-06

8,3 %

16-10-0690,0 %

RAISING OF SUBSIDIES UNTIL APRIL, 30, 2007 (IN CFA FRANCS)

At the level of the Regional Economic Commu-nities, advocacy, in the specific case of CEEAC, hasled to the necessary drafting of an agreement forcooperation with this Community as it was the casewith the other communities.

The said agreement draft project, written by theSecretariat, has been submitted to CEEAC forpossible comments and amendments with a view ofits upcoming signature.

As far as financial partners are concerned,advocacy activities have been conducted at the levelof the United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID). In this framework, the one-year contract for a USAID West Africa RegionalProgramme grant in favour of the CORAF/WECARDwas only signed in February 2007, after muchdiscussion. This grant had been expected sinceDecember 2006. Estimated at US dollars 900,000, itintends to support the preparations process for the

new Strategic Plan and the Operational Plan, as wellas the coordination activities in the Cereal andBiotechnolgy Networks, and also to play the role ofan institutional support to CORAF/WECARD’sExecutive Secretariat.

As far as the World Bank is concerned, it must beavowed that it has not been possible to allocate theJapanese grant to the West Africa AgriculturalProductivity Programme preparations, despite thesignature of the formal management contract whichfinally occurred in January 2007, after differentnegotiation meetings with ECOWAS.

Many meetings have been held with the WorldBank in Washington, Dakar and Accra for thefinalization of the Project’s Evaluation Document andfor the project’s negotiations. CORAF/WECARD wasfinally granted three millions US dollars by the WorldBank as the contribution of Senegal, Mali and Ghanato the funding of the West Africa Agricultural


19

Family photo during CORAF/WECARD’s extraordinary General Assembly held in May 2007 in Abidjan (Côted’Ivoire).

Productivity Programme’s regional activities. Thiscontribution has undergone very important decreaseduring the negotiations process given that theexpected initial sum amounted to US dollars 9million.

Negotiations are processing with other countries inthe sub-region, in an effort to convince them tointegrate the Bank’s initiative for the funding of theWest Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme.

Resources mobilization has been conducted at thelevel of various donors: the DFID, thanks to thefunding agreement signed in 2006 which covered theperiod ranging from June 2006 to May 2007, theUSAID/WARP, thanks to the funding agreementsigned in February 2007, which covered the periodranging from February 2007 to January 2008, andthe USAID Trust Fund, thanks to a funding whichcovered the period going from January to December2007.

The balance of CORAF/WECARD bank accountswas estimated at FCFA 388,333,488 as of 30th April2007. The audit report of PARAO was voted in 2007.The Executive Secretariat received a certificate ofreceipt from the European Commission Delegationfor the total of FCFA 327,263,972 that representedthe difference between the funds perceived inadvance and real and eligible expenses. Thetripartite meeting with the DCE and the DDI did nothowever facilitate the refunding of the total of FCFA43,486,800 that represented travel fees that havebecome non eligible in the absence of a boardingcard and in the case of travels in business class.There has not been any proof provided for the totalof FCFA 25,792,000 spent in the frameworks of thefallow programme in Cote d’Ivoire.

BDO, the international audit cabinet, is conductingthe process of certification for PARAO’s 2006 annualbank accounts.


20

The need to strengthen capacityin the agricultural research fieldis recognized by all thestakeholders. It is in that respectthat the Forum for AgriculturalResearch in Africa (FARA), inpartnership withCORAF/WECARD, isimplementing the SCARDA whichis nothing more than a capacitystrengthening tool. A workshopwas organized in Accra, Ghana,from the 27th to the 29th ofAugust 2007, in order to define aframework for action forSCARDA. This frameworkincludes improvement in thegovernance and the managementof research, the strengthening ofscientific capacity and thestrengthening of collaboration. It is however worthwile to notethat FARA‘s advocacy for theinitiation of SCARDA waspositively welcome by the DFIDwhich financed the planning of apilot phase for the developmentof a real programme centered onthese concerns. It is in this veinthat CORAF/WECARD and thestakeholders from the SROparticipated in a workshop, inFebruary 2007 aimed at

developing activities for the pilotphase with two componentsbase. The first one is Skills andCapacity strengthening inagricultural researchmanagement, and the second oneis about Capacity strengtheningfor professional development inresearch and agriculturedevelopment. SCARDA needs to produce fourresults. The first one is acomprehensive programme ofcapacity and structurestrengthening, and the secondone is centered on theimprovement of agriculturalresearch management’ systemsand the skills to direct a highquality research. The third result is about theimprovement of theorganizational capacity of theNARS, improvement in thecapacity of scientists and theexecuting agents to enable themto fully carry their mission. Thefourth and last expected result isthe adoption of the innovationsystems as a paradigm thatsupports research anddevelopment through Africa’s

NARS. SCARDA’s activities willinclude sub-regional grouptraining centered on the highestpriorities among the themesidentified after the evaluation andon other themes to bedetermined. Post –trainingsupport will also be offered up toa year in order to strengthen thecapacity acquired through grouptraining. The activities will alsoinclude training in order toimprove the capacity of the newagricultural research prospectiveapplicants’ professional careerand on going training, as well aspostgraduate studies. This willprovide them with key skills forresearch and agriculturaldevelopment. So as to adequatelyreport SCARDA’s activities,CORAF/WECARD commissionedtwo consultants in 2007 that werein charge of evaluating the NARScomprehensive capacity needsfor the 22 countries of the sub-region. The results of thisevaluation will facilitate thecomprehensive development ofthe final implementation plan tobe submitted to DFID by August2007. r

SCARDAA Research Capacity Strengthening Tool


Scientific and Technical Committee

As far as human resources are concerned, theExecutive Secretariat carried on the improvementefforts in 2007 in order to ensure quality in theorganization’s functioning as well as transparency inits management. This was materialized by the newsenior accountant taking up function in February, but

also through the hiring of a manager for thebiotechnology department and of an internal auditor

During the same period, the Information andCommunication Manager resigned, he took anotherposition as FARA’s Training and AgriculturalInformation System Director. He has been wasreplaced following the habitual procedure.

Otherwise, CORAF/WECARD met from May 29ththrough May 31st 2007 in Abidjan along with the


21

CORAF/WECARD 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Research, the Vehicle of DevelopmentCORAF/WECARD’s 20th anniversary was celebrated fromMay 29th to May 31st 2007. The anniversary theme was:“agricultural research, the vehicle of Africa’s economicdevelopment. Mr. Ibrahim Cissé, the Minister of Higher Education andScientific Research, represented his Excellency the PrimeMinister of Cote d’Ivoire, and chaired the openingceremony. The activities really started with theOrganization’s special General Assembly where thepresentation, the discussion and the adoption of theStrategic and Operational Plans took place.

Two parallel conferences were organized. The one onpartnership for agricultural development was given by Mr.Ibrahim Mayaki from the Platform for Rural Developmentand Food Safety in West and Central Africa (HUB), and theother, dealing with Africa’s position on the geneticallymodified organisms, given by the Pr Walter Alhassan fromPBS-FARA.

Centre National de Recherche Agronomique(CNRA) to celebrate its 20th anniversary(see Box).

The fifth session of the Scientific andTechnical Committee (STC) held in Dakaron November 16th and 17th 2007 reviewedthe activities conducted from the fourthsession. Eight of the nine members of thecommittee took part in the meeting, DrSangharé, of the Biotechnology programmewas not able to attend it. The Scientific andTechnical Committee is satisfied with theExecutive Secretariat and the Board’s effortsto implement most of the recommendations.However, some mechanisms should be putin place in order to improve communicationbetween the CORAF/WECARD units andwithin these same units.

The Scientific and Technical Committeecongratulated the Executive Secretariat forthe quality of the report presented andabove all for all the efforts put into thefinalization of the documents for both Plansand into the promotion of the Plans atdifferent levels. r


22


FISCAL YEAR 2007 AUDIT AND CERTIFICATION OF CORAF/WECARDAccounts for the 2007 fiscal year, from January 1 to December 31, were audited and certified by

the accounting firm BDO MBA located in Dakar, Senegal.


23


1 657 03918 000

<838 688>10 147

846 498

188 650

92 21882 514

346 370

86 284

37 976

834 012

12 486

CORAF/WECARD EXECUTIVE SECRETARIATINCOME STATEMENT (IN THOUSANDS OF CFA FRANCS)

2007Certified accounts



SOURCES OF FUNDING

Operational subsidiesNARS ContributionTransfert to operating unitsand projectsOther productsTotal funding

EXPENSES

Fixed infrastructures costsOtheroperating costsStatutory meetings

Specific and professional activitiesInvestmentsDepreciation and provisionsTotal expenses

RESULT

1 434 11720 000

<217 712>34 247

1 270 652

227 994

113 10457 099

810 789

95 981

108 218

1 413 185

<142 533>

1 475 32020 000

<529 987>2 547

967 889

193 299

90 24877 208

498 451

14 978

51 275

925 459

42 430


24

A Dozen Projects forTechnology Development and Transfer

CORAF/WECARD established the Regional Competitive Fund as a sustainablefunding system and a tool for the achievement of its research and cooperationpriorities. Its aim is to strengthen the institution in its sub-regional coordinatingfunction of agricultural research and development. Its general objective is thepromotion of research for agricultural development in the West and Central Africasubregion through a sustainable and efficient contribution to its funding.

