The document summarizes a discussion on research being conducted by three USAID Feed the Future Innovation Labs: the Nutrition Innovation Lab, the Soybean Innovation Lab, and the Post-Harvest Loss Innovation Lab.
[1] The Nutrition Innovation Lab is conducting research on the impacts of agriculture on nutrition outcomes in several countries. Key areas of research include the effects of aflatoxin contamination and environmental enteropathy.
[2] The Soybean Innovation Lab is working in 13 countries to establish soybean as a viable crop. The lab operates through university partnerships and focuses on applied research to develop the soybean value chain.
[3] The Post-Harvest Loss Innovation Lab is developing and piloting post-
The government of Ghana is not an exception with regards to putting in place measures that aim to improve the lives and livelihoods of its citizenry including the welfare of school children. In the context of the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD’s) Comprehensive African Development Programme (CADP), the Government of Ghana (GoG) set-up the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Its concept of home grown school feeding addresses one of the United Nation’s (UN’s) three pillars to fight hunger (United Nations, 2005). ‘The government of Ghana was of the view that the if the School Feeding Programme was properly funded and implemented, the hunger, education and the food security and poverty landscape in Ghana will change for good (Government of Ghana, 2006). The study investigates the factors determining GSFP caterer’s choice to buy local rice from farmers and farmers’ factors influencing rice farmers to supply to the caterers. Purposive sampling was mainly used to select 120 respondents from GSFP beneficiary communities. The respondents were made of up 80 farmers and 40 GSFP caterers from the four selected districts. The study revealed that 46% % of rice farmers have access to the market created by the Ghana school Feeding Programme and about 48% of this group are able to sell their rice produce to the caterers of GSFP. However majority of the rice farmers are aware of the existence of the programme without any proper rules of engagement except that less than half of the farmers have been linked up with programme with the support of World Food Programme and the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), operating in the Northern Region. The major problem associated with rice farmers accessibility to the GSFP is caterers’ unwillingness to buy from them even though majority of the farmers are aware of the programme and its basic of objective of providing free meals to pupils in basic schools. Farmers indicated they would be willing to sell to the caterers if the prices offered by caterers are good or if they are able to produce enough to meet the demand of caterers on termly basis or the caterer is more willing to pay them in cash when they purchase their rice or other farm produce or better still be willing to pay on time for a period not more than one month when they buy on credit. The probit model was used to analyse the factors influencing rice farmers to supply to the programme on one hand and the factors affecting caterer’s decision to purchase rice from the rice farmers on the other.
Seems-Nutrition Presentation, Malawi, December 10, 2019IFPRIMaSSP
Strengthening the Economic Evaluation of Multisectoral Strategies for Nutrition (SEEMS-Nutrition), a presentation by Aisha Twalibu, Lilongwe, Dec 10, 2019
Food and Nutrition Security in Africa seminar in Helsinki 16 June 2014, Tools and solutions for improved food security in West and East Africa, Hannu Korhonen, MTT
The government of Ghana is not an exception with regards to putting in place measures that aim to improve the lives and livelihoods of its citizenry including the welfare of school children. In the context of the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD’s) Comprehensive African Development Programme (CADP), the Government of Ghana (GoG) set-up the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Its concept of home grown school feeding addresses one of the United Nation’s (UN’s) three pillars to fight hunger (United Nations, 2005). ‘The government of Ghana was of the view that the if the School Feeding Programme was properly funded and implemented, the hunger, education and the food security and poverty landscape in Ghana will change for good (Government of Ghana, 2006). The study investigates the factors determining GSFP caterer’s choice to buy local rice from farmers and farmers’ factors influencing rice farmers to supply to the caterers. Purposive sampling was mainly used to select 120 respondents from GSFP beneficiary communities. The respondents were made of up 80 farmers and 40 GSFP caterers from the four selected districts. The study revealed that 46% % of rice farmers have access to the market created by the Ghana school Feeding Programme and about 48% of this group are able to sell their rice produce to the caterers of GSFP. However majority of the rice farmers are aware of the existence of the programme without any proper rules of engagement except that less than half of the farmers have been linked up with programme with the support of World Food Programme and the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), operating in the Northern Region. The major problem associated with rice farmers accessibility to the GSFP is caterers’ unwillingness to buy from them even though majority of the farmers are aware of the programme and its basic of objective of providing free meals to pupils in basic schools. Farmers indicated they would be willing to sell to the caterers if the prices offered by caterers are good or if they are able to produce enough to meet the demand of caterers on termly basis or the caterer is more willing to pay them in cash when they purchase their rice or other farm produce or better still be willing to pay on time for a period not more than one month when they buy on credit. The probit model was used to analyse the factors influencing rice farmers to supply to the programme on one hand and the factors affecting caterer’s decision to purchase rice from the rice farmers on the other.
Seems-Nutrition Presentation, Malawi, December 10, 2019IFPRIMaSSP
Strengthening the Economic Evaluation of Multisectoral Strategies for Nutrition (SEEMS-Nutrition), a presentation by Aisha Twalibu, Lilongwe, Dec 10, 2019
Food and Nutrition Security in Africa seminar in Helsinki 16 June 2014, Tools and solutions for improved food security in West and East Africa, Hannu Korhonen, MTT
The presentation was shared at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Plant Biologists, and outlines the barriers to agricultural technology adoption in developing countries and discusses the potential role of biofortification in helping people get access to more nutritious food worldwide.
