Seen at the launch (from left): Tor Christian Hildan, the Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa, Gengezi Mgidlana, Special Adviser to the Acting CEO of NEPAD, and Martin Bwalya, lead specialist on CAADP Pillar 1.
As part of the AU/NEPAD response to the rising food prices, a key project on conservation agriculture in Southern Africa was launched by NEPAD at a meeting in South Africa on 27th November 2008.
Spread across four countries - Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique - this unique and exciting project is targeted at 23, 700 households.
The aim is to provide practical training in the application of conservation agriculture, farm inputs (seed and fertilizer) and farm tools to boost local food security and sustainable land management.
The conservation agriculture project is led by the African Union and NEPAD with the support of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, the Norwegian Government and local farming networks.
Best wishes,
Andrew.
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Left to right Dr.Thomas A. Lumpkin, DG of CIMMYT, Dr. Maria Wanzala, Senior Lead Specialist, Agriculture Markets/CAADP Pillar 2 at NEPAD, Ms. Bibi Giyose, Senior Advisor, Food and Nutrition Security at NEPAD Secretariat and Dr. Mulugetta Mekuria, CIMMYT Southern Africa Regional Office Representative
Officials from NEPAD-CAADP and CIMMYT met last week last week (24/22/2008) at the NEPAD Secretariat in Midrand to identify potential areas of collaboration between NEPAD and CIMMYT.
CIMMYT is a not for profit organisation that aims to improve livelihoods of farmers in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
By relying on research, effective partnerships and new innovations in science and technology, CIMMYT advocates for capacity building, improved cropping systems and better access to affordable seeds for the specific purposes of increasing food security and improving the productivity and profitability of farming systems.
During the meeting, NEPAD Agriculture and CIMMYT explored ways of enhancing their work with regard to wheat in Africa, sustainable maize production in Southern Africa and conservation Agriculture in Africa.
All the best from the CAADP Team.
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While I was in London (see previous blog post), I also managed to make time to meet with Dr Jim Weale, Director of Scriptoria (www.scriptoria.co.uk). Scriptoria is a world leader in sustainable-development communications, and has been a key partner in CAADP’s work to improve our communications.
Our fast-paced discussion focused on finding ways to develop the in-country communications capacity of CAADP and its partners. A quick cup of coffee and some intense discussions left both of us with lots of new things to think about, including training and web-based tools. You’ll be seeing the results of those discussions over the next few weeks. So, watch this space.
Best wishes,
Andrew
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I’ve just returned from a think tank in the UK run by one of CAADP’s major partners – the UK Department for Internationals Development’s (DFID) Research into Use (RIU) programme. Much of this very useful meeting was spent identifying what journalistic capacity was available across Africa.
Questions like these are a key part of CAADP’s efforts to improve agriculture across this Region, because making people aware that answers already exist to their agricultural problems is often just as difficult as developing new solutions in the first place.
Organised and funded by DFID UK and by RIU’s Communications and Advocacy Components (headed by Wyn Richards and Kerry Albright, respectively, see www.researchintouse.co.uk) I felt that the meeting was very useful and am already looking at how I can integrate some of the ideas and issues raised into CAADP’s communications work. Comments from anyone else who attended the meeting would warmly appreciated.
Best wishes,
Andrew
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Just in case you haven’t heard, we’re proud to announce that the Head of NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), our very own Professor Richard Mkandawire, has won this year’s Drivers of Change individual award.
Organized by the Mail and Guardian newspaper and the Southern Africa Trust, these awards recognize individuals or organizations from across the region whose work has had a real impact in tackling poverty and developing effective public policies and strategies.
In many ways, this award also recognizes the collective efforts that the African Union and NEPAD (as well as key decision makers across the region) are making to (more…)
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We’d just like to quickly welcome you all to the new CAADP blog. We’ll be using this blog to give you quick and easy-to-read updates on what we (and our partners) are doing and achieving. And, you’ll get the chance to reply and air your own views through the comments facility.
What is CAADP?
The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is the most ambitious (more…)
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