The Regional Competitive Fund’ s specific objectivescomprise, among others: the strengthening ofregional and inter-institutional cooperation betweenthe countries of the West and Central Africasubregion and, if needed, with the countries of othersub-regions.

A new kind of partnership between the NationalAgricultural Research Systems components (NARS),the International Agricultural Research Centres(IARC) and field stakeholders represented by NGOsand farmer organizations, on the sub-region’s

priorities and technology innovation transfer to usersof the research results was also promoted.

This fund facilitates more openness anddiversification of scientific and financial partners, asorientation of research toward social demand, as wellas the improvement in its quality through thepromotion of excellence.

Following a call for project proposals in which 75research proposals were assessed and 12 of themshortlisted. Seven project proposals dealt withtechnology generation while 5 dealt with technology

THE REGIONAL COMPETITIVE FUNDCORAF/WECARD in 2007


25

transfer. The Competitive Fund’s total budget isFCFA 936,589,000. It comprises the allocations tothe 12 projects and the travelling costs for the mid-term evaluation. The following table summerizes the

CORAF/WECARD in 2007contributions from the various partners in constitutingto the Competitive Fund’s funding.

The aim of the Regional Competitive Fund is to strengthen theCORAF/WECARD function of agricultural research anddevelopment coordination in West and Central African countries.

1

2

3

DESIGNATION

PARAO-DFID

AfDB

TOTAL

PARAO

DFID

AMOUNT

247 919 000

214 000 000

474 670 000

936 589 000

PERCENTAGE

26,48

22,84

50,68

Composition of the project teams

The project teams are made up of someagricultural research institutes, universities,international agricultural research centres andresearch partners that comprise farmerorganizations, development units, NGOs and theprivate sector…

Sixty-nine bodies from these organizationsparticipated in the 12 evaluated projects.

Each team comprised an average of 6 institutions.The Agricultural Research Institutes (ARIs)represented 39% of the stakeholders. NARSs highlevel of participation indicates their high involvementin CORAF/WECARD activities. The lowestparticipation was recorded from universities andespecially from their departments in charge ofagricultural research. The IARC (the InternationalAgricultural Research Centres and the Base


26

Centres) make up 20% participants and shows theirinterest in these projects. The participation rateproducer organisation was estimated at 30%, arather high rate that shows that the teams haveintegrated not only scientists but also developmentstakeholders in the rural areas.

In addition to their multi-institutional aspect,projects are being implemented in several countries.The 12 projects are implemented in 9 countries(Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali,Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo) out of the 16that form the West African region.

Regional coordination is done by about 40% IARCscientists, whereas universities only coordinate 25%projects.

Projects’ evaluation

Remarks and comments have been analyzedaccording to parameters and criteria well defined inthe projects’ synthesis tables.

Management of the projects’ teams – Theevaluation shows a good collaboration between theinstitutions from the same country and between

different countries’ institutions. There has not beenany mis-management of the budgets allocated to theprojects. But there are still some weaknesses, andthey are concerned with a rather weak regionalcoordination, administrative heaviness, delays in theforwarding of accounting documents, the absence ofan internal monitoring and evaluation system andlack of clarification on the complementarity expectedfrom the various organizations.

Projects’ assessments. – The projects are stillrelevant with regard to their basic objective. They willbe implemented following pre-established planningsand, globally accepted principles. The activities thathave been implemented in the framework of all theprojects are of an undeniable scientific quality. Interms of their impact and sustainability, the impactsof the projects on their beneficiaries are not yet veryevident for all the projects with regard to their presentstate of implementation. This is the reason why theirmanagers proposed to strongly involve extensionservices and development organizations, civil societyand the private sector because of the limited durationof the projects (3 years mximum), so that they canfollow up on the extension and promotion oftechnological innovations.

1. FC/2003/12 Project: Fodder resources managementfor the sustainable use of the Sahelian pastunes.

2. FC/2003/15 Project: Production and management ofthe gommerais planted in Niger, Senegal and BurkinaFaso.

3. FC/2003/19 Project: Ecologically sustainableintensification of the production of a yam with a qualityacceptable for food.

4. FC/2003/20 Project: Integrated management of feedresources for the intensification of animal productions inWest African agropastoral zones.

5. FC/2003/27 Project: Potential use of botanical extractson vegetables as alternatives to chemical in peri-urbanzones of Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo.

6. FC/2003/35 Project: Regional Integration, access tomarkets and agricultural diversification in the WAEMUarea : political options for competitive and sustainablemilk sectors.

7. FC/2003/43 Project: Market surveys and sub sectoranalysis of vegetable production in West Africa : farmer'sand consumer's awareness of pesticides risks andwillingness to produce and consume organic vegetable.

8. Dissemination and extension network for livestockimprovement methods.

9. Promotion of agricultural products processingtechnologies in Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso.

10. Combining water harvest techniques and nutrientmanagement to sustain food production in the dry landsof West Africa.

11. Fertilizer micro-dosing and drought tolerant varietiestechnology transfer for small farmer prosperity in theSahel.

12. Promoting use of indigenous phosphate rock for soilfertility "recapitalization" in the Sahel..

List of the 12 Projects Shortlisted in the Framework of the Competitive Fund


27


It is worth noting that the encouraging resultsgained in this system of management urgedCORAF/WECARD to adopt the system ofCompetitive Fund for its new 2007-2016 StrategicPlan implementation. Generally, the projects havebeen evaluated as satisfactory, as 80% of them havebeen well rated by the evaluation team.

Strong positive points

Apart from the general comments, other positivepoints have been given by the monitoring andevaluation team.

The existence of a dynamic partnershipbetween the research sector stakeholders. – The

various stakeholders (scientists, extension agents,producers, private sector) work closely in theframework of a dynamic partnership.

Start workshop. – The various regional launchingworkshops facilitated the harmonization of amethodological approach for each country. Nationalworkshops and the field visits also contributed to theprojects’ success.

Training. – The projects represented opportunitiesto supervise and train young students in theframework of their project work in their final years’.Moreover, some young scientists have beenrecruited by the projects’ teams; their dynamism andcommitment encouraged these teams to do so.Producers and technicians have also been trained.

Complementarity with other projects. – Some ofthe field activities are useful and complemented otherongoing activities. Gender approach has integratedmore women in the targeted group was adopted.

Participatory approach. – The projects have beenimplemented using an iterative and participatoryapproach.

Other positive points. – The other observationsare concerned, among others, with the priorityequiped laboratories, the producers’ low level oftraining, slowness in the implementation of theactivities, the inappropriate choice of project’ssites.m

Points to be improved

Funds availability. – In all the projects without anyexception, there has been a delay in the release offunds. This delay impacted the start of manyactivities.

Budgets planning. – The mission noted that onefourth of the projects had underestimated theprojects’ activities implementation costs. The missionrecommended that the number of their activities bereduced and to focus on the activities that are likelyto have positive impacts. q


28

CORAF/WECARD Main Workshops and Meetings in 2007

* JANUARY 15-19DAKAR (SENEGAL)2nd consultation on WAAP, organised byCORAF/WECARD and the World Bank* JANUARY 27-28SALY PORTUDAL (SENEGAL)4th DPSAR workshop on the region’s strategic planning * FEBRUARY 5-11ACCRA (GHANA)Closed meeting of SRO/FARA and EXCO meeting onFARA Strategic Plan* FEBRUARY 13-16ACCRA (GHANA)3rd conference on WAAP, organised byCORAF/WECARD and the World Bank* FEBRUARY 19-22ACCRA (GHANA)Technical training project of FARA and AfDB* FEBRUARY 26-28DOUALA (CAMEROUN)5th DPSAR workshop on changes in management* MARCH 14-17DAKAR (SENEGAL) 6th DPSAR workshop on the Operational PlanDevelopment

* MARCH 27-30ACCRA (GHANA)3rd conférence of the Ministers of ECOWAS membercountries for the adoption of its action plan onBiotechnology and Biosecurity* APRIL 19-20ACCRA (GHANA)Final DPSAR workshop. Consensus and information ofthefive-year Operational Plan* APRIL 26-27OUAGADOUGOU (BURKINA FASO)Consultation workshop of partners and strategicstakeholders, organised by AU-SAFGRAD* MAY 5-9ACCRA (GHANA)Consultaton workshop on FARA new’s strategy* MAY 26IABIDJAN (COTE D’IVOIRE)1st CORAF/WECARD Executive Board meeting for2007* MAY 28-31ABIDJAN (COTE D’IVOIRE)CORAF/WECARD 20th anniversary celebration* JUNE 10-16JOHANNESBURG (AFRIQUE DU SUD)FARA 4th General Assembly and meeting ofCORAF/WECARD partners along this General Assembly* JUNE 20-22MONTPELLIER (FRANCE)Meeting between CORAF/WECARD, CIRAD, Agropolisand IRD on animal and plant biotechnology* JUNE 27-30BRUXELLES (BELGIQUE)International conference on agricultural research fordevelopment in Europe: towards a shared vision* JULY 20BANGUI (CENTRAFRIQUE)Signature of a cooperation agreement betweenCORAF/WECARD and CEMAC