This presentation was given by Alan de Brauw, Senior Researchers in the Markets Trade and Institutions Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Alan also serves as Flagship Leader of Value Chains for Enhanced Nutrition for the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH). More information can be found at a4nh.cgiar.org.
Market-based approaches to food safety and animal health interventions: Lesso...ILRI
Poster by Karl M. Rich, Huyen Nguyen-Thi-Thu, Ha Duong-Nam, Hung Pham-Van, Nga Nguyen-Thi-Duong, Fred Unger and Lucy Lapar at the Tropical Agriculture Conference 2015, Brisbane, Australia, 16-18 November 2015.
Presentation of BFN activities to SADC countries - Feb 2015Teresa Borelli
The presentations was delivered to a meeting of SADC countries showing how traditional crops can provide useful food alternatives when nutrition and food security is poor and when climate events can cause other crops to fail.
Understanding the role of value chains in enhancing diets in low income setti...IFPRIMaSSP
This study was presented by Dr. Aulo Gelli (Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute) and Dr. Jason Donavan (Leader, Value Chains and Transformational Change, ICRAF) at the Agriculture nutrition event on " Improving Food Security, Diets and Nutrition through Multisectoral Action" on 30 May, 2017 at Capital Hotel, Lilongwe
Presentation of BFN activities at the Alacati Herb FestivalTeresa Borelli
Recent successes in BFN activities were presented at the Biodiversity for Food & Nutrition Conference organized in the framework of the Alacati Herb Festival in Turkey in March 2015.
Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition in BrazilTeresa Borelli
Why does Brazil think that agricultural biodiversity matters and how the country is mainstreaming biodiversity for food and nutrition into policies and programs tackling food security
Postharvest Loss Reduction & Mycotoxins programs in USAID’s Feed the Future I...Francois Stepman
Ahmed Kablan, Ph.D.
International Nutrition & Public Health Adviser
USAID /Bureau For Food Security/Office of Agriculture Research and Policy
USDA/ARS/Office of International Research Program
Helping countries improve nutrition outcomes through agriculture and food - w...Francois Stepman
11 December 2017. Brussels. DevCo Infopoint. Countries are seeking to improve nutrition through multiple sectors, including agriculture and food systems. This requires navigating dietary transitions, strengthening country ownership of programmes and investment decisions, working with public and private partners, and better understanding drivers that shape demand. These are key considerations for lesson learning moving forward.
Introduction: Bernard Rey, Deputy Head of Unit, DEVCO C1- Rural Development, Food Security, Nutrition
Panel discussion:
John McDermott, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH)
Namukolo Covic, Senior Research Coordinator, IFPRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Roseline Remans, Research Scientist, Bioversity International, Brussels
Thom Achterbosch, Senior Researcher, Wageningen Economic Research, International Policy
Please find also the link to the video of the conference:
https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/news-and-events/agriculture-nutrition-outcomes-countries_en
Presentation For the Science for Impact- Building The Critical Mass. Workshop Facilitated by CTA and Jointly Organized by UNRE, NARI and USP School of Agriculture and Food Technology, Samoa
Theme 3. Producing the Kinds of Graduates Required.
Willie Maso presented papers describing how the University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) programmes enable students to acquire the skills and confidence to manage available resources to the extent of managing their own or community farming enterprises. The emphasis is on student participation, hands-on involvement and responsibility. This echoed the Vice Chancellor’s theme of training for job creation, not just training for a job. So far UNRE does not have the problem experienced elsewhere of attracting good students into agriculture and fisheries
The role of veterinary science in international developmentILRI
Keynote address by Tarni Cooper at the School of Animal and Veterinary Science DVM1 Clinical Research Project and Honours Project Presentation Day, University of Adelaide, Australia, 7 November 2014.
The presentation was shared at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Plant Biologists, and outlines the barriers to agricultural technology adoption in developing countries and discusses the potential role of biofortification in helping people get access to more nutritious food worldwide.
This presentation was given by Alan de Brauw, Senior Researchers in the Markets Trade and Institutions Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Alan also serves as Flagship Leader of Value Chains for Enhanced Nutrition for the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH). More information can be found at a4nh.cgiar.org.
Market-based approaches to food safety and animal health interventions: Lesso...ILRI
Poster by Karl M. Rich, Huyen Nguyen-Thi-Thu, Ha Duong-Nam, Hung Pham-Van, Nga Nguyen-Thi-Duong, Fred Unger and Lucy Lapar at the Tropical Agriculture Conference 2015, Brisbane, Australia, 16-18 November 2015.
Presentation of BFN activities to SADC countries - Feb 2015Teresa Borelli
The presentations was delivered to a meeting of SADC countries showing how traditional crops can provide useful food alternatives when nutrition and food security is poor and when climate events can cause other crops to fail.
Understanding the role of value chains in enhancing diets in low income setti...IFPRIMaSSP
This study was presented by Dr. Aulo Gelli (Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute) and Dr. Jason Donavan (Leader, Value Chains and Transformational Change, ICRAF) at the Agriculture nutrition event on " Improving Food Security, Diets and Nutrition through Multisectoral Action" on 30 May, 2017 at Capital Hotel, Lilongwe
Presentation of BFN activities at the Alacati Herb FestivalTeresa Borelli
Recent successes in BFN activities were presented at the Biodiversity for Food & Nutrition Conference organized in the framework of the Alacati Herb Festival in Turkey in March 2015.
Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition in BrazilTeresa Borelli
Why does Brazil think that agricultural biodiversity matters and how the country is mainstreaming biodiversity for food and nutrition into policies and programs tackling food security
Postharvest Loss Reduction & Mycotoxins programs in USAID’s Feed the Future I...Francois Stepman
Ahmed Kablan, Ph.D.
International Nutrition & Public Health Adviser
USAID /Bureau For Food Security/Office of Agriculture Research and Policy
USDA/ARS/Office of International Research Program
Helping countries improve nutrition outcomes through agriculture and food - w...Francois Stepman
11 December 2017. Brussels. DevCo Infopoint. Countries are seeking to improve nutrition through multiple sectors, including agriculture and food systems. This requires navigating dietary transitions, strengthening country ownership of programmes and investment decisions, working with public and private partners, and better understanding drivers that shape demand. These are key considerations for lesson learning moving forward.
Introduction: Bernard Rey, Deputy Head of Unit, DEVCO C1- Rural Development, Food Security, Nutrition
Panel discussion:
John McDermott, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH)
Namukolo Covic, Senior Research Coordinator, IFPRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Roseline Remans, Research Scientist, Bioversity International, Brussels
Thom Achterbosch, Senior Researcher, Wageningen Economic Research, International Policy
Please find also the link to the video of the conference:
https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/news-and-events/agriculture-nutrition-outcomes-countries_en
Presentation For the Science for Impact- Building The Critical Mass. Workshop Facilitated by CTA and Jointly Organized by UNRE, NARI and USP School of Agriculture and Food Technology, Samoa
Theme 3. Producing the Kinds of Graduates Required.
Willie Maso presented papers describing how the University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) programmes enable students to acquire the skills and confidence to manage available resources to the extent of managing their own or community farming enterprises. The emphasis is on student participation, hands-on involvement and responsibility. This echoed the Vice Chancellor’s theme of training for job creation, not just training for a job. So far UNRE does not have the problem experienced elsewhere of attracting good students into agriculture and fisheries
The role of veterinary science in international developmentILRI
Keynote address by Tarni Cooper at the School of Animal and Veterinary Science DVM1 Clinical Research Project and Honours Project Presentation Day, University of Adelaide, Australia, 7 November 2014.
Evaluate strategies for improving household nutritional diversity in Maliafrica-rising
Poster prepared by C.M. Sobgui, H. Diarra, P. Coulibaly, J.B. Tignegre and A. Tenkouano for the AfrIca RISING West Africa Review and Planning Meeting, Accra, 30 March–1 April 2016
Collection of electronic poster submissions from the Knowledge Fair component of the 2020 Conference on "Building Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security," May 15-17, 2014 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Presentation by Tarni Cooper at the Veterinary Student Special Interest Group (SIG) conference, the University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia, 6 August 2014.
The Innovative Agriculture for Smallholder Resilience (iNASHR) project (Egypt) was implemented over 3 years during which there was the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to instability in farm prices and uncertainties in water availability.
Despite this, 18 teams of Entrepreneurs for Rural Access (ERAs) serving as digital extension service providers were able to reach more than 60,000 people in rural communities between 2021 and 2023.
Three specially commissioned “farmer-to-farmer” style training videos were produced (see at the bottom of this blog post),
and 60 other relevant Access Agriculture videos were translated into Arabic and shown to farmers.
These active service providers, half of whom are women, used a solar-powered smart projector to reach communities where access to power supply, internet connection and mobile phone signal can be challenging.
West Africa Scene Setting African Continental Master Plan (CMP) for electrici...Francois Stepman
6 February 2024. Drive Renewable Energy Investments in West Africa Hosted by IRENA Coalition for Action
Recording forthcoming
The session covered the African Continental Master Plan (CMP) for electricity generation and transmission, delved into West Africa's electricity sector, and presented recommendations from the Policy Brief titled:
IRENA (2023) Scaling up renewable energy investments in West Africa # 12 p.
https://paepard.blogspot.com/2024/02/drive-renewable-energy-investments-in.html
Scaling up renewable energy investments in West AfricaFrancois Stepman
6 February 2024. Drive Renewable Energy Investments in West Africa Hosted by IRENA Coalition for Action
Recording forthcoming
The session covered the African Continental Master Plan (CMP) for electricity generation and transmission, delved into West Africa's electricity sector, and presented recommendations from the Policy Brief titled:
IRENA (2023) Scaling up renewable energy investments in West Africa # 12 p.
