Over five days, more than 70 participants, consisting mainly
of AfricaRice scientists, as well as key technical partners and value chain
actors from Côte d’Ivoire met at the
Science Week 2019 to discuss ongoing work, progress, modes of partnership and
research support.
The Science Week was held, 11-15 February 2019, at
AfricaRice’s main research station in M’bé, near Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire. The objectives
of the Science Week 2019 were the following: (1) Research planning and
strategic thinking; (2) Sharing information on external landscape and
institutional developments; (3) Setting program priorities, identifying gaps
and resource requirements; (4) Increasing institutional efficiency; (5) Developing
more effective partnerships; (6) Catalyzing scientific exchanges and support
for research and development
A major highlight of this year’s Science Week was a joint
reflection on strategic issues, challenges and opportunities for charting the
future direction of research at AfricaRice for the next five years against the
backdrop of the evolving funding landscape.
Another distinguishing feature of the Science Week was the
presence of technical partners and value chain actors from Côte d’Ivoire
testifying to a mutual commitment to renewed strengthening of partnership.
Prof. Pétronille Acray-Zengbethe, Director General for
Research and Innovation at the Ivorian Ministry of Scientific Research and
Higher Education, and Dr Yté Wongbé, Director General of the Ivorian National
Center for Agricultural Research (CNRA) pledged strong support to collaborative
initiatives.
Other partners included representatives from ADERIZ, PADFA,
Universities of F.H. Boigny, Abobo/Adjamé, Bouaké and Yamoussoukro as well as ROPPA
farmers’ organization, Bouaké parboilers innovation platform and Bilhof seed
enterprise.
Opening remarks were made by Dr Yté Wongbé and Prof.
Seraphin Kati-Coulibaly, AfricaRice Board Member, who represented Prof. Sophie
Thoyer, Chair of the Board Program Committee. AfricaRice Director General Dr
Harold Roy-Macauley gave the opening address.
The range of topics covered by the Science Week included:
·
Prospective thinking for the 2020s
(discussions on initiatives to drive change and shape AfricaRice’s future in
the 2020s). This included the CGIAR new Business Plan, AfricaRice-IRRI Alliance
and a brainstorming session on a new AfricaRice Strategic Plan 2021-2025 under
four themes: Technology for Improved Livelihoods; Environmental sustainability;
Food systems and Nutrition; Catalyzing Agricultural Transformation)
·
Strategic instruments for impact (discussions
on what technologies from research programs as well as technical and
institutional support will be provided to rice actors along the value chain)
·
Partnership and business development
(discussions on how AfricaRice collaborates with public and private sectors). This
included round tables with (1) Technical partners (CNRA, ADERIZ, PADFA,
Universities of F.H. Boigny, Abobo/Adjamé, Bouaké and Yamoussoukro) on
collaboration with AfricaRice; (2) Value chain actors (ROPPA farmers’
organization, Bouaké parboilers innovation platform and Bilhof seed enterprise)
on collaboration with AfricaRice, challenges and opportunities and business
models
·
The 2019 Science seminar, which focused
on two topics:
o
Predictors of drought in inland valleys
landscape and enabling factors for mitigation measures
o
Randomized control trials for impact assessment
New initiatives, such as Big Data in Agriculture and the IBP/IFAD
project, were presented to the scientists. The program also included an
introduction to drone applications in modern agriculture, a demonstration on
drone flying and visits to laboratories and field experiments.
Presentations were made on the financial situation and 2019
preliminary budget, OCS, human resources and risk management. This was followed
by discussions on opportunities and strategic partnerships in outreach offices,
administrative challenges, budgets and plans.
The Science Week also introduced for the first time a
special seminar-training session on “How to prepare bankable projects,” with
insights from Dr Roy-Macauley.
Thanking the participants and the organizing committee at
the end of the Science Week, AfricaRice Deputy Director General Dr Etienne Duveiller
said, “A major highlight of this year’s Science Week was on thinking ahead and
planning for the 2020s. We are happy that after active debate, some key themes
and priorities have emerged for moving forward.”
Photos
·
Scenes
from the AfricaRice Science Week 2019, 11-15 Feb 2019 , M’bé Research Station,
Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire
https://bit.ly/2EfcpeI
Audio
podcast / Podcast audio
Opening remarks by:
·
CNRA
Director General Dr Yté Wongbé
·
AfricaRice
Board member Prof Séraphin Kati-Coulibaly
Partnership
and business development
Round
table with technical partners
- Professeur Pétronille Acray
Zengbé, Directrice Générale de la Recherche et de l’Innovation, MESRS,
Côte d’Ivoire
https://bit.ly/2Iojbmv
- M. Emmanuel Coulibaly, Chef de
Service production semences à l'Agence pour le développement du riz
(Aderiz) ex-Ondr
https://bit.ly/2T15u0T
- M. Auguste Baïmey, Coordinateur du
Projet d'appui au développement des filières agricoles
(PADFA)/FIDA/MINADER
https://bit.ly/2SOx5n3
- Dr Brahima Koné, Enseignant
Chercheur, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny
https://bit.ly/2NcDjXy
- Dr Siaka KONE, Directeur,
INPHB-Ecole Supérieure d’Agronomie (ESA)
https://bit.ly/2trHYvB
- Dr Eric Kwadjo, Assistant à la
Vice-présidence chargée des Relations Extérieures, Université Nangui
Abrogoua
https://bit.ly/2BGjmE8
- Dr Alphonse Bouet, Chef Programme
Riz, CNRA
https://bit.ly/2X4i2Uu
Round
table with value chain actors
Presentation on selected new projects
Dr Chiji Ojukwu, ancien Directeur de l'Agriculture à la Banque africaine de développement et aujourd'hui Directeur général du Centre de développement de projets africains (APDC), a effectué une visite au siège d'AfricaRice à Abidjan, en Côte d'Ivoire, le 25 février 2019. L'APDC est une société basée à Abuja axée sur la formation, l'encadrement et l'autonomisation des jeunes africains dans l'agroalimentaire. Il a été accompagné de son partenaire commercial, Dr Chi Tawah.
La délégation d'APDC a été reçue par le Directeur des Partenariats stratégiques d'AfricaRice, Dr Samuel Bruce-Oliver ; le Coordinateur du SSARSA, Dr Marcel Nwalozie ; et le Chef du Programme de développement du secteur rizicole et de TAAT, Dr. Sidi Sanyang.