29

* AUGUST 7-9COTONOU (BENIN)Launching workshop of the Regional AgriculturalInvestment Programme (PRIA)* AUGUST 6-11COTONOU (BENIN)Re-launching workshop of the PRIA formulationprocess* AUGUST 22-26ACCRA (GHANA)Preparation workshop of the SCARDA projectdocument* AUGUST 27-29ACCRA (GHANA)Regional workshop on the evaluation of the first phaseof the SCARDA* SEPTEMBER 27-28ABUJA (NIGERIA)Meeting of the committee of the national experts and26th ordinary session of the Council of WARDA’sMinisters* OCTOBER 5ABIDJAN (COTE D’IVOIRE)Workshop for the definition of a guideline for theNARS reconstruction in armed post-confict situation* OCTOBER 5ROMA (ITALY)Presentation of CORAF/WECARD new Strategy to IFADWest and Central Units* OCTOBER 25-26BRUXELLES (BELGIQUE)Conference of CORAF/WECARD donors at theEuropean Commission’s headquarters* OCTOBER 28-31ACCRA (GHANA)Meeting of FARA Executive Board* OCTOBER 31-/NOVEMBER 2ACCRA (GHANA)Annual meeting of USAID partners in agriculture

CORAF/WECARD Main Workshops and Meetings in 2007


* NOVEMBER 2-3DAKAR (SENEGAL)Workshop on the development of a workplan for theimplementation of DONATA, organised byCORAF/WECARD* NOVEMBER 2-3OUAGADOUGOU (BURKINA FASO)Workshop on the definition of a harmonizedframework for the PRIA formulation* NOVEMBER 5-8OUAGADOUGOU (BURKINA FASO)ECOWAS Conference of Ministers of theBiotechnology, Pests and Seeds Action Plans* NOVEMBER 8-10DOUALA (CAMEROON)Workshop for the validation of the workshop onCEMAC capacity strengthening for the formulationand the implementation of harmonized nationallegislative frameworks for GMO management * NOVEMBER 11-14BAMAKO (MALI)ICRAF workshop on Agro-forestry systemssustainable management* NOVEMBER 16-17DAKAR (SENEGAL)Annual meeting of the CORAF/WECARD’s Scientificand Technical Committee for 2007* NOVEMBER 27-28DAKAR (SENEGAL)2nd session of CORAF/WECARD Executive Board for2007* DECEMBE 4BEIJING (CHINA)CGIAR 2007 AGM * DECEMBER 12-14SALY PORTUDAL (SENEGAL)Sub-regional concertation for West, Central andNorthern Africa. Development of a food strategicframework for Africa. Organized by CILSS in collaborationwith CASA. q


30

Research Programmes

Flagship Activities for the Programme Enhanced Development

BIOTECHNOLOGYAND BIOSECURITY

CORAF/WECARD Biotechnology and BiosecurityProgramme Manager executed various activities fromMarch to August 2007. March 2007 flagship activitiescomprised: ECOWAS Regional Action Plan onBiotechnology and Biosecurity (PBB/ECOWAS)review, the PBB/ECOWAS final document, and reviewof CORAF/WECARD Biotechnology Programme’within the framework of the workshop on the review ofthe Operational Plan. The PBB/ECOWAS was alsoaccepted by ECOWAS Conference of Ministers.

The activities carried out in April and May 2007included the preparations and participation in theInformation and Consensus workshop onCORAF/WECARD’s Operational Plan, the drafting ofconcept notes on regional Biotechnology andBiosecurity projects and participation in CORAF/WECARD’ s Extraordinary General Assembly for theadoption of CORAF/WECARD’s Strategic andOperational Plans. A partnership agreement has beensigned with the "Africa Bio Fortified Sorghum Project".Exchanges with FAO on the Biotechnology TrainingProject following the first contacts made with the freezone on Biotechnology in Cote d’Ivoire within the

framework of the development of the relationshipsbetween CORAF/ WECARD and the private partnersin the field of Biotechnology.

A regional concertation framework

In June 2007, the Biotechnology and BiosecurityProgramme Manager developed partnership activities,in the field of Biotechnology, between CORAF andAGROPOLIS; and exchanged activities through aworkshop held on 20-22 June 2007. In the frameworkof fastering partnership, contacts have been madewith the African Biotechnology Agency.

In July 2007, a regional consensus framework onBiosecurity was set up in collaboration with CILSS,WAEMU and other ECOWAS partner organizations ina workshop held from 17-19. The operating budget for2008 was elaborated and submitted to ECOWAS inthe same month. In August 2007, a meeting with ECOWAS for thevalidation of the operating budget was held, and at thesame time the work plan with CILSS and WAEMU wasreviewed and harmonized. q


31

A Database on Cereal Technology

CEREAL NETWORK STAPLE CROPS PROGRAMME

Consultations with Host Institutions of Cereal Networks

During 2007, the Cereals Network Coordinatorwho has now been changed to the Staple CropsProgramme Manager consulted the CG Centres –WARDA, ICRISAT and IITA – Centers that hosted theformer rice, sorghum & millet, and maize networksrespectively. During these consultations (a)information was shared with scientists working oncereal programmes in the CG centres - includinginformation on the new cereals network in the contextof the CAADP, MDGs, CORAF/WECARD’s strategicplan and CG centres’ Medium Term Plans foreffective collaboration; (b) contacts initiated withother partners and collaborators; (c) technical,administrative and financial managementexperiences were shared; (d) on-going activities weremake known (e) concerns of the CG centres withregard to the future of the network in relation to thesustenance of the gains of the former networks wereshared; vital inputs from the centres’ perspectivewere provided for the development of an operationalmechanism for the future and (d) familiarization withon-going activities

Database on Cereal technology

Within the year, a project was launched to createdatabase on cereal-based technologies within theCORAF/WECARD sub-region with special referenceto sorghum, millet, maize and rice. Objectives of thisexercise were to: (1) to obtain relevant information onprojects that have been completed within the pastfive years and have generated useful researchresults for transfer to end-users, (2) to obtaininformation on on-going projects to guide

CORAF/WECARD so as to avoid duplication infuture, (3) to identify research for development gapsfor future support and (4) to determine capacityneeds of the member NARS.

Out of the 22 NARS contacted, 67% have so farresponded; in addition, IITA and ICRISAT haveresponded. Table 1 show the summary of completedprojects that can be transferred whereas Table 2shows the on-going projects. The informationreceived have been categorized into (1) processingand marketing, (2) crop and soil fertility management,(3) pest, disease and drought management, (4) landand water management and (5) variety developmentand seed system. The information received so farindicate that a total of 51 projects have beencompleted whereas 92 projects are on-ongoing. It isevident that whilst much more work is being done onvariety development and seed system, land andwater management is not receiving much attention.Among the completed projects, less attention hadbeen given to processing and marketing of maizeand rice, which is the same for maize again in the on-going projects. Information on human capacity andequipment status and needs are also being compiled.The results provide opportunities for technologytransfer of completed projects and to also avoidduplication of projects. The gaps identified provideanother opportunity for addressing the weak links inthe cereals value chains and capacity needs.

Implementation of theStaple Crops programme

During the forth quarter of 2007, preparations weremade towards conducting a survey to identify keyconstraints and needs of end-users of researchtechnologies and innovations. The general objective

Research ProgrammesResearch Highl ights


32

of the study was to identify in a consultative processthe most constraining elements in the staple cropsvalue-chains, which if adequately addressed duringthe next five years will significantly improve the foodsecurity situation and incomes of smallholder farmersand agro-based industries. The outcomes of thisstudy would serve as vital inputs for a 5-year (2007-2011) Action Plan (Roadmap) that will help directresearch and development investments in the staplecrops sub-sector.

A questionnaire was prepared at the CORAF/WECARD Secretariat and tested in Ghana. Inaddition, a concept note was sent to prospectiveparticipants of the survey, which included the CGCentres, as well as the NARIs, NGOs, FarmersOrganizations, Private Sector processors and agri-input dealers in the six countries. One National FocalPerson who helped identified groups andorganizations was identified for each country. Thesurvey itself took was to take place in 2008.

Outcomes of Workshops attended

Workshop on Vegetable Breeding and SeedSystems: Between 29th and 31st August, theCORAF/WECARD Staple Crops Managerrepresented the organization at an InceptionPlanning Workshop of the new Vegetable Breedingand Seed Systems (vBBS) Program under the WorldVegetable Centre (AVRDC), which took place inArusha, Tanzania. The objective of the workshop wasto determine the main drivers for vegetable breedingand seed systems and to establish a clear work planfor 2007/2008 in consultation with key partners inSSA.