https://paepard.blogspot.com/2024/02/drive-renewable-energy-investments-in.html
Advances of the AU-EU FNSSA Partnership towards Food Systems TransformationFrancois Stepman
23-25 January 2024. Joint SCAR workshop: “Research needs and priorities for the transformation to Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) at European and global level”
https://paepard.blogspot.com/2024/01/research-needs-and-priorities-for.html
Research needs for sustainable food systems – concepts and prioritiesFrancois Stepman
23-25 January 2024. Joint SCAR workshop: “Research needs and priorities for the transformation to Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) at European and global level”
https://paepard.blogspot.com/2024/01/research-needs-and-priorities-for.html
The Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) of the EC: its principles and working p...Francois Stepman
6 - 17 March 2021. In 2021, Aarhus University hosted the first European Seminar on science-based advice in agriculture and environment
More than 200 researchers and advisers from all over Europe participated. One of the conclusions was, that there is a need to learn from each other, to share best practices and to discuss the main principles, in order to strengthen the evidence based policy development in Europe. See: https://paepard.blogspot.com/2024/01/science-based-advice-for-policy-in.html
Transformation: An introductory guide to fundamental change for researchers a...Francois Stepman
7 Sep 2023 12:30 - 14:00 CEST. Transformation: An introductory guide to fundamental change for researchers and change makers in a world of crises
Fazey, I and Colvin, J. (2023). Transformation: An introductory guide to fundamental change for researchers and change makers in a world of crises - A Report for the Transforming UK Food Systems SPF Programme. University of York, Emerald Network Ltd. #52 p.
Online workshop based on a newly published report by Professor Ioan Fazey (University of York) and Dr John Colvin (Emerald Network Ltd) for the UKRI Transforming UK Food Systems SPF Programme.
This workshop was be an opportunity to learn, and engage with others, about the concept of transformational change in a context of a rapidly changing world.
The authors gave an overview of the concept of transformation and highlighted some of the critical aspects that need to be considered when embarking on an initiative, approach or campaign which is intended to be transformational. They talked about the challenges and opportunities of adopting these concepts in practice and research and there was an opportunity for participants to explore with others their own understanding and approaches to transformation.
Presentation by Kathelijne Beenen, Netherlands Space Office - Space for Climate Adaptation and Food Security
https://paepard.blogspot.com/2023/05/earth-observation-artificial.html
Machine learning for the environment: monitoring the pulse of our Planet with...Francois Stepman
Presentation by Davis Tuia, EPFL - Machine learning for the environment: monitoring the pulse of our Planet with remotely sensed data
25 May 2023. 9H30 - 16H25 Earth Observation & Artificial Intelligence solutions for climate change challenges
This new edition of the AI4Copernicus event focused on climate change and its impact on energy, food and water security. To withstand current and future pressures on our natural resources, integrated and sustainable management practices are required to balance the needs of people, nature and the economy.
https://paepard.blogspot.com/2023/05/earth-observation-artificial.html
‘How is the African insurance industry responding to climate change?’Francois Stepman
6 June 2023. ‘How is the African insurance industry responding to climate change?’
https://paepard.blogspot.com/2023/06/how-is-african-insurance-industry.html
The insurance industry is exposed to the risks of climate change and that risk is increasing. Insurers should be aware of these risks and the potential impact on their business. A 2019 global survey [With Climate Impacts Growing, Insurance Companies Face Big Challenges] found that 72 percent of insurance companies believe climate change will affect their business, but 80 percent of them have not taken significant steps to lessen climate risks. Moreover, insurance companies invest the money from the premiums they collect in the financial markets. They have $582 billion invested in fossil fuels investments that could be devalued as climate risks increase.
As natural disasters become more frequent and more costly, insurance companies are facing big challenges. If insurers are to weather the storms ahead, they’ll need to make some changes. The insurance industry needs to make substantial changes to deal with its own climate risks. Some of these changes could also enable insurance companies to help speed the transition to a net-zero society.
Speakers
Diana Castro (picture) is part of UNEP. As the Programme
Supervisor of the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) initiative, Diana oversees the largest collaboration between the United Nations and the insurance industry, which has over 250
members worldwide committed to integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance risks into their decision-making.
Lesley Ndlovu (picture) is currently the Chief Executive Officer of African Risk Capacity “ARC” Ltd, based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Kelvin Massingham is Director of Risk and Resilience at FSD Africa, where he is responsible for driving financial market innovation in Africa to increase resilience and create pathways for green finance to flow towards a net-zero and nature-positive future.
How are African banks coping with Climate ChangeFrancois Stepman
16 May 2023. This webinar discussed how climate-related risks threaten the functioning of banking institutions as well as the stability of the financial system.
Climate change and climate policy affect the balance sheets and business models of banks in different ways. African banks are vulnerable to the increasing frequency and severity of climate change shocks. They are also increasingly aware of the importance of adopting green financing principles, seeking to address risks and more importantly, to grasp new opportunities.
However, only 17% of banks have so far introduced specific green financing products, and these are estimated to account for only 2-20% of their portfolio . The webinar discussed how climate-related risks threaten the functioning of banking institutions as well as the stability of the financial system. The discussions also shed light on initiatives of banks to implement sustainable practices and central banks to create an enabling environment for sustainable finance drawing on international best practices.
http://paepard.blogspot.com/2023/05/climate-and-african-financial-sector.html
Webinar 1: Climate Change: What does it mean for the Financial Sector in Africa?
