African biosciences ‘hub’ highlighted at AAAS meeting in Vancouver

BecA-ILRI Hub - cutting-edge science creating solutions for African agriculture

With international funding, the Biosciences eastern and central Africa Hub (BecA-ILRI Hub), based in Nairobi, Kenya, and managed by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), is enabling African and international scientists to partner on a wide range of new and exciting research programs. Most of these research programs focus on both animal and crop health for better productivity under challenges including diseases and abiotic stresses.

With help from its global investors—the Australian government’s Agency for International Development; Australia’s national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture; and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (through the Swedish International Cooperation Development Agency)—the BecA-ILRI Hub has set up a unique capacity-building fund, referred to as the Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund for African scientists. This fund enables African scientists from across the continent to access BecA’s world-class research facilities and scientific support skills to advance their research.

The BecA-ILRI Hub is about helping Africans deal with Africa’s underlying issues with food production, nutrition and animal health—by investing in our scientists and students,’ says Segenet Kelemu, director of the BecA-ILRI Hub.

‘So many of our talented African scientists leave Africa to progress their careers and don’t come back to Africa, finding opportunities elsewhere in the world. This is a big problem for Africa,’ says Appolinaire Djikeng, the Hub’s senior scientist and technology manager.

Djikeng adds: ‘These scientists are some of Africa’s best, working on extremely important issues directly related to food security and income generation in the region. The Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund makes it possible to solve these regional issues, here in Africa.’

Projects include investigations of the spread of African swine fever, breeding improved varieties of orphan crops such as Enset (commonly called ‘false banana’), and conserving and better using Africa’s native livestock diversity, such as its indigenous chickens. These projects are being led by scientists from national programs and universities in sub‐Saharan Africa.

Last week Djikeng spoke on the BecA-ILRI Hub and livestock science at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in Vancouver, Canada. See his presentation:

Read a related news item from the AAAS session

Visit the BecA-ILRI Hub website

See a recent slide presentation giving an overview of the BecA Hub research facilities and capacity building programs.

 

Sweden funds innovations to drive crop production in 6 East African countries

Swedish aid and diplomatic colleagues at the official launch of the Bio-Innovate Program in March at ILRI, with Claes Kjellström, representative of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) at the Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi (middle); Kikki Nordin, Regional Team Leader of SIDA’s Environment and Economic Development department (left); and Björn Häggmark, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Sweden in Kenya (right) (photo credit: ILRI/Nairobi).

Uganda’s Daily Monitor reports this week on the 16 March 2011 official launch of a Bio-Innovate Program in East Africa.

‘A new programme that provides grants to bio-scientists working to improve food production and environmental management in Eastern Africa was launched on March 16, 2011 at the Nairobi headquarters of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

‘According to a press release from Nairobi, the newly established Bio-resources Innovation Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio-Innovate) Programme provides competitive grants to African researchers.

‘The grants are meant for researchers who are working with the private sector and non-governmental organisations to find ways of improving food security, boost resilience to climate change and identify environmentally sustainable ways of producing food. . . .

‘The five-year-programme is funded by a $12m grant from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). Bio-Innovate is managed by ILRI and co-located within the Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa (BECA) Hub at ILRI’s Nairobi campus. Bio-Innovate will be implemented in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

‘“By emphasising innovations to help drive crop production in the six partner countries, Bio-Innovate is working at the heart of one of the region’s greatest challenges—that of providing enough food in the face of climate change, diversifying crops and addressing productivity constraints that are threatening the livelihoods of millions,” said Carlos Seré, ILRI’s director general. . . .

‘“Bio-resources research and use is important to pro-poor economic growth,” says Seyoum Leta, Bio-Innovates Programme Manager. “By focusing on improving the performance of crop agriculture and agro-processing, and by adding value to primary production, we can help build a more productive and sustainable regional bio-resources-based economy.”. . .

‘“Bio-Innovate are an important platform for pooling eastern African expertise and facilities through a regional Bio-resource Innovations Network,” said Claes Kjellström, Bio-Innovate SIDA representative at the Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi.

‘“We believe this programme will enable cross-sector and interdisciplinary bio-sciences research and enhance innovations and policies that will advance agricultural development in the region,” he added. . . .’