Within the CORAF/WECARD sub-region, two hubcentres of the program are based in Mali andCameroon, which will serve WCA in the developmentof vegetable breeding and seed systems. The vBSSprogram has a tremendous potential in strengtheningthe vegetable breeding and seed systems of WCA tosupport the implementation of the CORAF/WECARD

Strategic and operational plans. Farmers’ access toproductive consumer-preferred vegetable seedswould be enhanced to contribute to our strategicobjectives of broad-based agricultural productivity,competitiveness and markets sustainably improvedfor target groups. This will also strengthen capacityfor vegetable research and seed production, an areathat had not received much attention in the past.

IITA/WECARD/IFAD Yam technical workshop:This workshop was organized between 11th and 13thSeptember in Accra, Ghana. The objectives of theworkshop were to (1) provide an opportunity for yamspecialists and members of the Yam Network todisseminate the findings from the IFAD TAG 704project (2) share and assess progress in improvingproductivity and competitiveness of yam systems inWest and Central Africa and (3) provide inputs for theformulation of a new phase.

The Yam Project through its implementation hassucceeded in developing partnerships among the siximplementing NARS. Through this partnershipseveral yam varieties and technologies for theproduction have been developed. The project hasalso done some limited studies on marketing andutilization. There are however, many gaps remainingin (1) expanded partnership to cover otherstakeholders, (2) the use of modern breeding tools todevelop resistance to diseases and pests and todevelop inter-specific hybrids, (3) the strategy topromote seed yam production and marketing andthus reduce cost of seed yam, (4) technology toreduce storage losses and studies to improveefficiencies in the marketing channels and (5)efficient strategies to upscale and extend the existingtechnologies and innovations to farmers, whichremains a challenge in view of the low adoption rateof yam technologies vis-à-vis the quest to achievethe CAADP target of 6% growth.

Recommendations have been give in the mainreport to address these shortcomings inimplementation of CORAF/WECARD’s strategic andoperational plans. q

Research ProgrammesResearch Highl ights


33

Research NetworksResearch Highl ights

CORAF/WECARD Cotton Network participed invarious activities in 2007. The three main ones amongthem include: the workshop on the decrease in cottonproductivity in Africa, the 4th World Cotton ResearchConference and the workshop on seeds productionand the cotton variety improvement in West andCentral Africa.

The workshop on the decrease in cotton productivityin Africa was held from 9-10 August in Lome, Togo. Itsobjective was to better understand and evaluate thecauses of the decrease in cotton productivity. Thisprocess involved assessing all the tools developedthrough research and development in order to achievecotton production’s rational.

More than 150 participants from FarmerOrganizations, development societies and the NationalAgricultural Research Systems of the countries thatproduce cotton in West and Central Africa attended theworkshop. These countries include Benin, BurkinaFaso, Mali, Chad, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegaland Ghana.

The participants made recommendations aimed ateliminating technical, institutional and socio-economicconstraints. In this framework, it was recommended

that the States should support the acquisition ofagricultural inputs and equipments in order to improveproduction. The State should also strengthen cottonresearch capacity through regular funding in order tofacilitate the removal of technical constraints toproduction. Strengthening the managerial skills of theleaders and officers from the sector’s variouseconomic stakeholders was also advocated.

The fourth world conference on cotton research washeld from 10-14 September in Lubbock, Texas, USA. Itlasted four days and brought together a majority ofscientists and also all the profiles directly or indirectlyconnected with research, cotton developmentprocessing of other textile plants from more than 50countries. The CORAF/WECARD Cotton Network’sinterim coordinator participated in this conference inorder to examine opportunities for direct informationexchange on cotton research and extension and newtechnologies on cotton.

This conference concluded that cotton was still avery important product for the world’s greatest industry,the textile industry: the world fiber consumption hasgenerally increased. However, of all fibers, cotton isthe least used. It was remarked during the conferencethat cotton exploitation is perceived as a full businessin many countries. And as such, it should represent acooperation subject between the private and the publicsectors organisations, as prevails in Israel, a cottonproducing country (30,000 ha), but with an intensiveproduction system.

The workshop on seeds production and West andCentral Africa cotton variety improvement wasorganized from 28-30 November in Bamako, Mali. Theworkshop objective was to make an inventory of theactivities in the fields of cotton variety improvementand production. The participants -scientists,technicians and staff members of the researchdevelopment liaison units in Benin, Cameroon, BurkinaFaso, Mali and Togo recommended that CORAF/WECARD variety catalog be published and reviewed ,every two years from 2008 onwards. They alsorecommended the acknowledgement of physiologicaland morphological characteristics in the selectioncriteria. It was also recommended to rationalize thequantity of seeds used for the seedbed by selling themat a reasonable price and the use of delinted seedswas also advocated. q

COTTON

Plant ImprovementProgramme


34

T h e B a s e C e n t r e sResearch Highl ights

The CIRDES, headquartered in Burkina Faso,implemented various activities in 2007. This yearrepresented an opportunity to strengthen CIRDES’excellence pole in the field of animal biotechnologythanks mainly to the implementation of the WAEMUSupport Programme to Regional Excellence Centres(PACER).

Various activities have been conducted in thisframework. They were about the acquisition and theinstalment of new laboratory equipment, themodernization of the CIRDES website, theprogressive computerization of the documentationmanagement system and the setting up of acyberspace.

Besides, the computer tools for financialmanagement have been improved, new projects onbiotechnology and molecular biology have started,training has been strengthened and activities relatedto the extension and dissemination of the results ofresearch are ongoing.

There are many achievements that have facilitatedthe improvement of research conditions, thestrengthening of CIRDES partnerships andavailability of results of research developed by theNARS.

Local productionof bovine serum

Many research projects have been implementedon the sleeping disease epidemiology, glossins andtrypanosoms’ serologic and molecular diagnosticwith effective implementation by IRD scientists and

also the recruitment of African post PhD and youngPhD graduates of the sub-region. It must beunderlined that subjects are still diversified in animalhealth, animal production, livestock, environmentand the ecology of vectors’ socio-economy.

Therefore, in order to have a broader idea on theseachievements, one can just consult the book of thesubjects CIRDES’ young teams work in 2007. Thedrafting of an operational protocol on the localproduction of bovine serum must be studied in thiscontext. This research action has been jointly fundedin the framework of the West African EconomicMonetary Union Support Programme to RegionalExcellence Centres (PACER-WAEMU) and of thePôle d’Excellence Régional d’Etudes et de ContrôleStratégique des Trypanosomoses Animales enAfrique de l’Ouest of the Francophone UniversityAgency (PER-AUF).

Its aim is to draft the in situ operational protocol forthe delivery of a bovine antiserum in order to servethe extension goals of the sero-immunological testthrough Elisa method that adresses West Africapartnering laboratories.

Other subject developed : the examination of theanti-saliva response of glossins. Its aim is to developan assess immuno-epidemiologic tool for humanbeings and bovines, antibodies particular to salivaproteins of glossins that can be integrated into thevarious methods for THA risk measurement(Geographic Information System, for example) inorder to identify and set the limits of the trypanichotspots so that to better control this disease throughthe implementation of preventive strategies.

Strengthening the Animal Biotechnology’s Emergency Pole

CIRDES

Strengthening the animal biotechnology’s excellence pole has been an important activity ofthe Centre International de Recherche-Développement sur l’Elevage en Zone Sub-humide(CIRDES) in 2007. The CIRDES has also set up many research projects and recruitedAfricans at PhD and PhD and post-Doctorat positions.


35

Researches in Medical Entomology,Prevention training and Strategies

Researches in Medical Entomology, PreventionTraining and Strategies (FSP-REFS) consist inevaluating THA and its vectors’ present situation andcontribute to its control in Burkina Faso and WestAfrica. They also study the conditions of emergence,epidemisation or suppression in field studies andimplement appropriate strategies to improveinteractions between the 3 stakeholders of thepathogenic complex in their environment.

In the framework of the campaign for theelimination of the tse-tse, genetic and morphometricstudies conducted in the CIRDES confirmed theisolation of the tse-tse of the Loos Islands (4 km fromConakry) compared to those of the surroundingmangroves of the continent which have the highestprevalences.

The programme for the tse-tse eradication from theLoos Islands will facilitate the sustainable preventionof the human population diseases and thedevelopment of porcine breeding that is alreadyongoing but was likely to be affected by trypanoso-moses, has been launched.

One of the most efficient methods for the control ofHuman and Animal Trypanosomes is the control thetse-tse. One of the most practical, the mostaccessible and the most efficient approaches is theuse of the toxic attractive systems (SAT: pitfalls,soaked screens).

Improvement the controlof the tse-tse fly

Olfactory attractives has been identified in theglossins of the morsitans group in Eastern Africa andthey help to reduce the screening’ density up to 30km2 thanks to the improved efficiency of the SAT.This study aims at identifying, developing, andapplying the visual and olfactory attractives to theglossins of the palpalis group thanks to aninternational consortium for the improvement of thecontrol of the tse-tse.