Financial institutions can play an important role in society’s adaptation to climate change risks mitigation. This webinar will highlight risks and opportunities that climate change poses for the financial sector in Africa and discuss how financial institutions can best respond to these, in a sustainable manner. In particular, the webinar is expected to:
Raise awareness on climate change within the financial industry in Africa and facilitate a broader dialogue aimed at integrating climate change considerations;
Clarify the pivotal role the financial sector can play in mitigating climate change risks and adapting to its effects; and
Present examples of transformative change in financial institutions’ practices
Speakers
Paul SMITH has worked for the climate team at the United Nations’ Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) for over four years. Paul leads UNEP FI’s climate adaptation and physical risk work supporting the Climate Risk Programme, the Climate Adaptation Working Group of the Principles for Responsible Banking and the Adaptation and Resilience Investor Collaborative (ARIC). He also leads on climate policy in partnership with the Investor Agenda and has co-authored The Climate Risk Landscape, Physically Fit? and Adapting to a New Climate, as well as contributing to Climate Risk: Managing the Financial Risk and Funding the Transition
Anthony NYONG is the Director of Climate Change and Green Growth at the AfDB. Mr. Nyong has about 30 years of experience in environmental and natural resources management, renewable energy and green growth. He was a Coordinating Lead Author for the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report and a member of the IPCC Task Group on Data and Scenario Support for Impact and Climate Analysis.
David ASHIAGBOR is the Chief Financial Sector Strategy Officer in the Financial Sector Development Department of the African Development Bank. He is currently leading the design and development of the Bank’s new Financial Sector Development Strategy, in addition to supporting the Director on policy and strategy issues.
Marina FINKEN is the Partnership Coordinator for Making Finance Work For Africa (MFW4A). She is an experienced Finance Professional who, before joining MFW4A had a successful career within Big 4 firms, providing audit and advisory services to large Banking groups and other financial services entities.
Transforming Research into Programs and Policies: How to Use the Research-to-...Francois Stepman
March 9 Transforming Research into Programs and Policies: How to Use the Research-to-Action Plan Section
Guest Speaker: Dr. Marlene Lee, PRB, United States
The webinar introduces you to how you can use the Research-To-Action (R2A) Plan Section to develop a step-by-step plan to communicate your research findings, attract influential stakeholders, and ensure your research leads to action.
Capturing Attention How To Use The Research Translation Toolkit’s Communicati...Francois Stepman
March 9 Transforming Research into Programs and Policies: How to Use the Research-to-Action Plan Section
Guest Speaker: Dr. Marlene Lee, PRB, United States
Speaker bios
This webinar introduces you to how you can use the Research-To-Action (R2A) Plan Section to develop a step-by-step plan to communicate your research findings, attract influential stakeholders, and ensure your research leads to action.
Generative Artificial Intelligence 3/14/2023 Johannes Schunter Head of Knowle...Francois Stepman
14 March 2023. Useful applications of ChatGPT in knowledge work
Johannes Schunter showed a number of useful applications in development work ; what the bot is good at and what it is not good at. He is Head of Knowledge Management · Evangelisches Werk für Diakonie und Entwicklung e.V., Berlin, Germany.
How to Use the Research Translation Toolkit’s Stakeholder Analysis SectionFrancois Stepman
23 February 2023 Reaching the Right People at the Right Time: How to Use the Stakeholder Analysis Section
Guest Speaker: Dr. Jose Rodriguez, International Consultant, Philippines
This webinar introduced the Stakeholder Analysis Section to identify influential individuals or groups who might use your research, and plan effective engagement with them to increase the impact of your research insights or technical innovations.
February 9 A Vital Resource: Exploring USAID’s Research Translation Toolkit
This webinar introduced the importance of research translation – the process that transforms research findings into a form that is relevant to practitioners or other audiences – and provides a high-level overview of the Research Translation Toolkit, including real world examples of research teams that have used the processes from the toolkit.
Overview of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda & Results of the Public ConsultationFrancois Stepman
23 - 24 November 2022. Nairobi, Kenya and online. AU-EU Innovation Agenda Stakeholder Event
Nairobi by the The European Commission and the African Union Commission.
Acorn Recovery: Restore IT infra within minutesIP ServerOne
Introducing Acorn Recovery as a Service, a simple, fast, and secure managed disaster recovery (DRaaS) by IP ServerOne. A DR solution that helps restore your IT infra within minutes.
This presentation by Morris Kleiner (University of Minnesota), was made during the discussion “Competition and Regulation in Professions and Occupations” held at the Working Party No. 2 on Competition and Regulation on 10 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found out at oe.cd/crps.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
Have you ever wondered how search works while visiting an e-commerce site, internal website, or searching through other types of online resources? Look no further than this informative session on the ways that taxonomies help end-users navigate the internet! Hear from taxonomists and other information professionals who have first-hand experience creating and working with taxonomies that aid in navigation, search, and discovery across a range of disciplines.
Sharpen existing tools or get a new toolbox? Contemporary cluster initiatives...Orkestra
UIIN Conference, Madrid, 27-29 May 2024
James Wilson, Orkestra and Deusto Business School
Emily Wise, Lund University
Madeline Smith, The Glasgow School of Art
0x01 - Newton's Third Law: Static vs. Dynamic AbusersOWASP Beja
f you offer a service on the web, odds are that someone will abuse it. Be it an API, a SaaS, a PaaS, or even a static website, someone somewhere will try to figure out a way to use it to their own needs. In this talk we'll compare measures that are effective against static attackers and how to battle a dynamic attacker who adapts to your counter-measures.