Read the whole article in the Daily Monitor (Uganda): Farmers to benefit from grants, 6 April 2011.

 

Biosciences hub for East African agricultural innovations launched

Poster announcing the official launch of the Bi-Innovate Program at ILRI (photo credit: ILRI).

SciDev.Dev this week reports on the official launch of a new biosciences hub operating in Nairobi, Kenya, and serving 6 countries in East Africa.

‘A hub to connect and fund East African agricultural researchers, and assist them in reaching out to the private sector, may yield products to aid the region’s development.

‘The Bioresources Innovation Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio-Innovate) was officially launched in Nairobi last month (16 March) with a US$16.5 million, five-year grant from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). It will be managed by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and hosted at its Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa centre.

‘Seyoum Leta, programme manager of Bio-Innovate, said the initiative is expected to fill a long-standing “missing link” between research and market products, and inspire East African bioscientists to generate research that will accelerate the region’s development towards a future that is food-secure and resilient to climate change.

‘”Bio-Innovate is unique in the sense that it … [involves] a broad mix of disciplines and actors such as scientists, policymakers, market actors and the private sector at all stages of the innovation process,” he told SciDev.Net.

‘He added that the network is the first innovation and policy platform for the region “to effectively respond to the common agricultural and environmental problems and priorities” and a rare attempt to link agricultural and environmental research with policymaking on climate change adaptation.

‘Björn Häggmark, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi, Kenya, called the launch “very timely”.

‘He said that “investments in the bio-resources sector address critical development challenges such as food security and climate change, against a backdrop of constantly rising prices and an increasingly harsh climate in large parts of Africa”.

‘He added: “Increased regional integration within research is a prerequisite for economic growth and sustainable development, to address trans-boundary issues of importance for poverty alleviation through innovation systems. Regional co-operation takes quality assessment to a higher level and reduces costs for individual countries as resources are shared.”. . .’

Read the whole article at SciDev.Net: East African network to boost bioscience innovations, 6 April 2011.

Read the news release about the launch of Bio-Innovate.

 

Using East Africa’s bio-resources to increase and sustain the region’s food production

Seyoum Leta, manager of the Bio-Innovate Program (photo credit: ILRI/MacMillan).

Last month, the Zecco (Trading) website published news of the official launch of a Bio-Innovate Program that will work on smart ways to use the region’s bio-resources to increase food production in sustainable ways in six countries in eastern Africa. Bio-Innovate is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency.

‘One of the Kenyan based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), on Friday laid out new farming methods which are dedicated to improve food production and environmental management in six eastern African partners countries including Rwanda . . . .

‘The new programme known as Bio-resources Innovations Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio-Innovate) also embraces a full spectrum of issues from providing grants to bio-scientists working to improve food security, boost resilience to climate change and identify environmentally sustainable ways of producing food . . . .

‘Among countries that are expected to benefit from new farming scheme grants include Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda . . . .

‘”In this part of the African continent, hunger, environmental degradation and climate change present a triple threat to individual, community and national development”, said the press release quoting Carlos Seré, ILRI’s director general.

‘Furthermore, official statistics show that in eastern Africa alone, over 100 million people depend on agriculture to meet their fundamental economic and nutritional needs. . . .

‘”By focusing on improving the performance of crop agriculture and agro-processing, and by adding value to primary production, we can help build a more productive and sustainable regional bio-resources-based economy”, said Seyoum Leta, Bio-Innovate’s program manager at ILRI.

‘In 2010, agriculture was designated Rwanda’s economic mainstay with its contribution of 34 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).’

Read the whole article at Zecco (Trading) website: Research institute outlines new methods of improving food security in East Africa, 18 March 2011.

Read another news clipping, from Kenya’s Business Daily.

Read the ILRI news release on this launch.

 

Swedish-funded Bio-Innovate Program tackling 6 ‘orphan’ food crops of East Africa

Portrait of Joyce Ledson, a farmer growing four ‘orphan’ food crops of the poor—beans, cassava, potato and sweet potato—as well as the ubiquitous maize, in Malawi (photo credit: ILRI/Mann).