Among other topics, CIRDES young teams studiedin 2007 “farmer national strategies of developmentand investments in the field of agriculture-livestockintegration”. This study was conducted in theframework of the activities of the research project onthe “valorization of local knowledge on agriculture-livestock integration for the sustainable managementof the Africa’s subhumid savannas’ ecosystems”,known under the DURAS acronym. It aims at settingup a macroeconomic framework in order tocontextualize agricultural producers’ practices andknowledge. The study was restricted to BurkinaFaso, and the cotton, a crop that has deeply markedthis country’s history, served as the framework ofreference. q


One of the studies conducted at CIRDES aims atimproving the efficiency of the struggle against the tse-te fly.


36


These activities were concerned with variouspoints: the first one was about the characterizationcrops answer to drought and the improvement ofselection methods. The second one deal withbiotechnologies, the third one was on theimprovement of .plant breeding for a betteradaptation to drought. The fourth point was on theimprovement of agricultural productions planningmethods.

Various activities were performed in the frameworkof each of these intervention points. . The first pointlaid stress on the production of “interspecificbackross” populations. It’s a project that aims togenerate various F2 and Backcross populationsbetween these two amphidiploid varieties and manyvarieties that are grown in Senegal.

DNA extraction from the tamarind and baobab trees

Cowpea varieties screening in the field forresistance to the ‘’striga gesneroides’’ consists oftesting cowpea lineages and varieties coming fromthe subregion countries by the local parasites’pressure. These varieties have been tested invarious West and central Africa places and werejudged as promising. It was also proceeded in 2007for the characterization of the sorghum diggingdynamics.

In the field of biotechnologies, CERAAS developeda DNA extraction technique for the tamarind and thebaobab trees. The improvement in plant breedingmethods for improved adaptation to drought is

Various Works for the Improvementof Drought Adaptation

CERAAS

The Centre d’Etude Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la Sécheresse(CERAAS), headquartered in Thiès in Senegal, executed various activities in 2007.

another result the centre has achieved. Variousactivities were conducted in this framework amongwhich were the diagnosis of land use mechanism onthe soil and plants carbon, and the demonstrationtests on the comparative advantages of naturalphosphates on soils fertilization in Senegal, etc.

The CERAAS also worked on the improvement ofagricultural productions methods. It also organizedvarious seminars, workshops and conferences. Itsscientists participated in trainings. Four Diplômesd’Etudes Approfondies (DEA) theses have beendefended and many university articles have beenproduced. q

CERAAS headquarters in Thiès (Sénégal).


37


The Centre Africain de Recherches sur Bananierset Plantains (CARBAP) headquartered in Douala, inCameroon has a triple vocation: research, trainingand development support. Globally, the CentreAfricain de Recherches sur Bananiers et Plantains(CARBAP), headquartered in Douala, in Cameroon,participates in the improvement of banana andplantain based crops systems through the processingand commercialization of the productions throughresearch-development.

CARBAB conducts its activities in order to supportthe banana and plantain sectors. These researchesallow the development of adapted technical tools,which, when they are mastered, would facilitate asustainable improvement of the productivity in a logicof crops systems reasoned intensification.

Developement support

CARBAP conducts and extendsresearches outputs that meet nationalpriorities and that are of the sameinterest at the regional level. Itstrengthens the research-developmentnational programmes on Banana andPlantain in West and Central Africa anddevelops scientific cooperation in thissame region on topics that deal withbanana and plantain productions.

CARBAP activities are related todevelopment support and training. Asfar as development support isconcerned, it implements thedevelopment of strategies for thetransfer of research results to users

through a participatory approach (producers,processors, consumers, economic operators andother stakeholders of the banana and plantainsector). In the field of training, CARBAP trainsscientists, extension and development officers andother stakeholders of the banana and plantainsectors. CARBAP elaborates many researchprogrammes and projects among which: theproduction systems’ improvement, the improvementand the dissemination of the PIF technique for in vivohealthy plants and the development of high densitycrops production. CARBAP programmes alsocomprise the development of improved cropingsystems and in the promotion of NPK fertilizer andsoil fertility management combination tests.

In the framework of the contract of diseases andpest, CARBAP carefully studied the biology of the

Activities to Support the Sectors’ Stakeholders CARBAB

The Centre Africain de Recherches sur Bananiers et Plantains (CARBAP), headquartered inDouala, in Cameroon, participates in the improvement of banana and plantain based cropssystems through the processing and commercialization of the productions through research-development.

CARBAB develops various research programmes and projects.


38

disease pathogènes and developed the technique ofinflorescences bind technique.

As far as nematology is concerned, the evaluationin the actual environment of mycorhization on thetolerance of banana trees to nematods wasperformed (mushrooms stems with mycorhizesderived from prospecting in farmer areas, grown instation, tested first on vitroplants and then in realenvironment). . In the field of entomology, the specificdistribution and the dynamics of weevil populationshave been analyzed at the same time as alternativesolutions to synthesis pesticides (entomopathogèneBeauveria bassiana, neem) were evaluated. Manyother studies have been conducted in the fields ofvariety improvement, auxiliary bud’s use, post-harvest technology for the evaluation of the fruitsfrom 700 varieties collection and physico-chemicalcharacteristics, etc.

Participatory evaluation

CARBAP is also involved in many projects thatgather a lot of partners such as the DURAS project(Promotion of Sustainable Development in theAgricultural Research Systems of the South)financed by the French Foreign Ministry. It comprises12 participatory research projects, among whichINNOBAP, led by CARBAP, "a regional network ofexchange platforms for improvement in theidentification of farmers’ needs and in thedissemination of new plantain varieties”. Benin,Cameroon, Gabon and Guinea are partner countries.

This project allows CARBAP to benefit from theexperience of platforms that gather farmers,extension agents, NGOs, processors and restaurantoperators, scientists and potential donors (micro-credit providers) in the framework of a contract.

The CARBAP is also involved in the CORUSproject (Study of the Genetic Diversity between thePest Nematodes for Banana and Plantain Trees inWest and Central Africa). This project is coordinatedby CARBAP with the support of CIRAD and the

T h e B a s e C e n t r e sResearch Highl ights participation of the CNRA (Côte d’Ivoire), the

CENAREST (Gabon) and the Université de Dschang(Cameroon). Knowing nematods’ diversity is a toolfor the development of resistant varieties of plantainand banana.

Increasing collaborations

CARBAP is involved too in Harvest Plus that is oneof CGIAR “Global Challenge” programmes. It iscoordinated by two of its centres: the IFPRI(International Food Policy Research Institute) andCIAT (the International Centre of Tropical Agriculture,headquartered in Columbia). . Harvest Plus aims atimproving some staple crops nutrient content.Biodiversity coordinates the Musa programme inWest and Central Africa, in which CARBAP and CRI(Crop Research Institute of Ghana) colaborate.Works conducted in CARBAP deal with the centre’scollection characterization in terms of nutrient andmineral content (priority is given to carotene, iron andzinc) and the study of environment and culturalpractices influence on the alimentary components ofthe bananas and the plantains produced in four agro-ecologic areas of Cameroon.

By participating in all these projects, CARBAP hasthe opportunity to develop its skill in participatoryresearch, to increase its collaborations with othercountries of the region and to commit itself in thevalorisation of its varieties and its innovations interms of agricultural practices and processedproducts.

The three last fiscal years (2005, 2006 and 2007)show that CARBAP budgets have reached the globaltotal of 3,817,054 euros. q


39

National System of informationexchange on Phytogenetic resources forfood and agriculture projectTitle : Title: Implementation of the Worldwide ActionPlan in West and Central Africa: National System ofInformation Exchange on Phytogenetic Resourcesfor Food and Agriculture: the examples of Cameroon,Congo, Guinea Conakry and Niger.

Objective: Implement a national system ofinformation exchange on Phytogenetic resources forfood in each of the countries (RPGAA).

Donor: Funds allocated to biodiversity Internationalby CIDA Canada.

Implementing Partners: FAO, IRAD (Cameroon),CRAL (Congo), IRAG (Guinea), INRAN (Niger).

Planned Activities: 1. Convening of a decision-makers’ national meeting in each of the fourcountries; 2. Convening of a stakeholders’ nationalmeeting in each of the four countries; 3. Collectionand analysis of the data on the RPGAA in the fourinterested countries; 4. National meeting for thevalidation of the results; 5. Drafting of the nationalreports on the RPGAA’s situation in the fourcountries.

2007 Achievements: Decision makers met in eachof the countries on the following dates as planned:19th June in Cameroon, 26th June in Congo, 7th Julyin Guinea, 26th June in Niger.

These meetings were used to facilitate awarenesscreation on the relevance of an RPGAA exchangesystem implementation at the level of decisionmakers.

A stakeholders’ national meeting was held in each ofthe four countries as follows: 16th – 17th August inNiger, 20th – 21st August in Cameroon, 23th – 24thAugust in Congo, 29th – 30th August in GuineaConakry.

This technical workshop facilitated the introduction ofthe NISM software designed for data and informationcollection and analysis to all the partners.

Advancement of Research Projects and ProgrammesResearch Highl ights

Data were gathered and analyzed in 2007. Thesedata were collected from various nationalstakeholders.

Three workshops were organised in November 2007in Cameroon, Congo, and Niger to validate thedatabase within the framework of the drafting of thenational reports on the RPGAA state. The fourthworkshop scheduled for 2008 in Guinea Conakry.