About the Speaker
===============
Diogo Sousa, Engineering Manager @ Canonical
An opinionated individual with an interest in cryptography and its intersection with secure software development.
International Workshop on Artificial Intelligence in Software Testing
Research for Development: How Three Innovation Labs Are Driving Impact
1. Speakers
Speakers: Patrick Webb, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Nutrition;
Peter Goldsmith, Feed the Future Soybean Innovation Lab;
Dena Bunnel, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Post-Harvest Loss
Moderator: Julie MacCartee, USAID Bureau for Food Security
Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Research for Development: How Three Innovation Labs
Are Driving Impact
2. Patrick Webb, Feed the Future
Innovation Lab for Nutrition
Patrick Webb is a Professor at the Friedman School of
Nutrition at Tufts University. He is the Director of the
Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Nutrition, and also
Principal Investigator for the Office of Food for Peace’s
Food Aid Quality Review. The latter builds on his work as
Chief of Nutrition for the World Food Program in Rome,
the former builds on 9 earlier years at IFPRI. In his spare
time, Patrick serves as Technical Adviser for the London-
based Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for
Nutrition, he’s a member of the CGIAR’s Independent
Science and Partnership Council, and also a member of
the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on
Food Security and Agriculture. In addition to the
Friedman School, Prof. Webb has academic affiliations
with Hohenheim University (Germany), Patan Academy
of Health Sciences (Nepal), and the Fletcher School of
Law and Diplomacy at Tufts.
3. Peter Goldsmith, Feed the Future
Soybean Innovation Lab
Peter Goldsmith is the Director of the Feed the Future
Soybean Innovation lab, at The University of Illinois. Dr.
Goldsmith graduated in 1995 from the Ohio State
University with a PhD in Agricultural Economics. He is
currently a Professor of Agribusiness Management in the
Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics,
University of Illinois. In addition to his PhD, Dr. Goldsmith
has received an MBA specializing in Finance, and
undergraduate degrees in Dairy Science and Political
Science. His research interest is global agro-industrial
marketing and strategy. Dr. Goldsmith, has worked the
last fifteen years in Mato Grosso Brazil and Argentina and
is one of the world’s leading soybean economists with
unique expertise in tropical soybean production and agro-
industrial development. He currently directs the Food and
Agribusiness Management Program at the University of
Illinois and is a Fellow of the International Food and
Agribusiness Management Association.
4. Dena Bunnel, Feed the Future
Innovation Lab for Post-Harvest Loss
Dena Bunnel is the program coordinator for the Post-
Harvest Loss Innovation Lab at Kansas State University
where she manages operations and communications for
the lab. She previously served as an agricultural advisor
with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in Kabul,
Afghanistan. Dena holds master’s degrees in agricultural
and resource economics and international agricultural
development from the University of California, Davis and
bachelor’s degrees in agricultural communications and
political science from Kansas State University.
5. Feed the Future Innovation Lab
for Nutrition
PatrickWebb, Ph.D.
July 25, 2017
8. KEY NUTRITION LAB RESEARCH THEMES
What measurable impacts do investments in
agriculture have on nutrition (positive and/or negative)?
What individual and institutional commitment/capacity
affect impact of nutrition policies and programs?
What biological mechanisms must be understood to
design interventions to improve diets and nutrition?
9. NUTRITION INNOVATION LAB: Country-specific activities
Focus Countries
Actively
exploring
Additional research activities
15. Ugandan infants HIV+ exposed and
high AF 0.460 lower HAZ than
infants of HIV- women with low AF
(p=0.006)
16. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTEROPATHY (EED)
“Leaky gut” leads to inflammation and loss of nutrients. EED testing in
Uganda (lactulose:mannitol): 385 children 12-16 m.
Median L:M score 0.27: 21% no EED, 58% moderate, 22% severe.
Infants with improved water source better L:M scores (P<0.050).
If goats/sheep inside home, significantly worse L:M (P<0.050).
L:M significantly higher if infants stunted or wasted at 6-9m
(i.e. prior to L:M test).
17. TAKE HOME MESSAGES
1. Malnutrition still major challenge in low income countries, and
low income settings of middle income countries. Agriculture
productivity and resilience only part of the solution.
2. Huge cross-cutting implications from agriculture, through gender,
through diets, through nutrition outcomes.
3. AF may be linked to child growth (much through birth outcome,
SGA). Season of birth matters in relation to duration of food
storage. Potential to cut stunting via mycotoxin control.
4. Research needed on EED to determine role of SBCC and WASH.
Access to ‘improved water sources’ alone not enough.
19. Photo Credit Goes Here
Photo credit: Soy Innovation Lab
Research for Development: How Three Innovation Labs Are Driving Impact
USAID Innovation Lab for Soybean Value
Chain Research
aka
Soybean Innovation Lab (SIL)
Peter Goldsmith, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Principal Investigator, SIL Soybean Success Kits
MRA 2
20. Overview of the presentation
• Quick overview on SIL
• SIL as an expression of FtF and GFSS strategies
matching evidence and technology to
development’s needs and pace
– Walk away #1 is that USAID, via the SIL model, has
found the sweet spot for integrating sorely needed
evidence and robust findings directly, and in real time,
into the development system
– Walk away #2 is that Universities now have a structure
and strategic guidance as to how to become more
directly engaged in the development system
• Move away from the periphery of only training graduate students,
improving university institutions, and contributing long cycle
(important) research
• Task now is to better integrate this new
university activism more directly into the
development process- IDIQs/Missions/ etc.