‘. . . Six orphan crops chosen for a five-year programme called Bio-resources Innovation Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio Innovate) are sorghum, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, potatoes and beans.

‘The programme is to be managed by the International Research Livestock Institute (ILRI) at their Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa (BeCA) hub.

‘Segenet Kelemu, a plant pathologist at BeCA, said the crops were chosen for their pro-poor characteristics, which include limited investment, drought and disease resistance, and are being promoted in six countries to maximise benefits of the programme. . . .

‘This five year Bio Innovate initiative in East Africa is funded by the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) to the tune of $16m and is the first of its kind in Africa.

‘It will also help farmers to improve the processing of waste from sisal and coffee production, and safely treat waste water from leather tanneries and slaughterhouses.

‘Besides Kenya, other countries covered by the Bio Innovate project are Burundi, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda.

‘“Bio Innovate . . . is at the heart of the region’s greatest challenges—providing enough food in the face of climate change, diversifying crops and addressing productivity constraints . . . threatening the livelihoods of millions,” said Carlos Seré, ILRI’s director general.

‘Speaking during the launch of Bio Innovate at ILRI’s headquarters in Nairobi last week, programme manager Seyoum Leta said “we can help build a more productive and sustainable regional bio resources based economy.”

‘Leta noted the programme was key to pro-poor economic growth.’

Read the whole article at Business Daily (Kenya): Researchers target orphan crops in EA food security drive, 22 March 2011.

And read of other news clippings about the recent launch at ILRI of the Bio-Innovate Program.

See also this from News from Africa: New programme to fight food security and climate change, 17 March 2011.

 

New program to provide grants to East Africa’s bioscientists

Seyoum Leta, manager of the Bio-Innovate Program, speaks at the program’s official launch this week at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), in Nairobi (photo credit: ILRI/MacMillan).

‘A Bioresources Innovation Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio-Innovate) programme has been launched to provide grants to bioscientists working to improve food production and environmental management in East Africa.

‘The programme launched at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi Kenya recently, provides grants to African researchers working with the private sector and non-governmental organisations to find ways to improve food security, boost resilience to climate change and identify environmentally sustainable ways of producing food.

‘The ILRI managed five-year programme, to be implemented in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia is funded with a $12 million grant from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

‘In its first three-year phase, the programme will support five research-based projects working to improve the productivity of sorghum, millet, cassava, sweet potato, irish potato and bean farmers.

‘It will also help smallholder farmers adapt to climate change, improve the processing of wastes in the production of sisal and coffee and to better treat waste water generated in leather processing and slaughterhouse operations. . . .’

Read the whole article at AllAfrica.com: Project to spur farm science innovation in East Africa launched, 18 Mar 2011.

For more about the launch, read the Top Story about it posted on ILRI’s News Blog yesterday.

 

Nepad, ILRI unveil fund for Africa’s agriculture

A new fund to improve eastern Africa’s crop productivity and efficiency in agricultural processing has been set up with a $10.6 million kitty.

The move is meant to fight poverty and spur economic growth.

Besides scientists from diverse disciplines, private firms, and non-governmental organisations in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda will compete for a slice of the funds form the kitty that has been established by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

The bio-innovate programme is funded by a grant from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and targets use of modern bioscience to improve crop production among small scale farmers, besides improving their resilience to climate change.

Read more… (The East African)

 

Africa: Finding the food crops of the future

What will we be able to grow in another 40 years?

Temperatures seem set to soar to perilously high levels because of climate change. In another 40 years, would maize still be the staple food in Kenya, already hit by five failed rainy seasons? If not, what could people grow and eat? And if you could grow maize, how much water and fertilizer would it need?

If you live in the remote semi-arid Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda – beset by 14 droughts in 25 years – you might also want to know what your options are for continued food security.

For the first time, a customized regional climate model linked to crop growing and water models, run on a supercomputer at Michigan State University (MSU), will help provide crop breeders in three East African countries – Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania – with detailed answers on crop yields.

… ILRI’s Bruce Scott said they would be looking for innovative solutions using bioscience to improve crop resilience to climate change, or perhaps to improve the shelf-life of a food product.

Read more (IRIN Africa)