The reports on the situation of the phytogeneticresources for food and agriculture have beencompleted for these three countries.

GRENEWECA ProjectTitle: Regeneration of the phytogenetic resourcescollections of the West and Central African Networkof Genetic Resources.

Objective: Regenerate the collections of rice, millet,sorghum, voandzou, sweet potato, cassava and cowpea phytogenetic resources.

Donor: The Crop Genetic Diversity Trust. A US $100,000 total funding is being negotiated.

Implementing partners: The following Countries’National Programmes on Genetic Resources : Benin,Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea Conakry, Côted'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria,Senegal and Togo.

Planned activities: Seed viability tests, varietycharacterization and agronomic evaluation,regeneration and preparation of the accessionsduplicates, dispatching of these duplicates to some ofthe subregion’s reference centres.

2007 achievements: National collections to beregenerated (characterized) have been identified,priority collections have been identified (directcountries’ funding), the regeneration request hasbeen prepared and submitted to the donor.. q


40

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: Return towardsthe International Scientific Community

Because of the recurrent armedconflicts, investments in agriculturalresearch in Congo experienced aconsiderable decrease during the

1990s. Donors’ funds rapidly decreased andCongo found itself even more isolated fromthe international scientific community. ButCORAF/WECARD provided the region withsupport in Congo’s efforts to resume workwith the international scientific community.

Located in Central Africa, Congo sits astride theEquator and has a surface of 342,000 km2. Congohas a population of only 3,500,000, however, it is onethe most urbanized countries in Africa. In fact, themajor part of the population (60%) lives in urbanareas. 55% of the country’s total population and 90%of the urban population live in Brazzaville, the capitalcity, and Pointe Noire, the second city.

In Congo, agricultural research experienced aconsiderable decrease in terms of investments in the1990s because of the ongoing armed conflicts.During that period, many laboratories and researchstations were damaged.

Donors’ support rapidly decreased and Congofound itself more and more isolated from theinternational scientific community. But CORAF/WECARD provided the region with deciding support

in its efforts to resume work with the internationalscientific community. The organization of the 5thGeneral Assembly, in Brazzaville, in 2004, illustratedthis point.

There are two types of vegetations in Congo. Theforest which covers 22 million hectares and savannasthat cover 12 million hectares Congo’s hydrographicnetwork offers approximately 20 million m3 of


41

suitable water for agriculture. Its hydro-agriculturalresources are estimated at 400,000 hectares but theirrigated surface is lower than 100 hectares.

In this country, about 40 % of the workingpopulations are in the agricultural sector but thesector’s contribution to the GDP only reachesapproximately 6% and constitutes about 1 to 2% ofthe export. Since the discontinuation of theagricultural businesses, the agricultural sector hasessentially depended upon traditional agriculture insmall farms. They cover 80% of the cultivatedsurface and carry out 90% of the agriculturalproduction. Stock breeding, which has never beenvery developed, experienced a strong decline duringthe armed conflicts. Continental fishing provides13,000 tons of fish per year. The annual production ofsea fishing reaches 14,000 tons per year.

Despites this favorable condition, the Congoleseagriculture remains weak. The national productioncannot meet the totality of the population’s needs.

This paradoxical situation is the aggregation of theconjunction of many constraints resulting in weakproductivity which is the immediate consequence ofa poor research and extension system.

INSTITUTIONALSTRENGTHENING

Agricultural research in Congo has howeverexperienced various stages. Before independenceand, as soon as 1901, the French colonizers set upthe first experimental botanical gardens of the Africancontinent in Brazzaville. The experimental station ofLoudima was created in 1935. After the SecondWorld War, other French Research Institutes (IRHO,IRCT, IFAC, CTFT, and ORSTOM) came to settle inCongo.

In 1960, Congo’s year of independence, theCongolese Government set up the GeneralDelegation for Scientific and Technical Research thatwas given the mandate to supervise all agriculturalresearch activities.

Ten years later, the Laboratoire ScientifiqueVétérinaire was created thanks to the Soviet Unionsupport. In 1985, it was renamed and became theCentre de Recherches Vétérinaires et Zootechniques(CRVZ) and since then, it has been Congo’s soleresearch organization centred on livestock.

In strengthening of its institutions, Congo has alsoimplemented many other research activities centredon biotechnology, forestry, biodiversity, hydrobiology,soil and product processing. Besides, post-graduateestudies in natural sciences and agronomy, and inagri-resources processing have recently beencreated at the Faculty of Sciences of the MarienNgouabi University.

It must however be recalled that in the 1990’s,Congo experienced socio-political unrest thatresulted in the destruction of the researchinfrastructures, which immediately completed a lot ofscientists to leave, financial resources to decreaseand many research programmes to cease.

The agricultural system essentially rests on thetraditional agriculture practised in small exploitationsthat garantee 30% of the production.

C ONGOHonor to. . .


42

REHABILATING THE AGRICULTURALRESEARCH SYSTEM

Nowadays, research stations are beingrehabilitated and institutional reform is in process.This explains why since more than ten years, theglobal Scientific and Technological Research Policyand Agricultural Research, in particular, has beentransferred into the hands of a specialized Ministrydepartment or one that is in charge of other dutieslike the promotion of development, coordination andmonitoring of all research activities conducted in thenational territory.

The Congolese national agricultural researchsystem comprises a relatively high number ofscientific and technical state organizations mostlyunder the authority of the Ministry in charge ofScientific and Technological Research, the Ministry ofForestry, Economy and Environment and the Ministryof Higher Education. These structures are verydifferent in terms of their legal status, mandate,resources, viability and achievements.

As far as agronomical research structures areconcerned, they consist of four main centres: theCentre de Recherches Agronomiques de Loudima(CRAL), the Centre de Recherche sur l’AméliorationGénétique des Plantes (CERAG), the CentreNational de Semences Améliorées (CNSA) and theCentre National du Sol (CNS). The two last centresare under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture.

In addition to the other divisions, there are also twomain forestry research centres in Congo: the Centrede Recherche Forestière du Littoral (CRFL) and theCentre de Recherche Forestière de Ouesso (CRFO).University research structures, non governmentalorganizations and mixed teams come to add to thissystem.

In 2004, the human resources of the nationalagricultural research system comprised 190scientists and engineers involved in state agronomic

Dr. Grégoire BaniA Preeminent Entomologist

Dr. Grégoire Bani, Director ofResearch, was born on 14th 1955 inKebara, Republic of Congo. Holder ofa Bac D (at the Lycée PierreSavorgnan de Brazza in Brazzaville)in 1975, he joined the RuralDevelopment Institute (RDI) of theMarien Ngouabi University that he leftin 1980 with the Diploma in ruraldevelopment. He was recruited in thesame year in the civil service and put at the disposal of theMinistry of Scientific Research where he worked for theLaboratory of Agricultural Entomology of the ORSTOMCentre in Brazzaville, For years, he has led research oncassava pests, with a focus on the interplay betweencassava (Manihot esculenta)/smelly locust (Zonocerusvariegatus). And these researches, original results allowedDr Bani to defend a unique PhD thesis at the University ofRennes. He was financially supported by ORSTOM that hasbecome the Institute for Research and Development (IRD).

In 1991, he was the Science and Technology Advisor tothe Minister of Higher Education in charge of Science andTechnology.

In 1996, he was appointed Director of the Centre forAgronomic Researches of Loudima (CRAL) but heimmediatly faced the challenge of rehabilitating the researchstations that had been destroyed by the recurring civil warsand that of regaining partners’ confidence. He was noticedby the peers, became a member of CORAF/WECARDExecutive Board in 2005 and served as the Vice-Presidentat that time. In 2004, Gregoire Bani organized in BrazzavilleCORAF/WECARD 5th General Assembly that took aproductive decision to develop actions in favour of NARS inarmed post-conflicts situation, with the support of all thecolleagues and the top management.

He was instrumental in urging the government of hiscountry to sign the Constitutive Act of the Centre Africain deRecherche sur le Bananier et Plantain (CARBAP) andgained membership to the African Rice Center (WARDA).

He is the author of various publications and is a memberof CAMES. He also teaches entomology at IDR and theDepartment of Sciences.. Gregoire Bani is an FAO expertconsultant (Brazzaville Office). Concerning his associationmembership, he is the President of Congo’s Entomology’sSociety and Secretary General of Congo’s Biology Society.

Gregoire Bani has ceased to serve as CRAL’s Directorsince April 10, 2008. q

CONGOHonor to. . .


43

research. Since 2005, this potential hastremendously decreased. This situation is the resultof both retirements and the suspension ofrecruitments in the public service.

HUMAN AND FINANCIALRESOURCES

The levels of skills for the senior officers of thenational agricultural research system vary a lotaccording to the existing structures. The percentageof the DGRST scientists at post-graduate level hasslightly declined, going from 86% in 2001 to 83% in2004, as a result of the non renewal of retiredscientists added to the resignation of the highlyqualified young scientists going to the MarienNgouabi University for better employment conditions.