Soybean Thresher Development
MRA 2
21. SIL• 2013-2018
• $10m +$1.4m buy-ins
• The University of
Illinois is the lead
institution
– Mississippi State
University
– University of Missouri
– International Institute
for Tropical Agriculture
(IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria
Soybean Research Farm,
Nyankpala, Ghana
MRA 3
22. What we do
• Our Mission: to establish a foundation for soybean
development in the developing world- principally
Africa
• Our Role: to provide the technical knowledge and
associated appropriate technologies to make
successful those trying to develop soybean in emerging
markets
– Researchers, extensionists, private sector, contractors, NGOs
– Working with those that work with farmers
• Our expertise: producing and utilizing soybean in the
tropics
• Our scope: the soybean value chain-----from inputs
through to livestock and human utilization
– Inoculum, fertilizer, breeding, seed, agronomy, mechanization,
poultry and aquaculture feed, soy milk and soy flour…
Soybean Field day
Kenya, MRA 1
24. FtF and GFSS Strategies
“Systemic Approaches to Sustain Impact”• FtF
– Evidence, Data, and Research ● Evidence-based approach: Our
continued focus on generating evidence on what works; using
rigorous monitoring and evaluation approaches focused on
management and learning; and building strong mechanisms for
learning and adaptation are essential for us to achieve maximum
results.
• GFSS
– Innovative research: We will continue to advance and scale the
results of high-quality biophysical and social science research to
help ensure a pipeline of innovations, tools, and approaches
designed to improve agriculture, food security, resilience, and
nutrition priorities in the face of complex, dynamic challenges.
U.S. universities are critical to efforts to strengthen capacity of
partner country research institutions to engage in locally and
globally relevant research.
Dr. Awuni, MRA 3
MSU Agronomist
25. FtF and GFSS R4D Strategies
USAID Soybean RFP in 2012
Getting the “evidence” horse back in front of the “development” cart
Support the significant investment by donors to use soybean as a
development engine
26. FtF and GFSS R4D Strategies
SIL’s model directly injects evidence and applied science into the development
process
SIL’s 10 key tactical approaches….
1.Operate through partnerships
with practitioners
2.Work “in country”
3.Move faculty (knowledge) to
directly engage with practitioners
4.Specialist faculty write proposals
and manage projects directly with
partners
5.Listen and be needs driven
6. Be grounded
– on the ground
7.Sustain and focus engagement
– Specialists as mentors, teachers, trainers
8.Deliver managed (applied) research
– Coordinated, central strategy and design
9.Provide disciplinary strength with
multidisciplinary opportunities
10.Cluster activities
– allows for feedback, learning, financial
economies
In sum, talented faculty
who want to make a
difference, now
28. Organization 2 of 2: Faculty Led Units (MRAs)
• Faculty with expertise in the discipline area design and
operate each one of the ten units
– Allows for accountability
• Research activities are co-located, focused, and
integrated
– Leverages discipline strength
– Achieves high levels of multidisciplinarity
• SIL is not a granting organization
• SIL is a managed program executing strategy through ten
“business units” directly in partnership with African
organizations
– A common culture
• Lesson is that universities can responsive to development
needs and can still bring to bear the expertise of leading
faculty
Dr. Tesfaye, MRA 1
Soybean Breeder,
Jimma, Ethiopia
29. SIL in Action
Examples
• Dr. Kathleen Ragsdale, PI MRA 7, Women’s
Empowerment and Gender Equity
• Professor, Anthropology, Mississippi State University
• Partnership- Catholic Relief Services
• Location- Savannah Agricultural Research Institute,
Nyankpala, Ghana
• Focus: Gender implications from the introduction of
a commercial non-native non staple crop technology
– Understanding women’s empowerment when practitioners
try and introduce soybean
– Normatively very different than when working with maize,
cassava, sweet potato, millet, cow pea, ground nuts
Dr. Ragsdale, MRA 7
30. SIL in Action
Examples
• Dr. Juan Andrade, PI MRA 5, Human Nutrition
• Professor, Nutrition, University of Illinois
• Partnership- Catholic Relief Services, University for
Development Studies, Savannah Agricultural
Research Institute
• Location- Savannah Agricultural Research Institute,
Nyankpala, Ghana
• Focus: Soy as a nutrition (human) sensitive
agricultural crop
– Soy as a complementary food to economically improve the
nutritional characteristics of local recipes, institutional feeding
programs such as school lunch
– Soy dairy to combine nutrition and economic development
Complementary Food
with OFSP, MRA 5
32. Photo Credit Goes Here
Presented by Dena Bunnel
July 25, 2017
Research for Development: How Three
Innovation Labs are Driving Impact
FEED THE FUTURE INNOVATION LAB
FOR THE REDUCTION OF POST-HARVEST LOSS
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
33. IMPACT OF POST-HARVEST LOSS
• Quantity and quality loss
• Food safety, nutrition,
economic implications
• Estimated losses of 1/3 in
developing economies
• Scant evidence base – weak
methodologies
• Many interventions available,
off the shelf or used
elsewhere
• Tremendous promise to
address food security
34. Key Technical focus areas:
• Drying
• Storage
• Mycotoxin assessment
(losses from insect, fungi, other pests)
Cross-cutting:
• Capacity building
(human and institutional)
• Nutrition
• Gender
• Engagement
(effective education, adoption)
POST-HARVEST LOSS INNOVATION LAB
A strategic, applied, research and education program aimed at improving
global food security by reducing post-harvest losses in stored crops, such as
grains, oilseeds, legumes, root crops and seeds.