The majority of the scientists (29%) work on thegenetic improvement of crops. 20% scientists workon natural resources, 10% of them work on thecontrol of pests and animal diseases, the other 10%work on soils and 7% on post – harvesting activities.

The research programmes have produced interestingresults and numerous high yield varietes have beentested.

C ONGOHonor to. . . Third of the research activities on crops deal with

cassava, the population’s basic food. The nationalagricultural research system counts a great numberof centred and very specialized settlements that aremainly located in Brazzaville, Loudima and Pointe-Noire. The estate property is huge but it has beenvery much affected by the acts of vandalismcommitted in 1993, 1997 and 1998.

The total consolidated financial resources of thenational agricultural research system were estimatedin 2007 at about FCFA 1,600 million on which onebillion allocated by the State and the 600 million werein foreign currency. Grants from the State havesignificantly increased compared with the fourprevious years.

RESEARCHPROGRAMMES

Plant production and activities of research centresare centred on the following seven programmes:annual crops, perennial crops, dynamics forproduction and climate change mechanisms, controlof diseases and pest in the agricultural productionsystems, phyto-genetic resources, biotechnology andtechnology transfer in rural areas.

These research programmes led to interestingresults, especially on cassava, maize, rice,groundnuts and soybean. Important collections havebeen made and many high yielding varieties havebeen tested and transferred to rural areas. Technicalrecommendations (field preparations, seed densityand time, crops rotations, harvest time, maintenance,the associations of crops) have been clearly definedand made available to producers.

Finally, the ongoing research planning, that wouldconclude the formation of a special organization forthe implementation of agricultural research, willcertainly bring the necessary adjustments in theresearch system. q


44

THE GOVERNING ORGANS OF CORAF/WECARDThe West and Central African Council forAgricultural Research and Development(CORAF/WECARD) consists of fourhierarchical entities: the General Assembly,the Governing Board, the Scientific andTechnical Committee, and the ExecutiveSecretariat. These organs supervise theactivities of local operational units, whichimplement the organization’s objectives invarious sub-regions.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY (GA)

Representatives of the General Assembly are drawn fromthe NARS of member countries, regional and internationalagricultural research institutions operating in the sub-region, the private sector, professional agriculturalorganizations (PAO), and development partners. TheGeneral Assembly must ratify all decisions, and determinesthe overall goals and orientation of CORAF/WECARD.

GOVERNING COUNCIL (GC)

The Governing Council acts on and pursues the decisionsof the General Assembly. The Council has nine members: 6

SNRA representatives elected by the GA, and 3 represen-tatives drawn from agricultural research partners (NGOs,private sector interests, and farmers’ groups).

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE (STC)

The Scientific and Technical Committee serves as anadvisory board to the GA. Its role is to evaluate theensemble of scientific activities and assist the ExecutiveSecretariat in animating and coordinating those activities. Ithas twelve members, scientists drawn from NARS andpartner institutions, chosen intuiti personae for theircompetence.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT (ES)

The Executive Secretariat is composed of four permanentemployees (the Executive Director, the Director ofProgrammes, the Director of Administration and Finance,and the Manager of Information and Communication) andvarious support personnel. Under the direction of theExecutive Director, the ES carries out the decisions of theGA, follows the progress of scientific activities, auditsresearch programs, manages human and financialresources, and prepares statutory meetings. q

STC = Scientific and Technical Committee.M&E = Monitoring and Evaluation.CGS = Competitive Research Grant Scheme.Base D = Database. Public = Publications.Doc = Documentation.P1, P2, Pn = Programmes.


45

Pr. Emmanuel OWUSU-BENNOAHChairman of CORAF/WECARDDeputy Director-General AFFS/CSIRGhanaE-mail : [email protected]

Dr. Grégoire BANIVice-Chairman of CORAF/WECARDDirector of CRAL/DGRSTCongo BrazzavilleE-mail : [email protected]

Dr. Bino TEMEDirector of IERMaliE-mail : [email protected]

Mme Gisèle D’ALMEIDAPrivate Sector RepresentativeInterface NetworkSénégalE-mail : [email protected]

Dr. Salomon NamkoserenaDirector General of ICRARCAE-mail : namkoserena2000@yahoo.

Dr. Yo TiémokoDirector General of CNRACôte d'IvoireE-mail : [email protected]

Mme Elisabeth ATANGANAPAO’s RepresentativeCameroon E-mail : [email protected]

= Dr. Georges SONNINGO’s RepresentativeGambiaE-mail : [email protected]

= Musa BOJANGGeneral ManagerNational Agricultural ResearchInstitute (NARI)GambieE-mail : [email protected]

Anne x e sMembers of the Governing Council

Pr. Owusu-Bennoah Dr. G. Bani Dr B. Teme Mme G. D’Almeida Dr. S. Namkoserena

Dr. Y. Tiémoko Mme E. Atangana = M. G. Sonni = Dr. M. Bojang


46

Dr. Michel P. SEDOGOChairman of STCField of expertise: Soil ScienceInstitution: INERACountry: Burkina FasoE-mail: [email protected]

Pr. Chucks I. OGBONNAYAVice-Chairman of STCField of expertise: Plant ecophisiologyand agroforestryInstitution: Abia State UniversityPays : NigeriaE-mail: chuks_ogbonnaya@@yahoo.co.uk

Dr. Stella C. AKOMASField of expertise: Husbandry Institution: College of Veterinary MedicineMichael Okpara University of AgricultureCountry: NigeriaE-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Demba Farba MBAYEField of expertise: PhytopathologyInstitution: ISRACountry: SenegalE-mail: [email protected]

Dr Jean Daniel NGOU-NGOUPAYOUField of expertise: Animal nutritionInstitution: MINRESICountry: CameroonE-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Bouraïma OSSEINI Field of expertise: AgronomyInstitution: FIRCACountry: Côte d’IvoireE-mail: [email protected]@firca.ci

Dr. Eric SMALINGField of expertise: Natural resources managementCountry: HollandE-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Théodore DJAMAField of experise: HalieuticsInstitution: Fisheries and Oceanograhic Research StationCountry: CameroonE-mail: [email protected]

Anne x esMembers of the Scientific and Technical Committee


47

Dr. Paco SEREMEExecutive DirectorE-mail: [email protected]

Mme Awa CISSE DIONEInternal AuditorE-mail: [email protected]. Cheikh Alassane FALLGRPI Programme Assistant (until April 2007)E-mail: [email protected]. Bintou NIASSE NDIRAdministrative AssistantE-mail: [email protected]. Guissé Abdou NIANGAccountantE-mail: [email protected]. Kassalo BAMAZIProject AssistantE-mail : [email protected] Julienne KUISEUProgramme AssistantE-mail : [email protected]. Mariane SOUMARE SECKAssistant to the AccountantE-mail : [email protected] Cécile Edith NDIAYEAssistant to the Executive DirectorE-mail: cé[email protected] Sophie Yandé NGNINGSecretaryE-mail: [email protected]. Issa GUEYEDriverMr. Mamadou DJIGO TANDJIGORADriverMr. Vincent GOMISSecurity OfficerMr. Ibrahima DIAAgent de liaison

CONTRACTORS

Mr. Armand FAYEEditor-in-chief of Coraf ActionE-mail: [email protected]. François Xavier SARRInfographistE-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Marcel NWALOZIEDirector of ProgrammesE-mail:[email protected]

M. Jean Rostand KAMGADirector of Administration and FinanceE-mail:[email protected]

Dr. Jean-Pierre ILBOUDOInformation and CommunicationManagerE-mail: [email protected]

Personnel cadre Personnel d’appui

AnnexesStaff of the Executive Secretariat


48

CORAF/WECARD brings together theNARS of 21 countries, divided intothree agro-ecological zones:

n the Sahelian Zone of West Africa, n the Coastal Zone of West Africa,and n the Central Africa Zone.