36. PROGRAM TIMELINE
Year 1: Partnership logistics, baseline
surveys (practices, PHL losses,
socioeconomic factors)
Years 2-3: context-specific adaptation
of post-harvest technologies
Years 4-5: pilot adapted technologies
for downstream scale-up - engagement
Human &
institutional
capacity building
Partnerships
Communications
37. PHLIL: RESEARCH INTO USE
• Drying
– Solar Biomass Hybrid Dryer (Ghana)
– STR Dryer (Bangladesh)
– Solar Bubble Dryer
– Cabinet Dryer (Ethiopia)
– Modified biomass furnace dryers
(Guatemala)
• Storage
– Hermetic Bags – PICS, GrainPro,
ZeroFly
– Traditional bags
– Metal and Plastic storage bins
• Moisture
– EMC moisture meter
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
7 6 3
Under research Field testing Active transfer
PHLIL-Adapted Technologies
Drying Storage Moisture
39. • Enhance national capacity (human and institutional, including risk communication)
• Characterize mycotoxin prevalence across food and feed including risk mapping,
practices, gender, ag econ, policy
• Identify and pilot integrated intervention packages to:
• Link policy, regulatory
• Study next order questions during roll-out
• Reduce pre-and post-harvest accumulation
• Predict and remove outbreaks as they occur (modelling, mobile testing, mobile
responses)
• Alternative uses to avoid concentrating toxins on most vulnerable populations
INTEGRATED APPROACHES MOVING FORWARD
40. POST-HARVEST LOSS REDUCTION
TO IMPROVE NUTRITION
• Agriculture as part of an
integrated approach to
Nutrition (eg, Nepal)
• Preserve nutrient content
including through value
addition
• Food safety (mycotoxins,
pesticides, biological
hazards,…)
41. AFLATOXIN: A THREAT TO FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY
• Mycotoxins – toxic fungal metabolites
– Aflatoxin – produced by Aspergillus fungi
• ~4.5 billion people, 25% global food supply
• Contamination of food and feed
• Humans and livestock are susceptible
• Chronic exposure:
• Causal: cancer
• Correlated: stunting children’s development, nutrient
uptake, immunosuppression
• Acute exposure: death (e.g., Kenya outbreaks)
• Negative impact on agriculture, health, trade and environment
(US corn losses up to $1.68 billion – Wu et al. 2017)
• Often undetectable/invisible
Photo: Karanja, KARI
42. • Engage and enhance the capacity of national partners (including risk
communication). Collaboration with Mars Global Food Safety Lab, China.
• Assess mycotoxin content in potentially sources of mycotoxin exposure (food and
feed), in markets and on farm. Includes information on storage systems.
• Characterize the toxigenic fungal species present in
crops (and soil) that could contaminate food supplies.
• For identified high risk mycotoxins, recommend short-,
medium- and long-term intervention strategies.
• Phased approach:
– Round 1: market snapshot
– Rounds 2-3: Markets – 20 districts; On farm – 4-6 sentinel districts
– analysis, risk mapping
NEPAL BUY-IN OBJECTIVES
43. ADDRESSING GENDER ROLES IN POST-HARVEST
Using the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index as a
foundation, surveys on gendered roles in post-harvest activities were
conducted in 3 countries.
• Ghana: FGDs or individual surveys with
418 farmers
• Ethiopia: FGDs with 240 farmers
• Bangladesh: FGDs with 209 farmers
44. WOMEN-CENTERED
ENTERPRISE
• Women are keepers – and therefore
sellers – of saved seed.
• Hermetic seed storage has allowed
farmers to save seed and even sell
excess.
• Control of these economic gains
remains an unknown and a challenge.
45. DEMAND-DRIVEN RESEARCH
Parboiling rice is a large time burden for
women in Bangladesh. Research is taking
place on converting a PHLIL-BAU modified
dryer for use on parboiled rice.
46. THE GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY STRATEGY
A well-nourished
population,
especially among
women and children
Strengthened
resilience among
people and systems
Inclusive and
sustainable
agricultural-led
economic growth
Objective I Objective 2 Objective 3
• Strengthen the capacity of all food system
participants
• Targeting investments and strategically
focusing resources to drive development
• Country leadership (including risk
management)
• Partnerships
• Harnessing science,
technology and innovation
• Sustainability
47. U.S. RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Proactively working on a variety of pests and diseases before they hit
the United States
Gaining access to germplasm for future breeding use
Stimulating demand and opening trade opportunities for U.S.
producers
Developing technologies, varieties and methodologies with direct
application to domestic farm operations
Feedback to US private sector on potential new markets for their
technologies
Exchange of the best and brightest scientists in the world
Enhanced national security through development