Here is the list of member nations:

BeninBurkina FasoCameroonCape VerdeCentral African RepublicChadCôte d’IvoireCongo Democratic Republic of CongoGabonGambiaGhanaGuineaGuinea BissauMaliMauritaniaNigerNigeriaSenegalSierra LeoneTogo

Anne x esMEMBER COUNTRIES OF CORAF/WECARD

Sahelian Zone of West Africa

Coastal Zone of West Africa

Central Africa Zone


49

1. BENINDr. Narcisse DJEGUIDirector General of Institut National de Recherche Agricole of Benin (INRAB)BP 884, CotonouTel.: (229) 21 300 323 / 21 300 723 / 21 300 264Fax: (229) 300326E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

2. BURKINA FASOPr. Gnissa KONATEDirector of Institut National des Etudeset de Recherches Agricoles (INERA)04 BP 8645, Ouagadougou 04Tel.: (226) 50 34 02 70 / 34 71 12Fax: (226) 50 34 02 71E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

3. CAMEROONDr. Simon ZOKDirector General of Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (IRAD)BP 2123, YaoundéTel.: (237) 22 22 33 62 / 22 23 35 38Fax: (237) 22 23 35 38 / 22 22 33 62E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

4. CAPE VERDEDr. Isildo GOMESChairman of Instituto National de Investigacao e Desenvolvimento Agrario (INIDA)Caixa postal 84, PraiaTel. : (238) 271 11 47 / 271 11 27Fax: (238) 271 11 33 / 271 11 45E-mail : [email protected]

5. CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICDr. Salomon NAMKOSSERENADirector General of Institut Centrafricain de Recherche Agricole (ICRA)BP 1762, Bangui - Tél. : (236) 61 62 75 / 50 33 12Mob.: (236) 05 14 68 - Fax : (236) 61 63 43E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

6. CONGODr Grégoire BANIDirector General of CRAL/DGRST

Place CCF, BP 2499, BrazzavilleTel.: (242) 81 06 07 - Fax: (242) 81 03 30E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

7. COTE D’IVOIREDr. Tiemoko YODirector General of Centre National de RechercheAgronomique (CNRA)01 BP 1740, Abidjan 01Tel.: (225) 23 47 24 24 - Fax: (225) 23 47 24 11E-mail: [email protected]

8. GABONPr. Daniel Frank IDIATAGeneral Commissioner of CENARESTLibrevileTel.: (241) 73 47 86Fax.: (241) 07 73 25 78 E-mail: [email protected]

M. Auguste NDOUTOUMEDirector General of Institut de Recherches Agronomiques et ForestièresBP 2246, LibrevileTel.: (241) 73 25 32 - (241) 73 25 65Fax.: (241) 73 08 59 - (241) 73 25 78E-mail: [email protected]

9. GAMBIADr. Babou JOBEDirector General of National Agricultural Research Institute(NARI)PMB 526, SerekundaTél.: (220) 448 49 31 / 448 49 25 - Fax: (220) 448 49 21E-mail: [email protected]@yahoo.com

10. GHANAPr. Emmanuel OWUSU-BENNOAHDirector General of Council for Scientific and IndustrialResearch (CSIR)PO Box M32, AccraTel.: (233) 21 77 76 51 / 21 77 76 52 / 21 77 76 53Fax: (233) 21 77 98 09E-mail: [email protected]

11. GUINEADr. Sékou BEAVOGUIDirector General of Institut de Recherche Agronomique de

AnnexesLIST OF NARS COORDINATORS

OF CORAF/WECARD


50

Guinéa (IRAG)BP 1523, ConakryTel.: (224) 60 54 31 34Mob.: (224) 64 39 69 86 / 30 43 55 80Fax: (224) 41 57 58E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

12. GUINEA BISSAUDr. Marcos Antonio LOPES President General Manager of Instituto Nacional de Presquisa de Agraria (INPA)BP 505, BissauTel.: (245) 661 74 32 / (245) 720 89 93Fax: (245) 25 27 74E-mail: [email protected]

13. MALIDr. Bino TEMEDirector General of Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER)BP 258, BamakoTel.: (223) 223 19 05 / 222 26 06Fax: (223) 222 37 75 / 222 55 73E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

14. MAURITANIADr. Abderrahmane O. Ahmed SIDATTDirector of Centre National de Recherche Agronomique et deDéveloppement (CNRADA)BP 22, KaédiTel. (Mob.) : (222) 53 35 378 Fax: (222) 222 53 35 377E-mail: [email protected]@yahoo.fr

Dr. Mamadou Lamine DIADirector General du Centre National d’élevage et deRecherches Vétérinaires (CNERV)BP 167, NouackchottTel.: (Mob.) : (222) 634 65 96 / 680 95 16Fax: (222) 533 53 77E-mail: [email protected]

15. NIGERDr. Hassane MOUSSA (depuis le 22 novembre 2007)Director General de l’Institut de Recherches Agronomiques du Niger (INRAN)BP 429, NiameyTel.: (227) 20 72 53 89 - Mob. : (227) 96 98 04 57Fax: (227) 20 72 21 44E-mail: [email protected]

16. NIGERIAPr. Yusuf ABUBAKAExecutive Secretary - Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN)Agricultural Research House, Plot 223DCadastral Zone B6, PMB 5026Wuse, AbujaTel.: (234) 823 44 141 / 234 80 55 25 27 99E-mail: [email protected]

17. SENEGALDr. Macoumba DIOUFDirector General of Institut Sénégalais de RecherchesAgricoles (ISRA)Route des Hydrocarbures, BP 3120, DakarTel.: (221) 33 859 17 20Fax: (221) 33 832 24 27E-mail: [email protected][email protected]

18. SIERRA LEONEPr. Edward R. RHODESChief Executive National Agricultural Research Co-ordinating Council (NARCC)Tower Hill PMB 1313, FreetownTél.: (232) 76 61 17 47E-mail: [email protected]

19. TCHADDr. Ibet Outman ISSAActing Director General of Institut Tchadien de RechercheAgricole pour le Développement (ITRAD)BP 5400, NdjaménaTel.: (235) 52 00 73 / 52 01 01Fax: (235) 52 51 19 / 52 71 45E-mail: [email protected]

20. TOGODr. Comlan Atsu AGBOBLIDirector General of Institut Togolais de Recherche Agricole(ITRA)BP 1163Tel.: (228) 225 21 48 / 225 30 96Fax: (228) 225 15 59E-mail: [email protected]. REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGOPr Paul MAFUKA Mbe MPieDirecteur Général INERA13, avenue des Cliniques, Kinshasa 1Tél. (243) 89 8 31 713E-mail : [email protected] ; [email protected]


51

A nne x e sABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AAAAfDB, African Development BankARI, Agricultural Research InstituteAVRDC, World Vegetable Centre

CCCCAADP, Comprehensive African Agricultural DevelopmentProgrammeCAMES, Conseil Africain et Malgache de l’EnseignementSupérieur (African and Malgasy Center for Higher School)CARBAP, Centre Africain de Recherche sur Bananiers etPlantains (African Research Centre on Banana and Plantain)CEEAC, Communauté Economique des Etats de l’AfriquecentraleCEMAC, Central Africa Economic and Monetary CommunityCERAAS , Centre d’Etudes Régional pour l’Amélioration del’Adaptation à la Sécheresse (Regional Centre for Studies onthe Improvement of Plant Adaptation to Drought)CERAG, Centre de Recherches sur l’Amélioration Génétiquedes Plantes (Congo)CIAT, Centre International pour l’Agriculture Tropicale(International Centre for Tropical Agriculture)CILSS, Comité permanent inter-Etats de Lutte contre laSécheresse au SahelCGIAR, Consultative Group for International AgriculturalResearchCIRAD, Centre de Recherche Agricole pour le DéveloppementInternational (French Agricultural Research Centre forInternational Development)CIRDES, Centre International de Recherche-Développementsur l’Elevage en Zone Sub-Humide (International Centre forResearch-Development on Livestock in the Sub-Humid Zone)CNRA, Centre National de Recherche Agricole (Côte d’Ivoire)CNS, Centre National du Sol (Congo)CNSA, Centre National de Semences Améliorées (Congo)CRI, Crops Research Institute (Ghana)CTA, Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural DevelopmentCORUS, Coopération par la Recherche Scientifique etUniversitaire (Cooperation through University and ScientificResearch)CRAL, Centre de Recherche Agronomique de Loudima (Centrefor Agronomic Research), Loudima (Congo)CRFL, Centre de Recherche Forestière du Littoral (Congo)CRFO, Centre de Recherche Forestière de Ouesso (Congo)

CRVZ, Centre de Recherche Vétérinaire et ZootechniqueCSIR, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Ghana

DDDDFID, Department for International Development (UnitedKingdom)DURAS, Promotion of Sustainable Development in theAgricultural Research Systems of the South

EEEECCAS , Economic Community of Central African StatesECOWAS, Economic Community of West African StatesEU, European UnionES, Executive Secretariat

FFFFAAPP, Framework for Africa Agriculture ProductivityProgrammeFAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsFARA, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

IIIIARC, International Agricultural Research CentreIAR4D, Integrated Agricultural Research for DevelopmentICRISAT, International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid TropicsIFAD, International Fund for Agriculture DevelopmentIITA, International Institute of Tropical AgricultureINRAN, Institut de Recherche Agronomique du NigerIRAD, Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement(Cameroon)IRAG, Institut de Recherche Agronomique de Guinée (Guinea)IRD, Institut de Recherche pour le DéveloppementIFPRI, International Food Policy Research InstituteINERA, Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches AgricolesINNOBAP, Innovation Variétale chez le Bananier Plantain

NNNNARS, National Agricultural Research SystemNEPAD, Nouveau Partenariat pour le Développement del’Afrique

PPPPACER-WAEMU, West African Economic Monetary UnionSupport Programme to Regional Excellence Centres


52

AnnexesPARAO, Programme d’Appui à la Recherche Agricole enAfrique de l’Ouest

RRRRAILS, Regional Agricultural Information and Learning System

SSSSCARDA, Strengthening Capacity for Agricultural Research inAfricaSTC, Scientific and Technical Committee

UUUUSAID, United States Agency for International Development

WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ... · PDF filewest and central...

Documents

Transcript of WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ... · PDF filewest and central...