Yves Van de Peer - Ghent University/VIB
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
The Role and Contribution of Plant Breeding and Plant Biotechnology to Sustai...Francois Stepman
Dr. Denis T. Kyetere
Executive Director
AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION (AATF)
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
Zerihun Tadele
Institute of Plant Sciences
University of Bern
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
Lessons learned from case studies of applying biotechnologies for smallholdersExternalEvents
Lessons learned from case studies of applying biotechnologies for smallholders presentation by Andrea Sonnino, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development and FAO, Rome, Italy
Mini core collection – a means to enhance utilization of germplasmICRISAT
Plant genetic resources (PGR) are the basic materials for progress in crop improvement and an insurance against unforeseen threats to agricultural production. Greater use of germplasm in crop improvement is needed for sustainable conservation of genetic resources, to protect the natural ecosystems and simultaneously enhance agricultural production for food security.
The Role and Contribution of Plant Breeding and Plant Biotechnology to Sustai...Francois Stepman
Dr. Denis T. Kyetere
Executive Director
AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION (AATF)
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
Zerihun Tadele
Institute of Plant Sciences
University of Bern
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
Lessons learned from case studies of applying biotechnologies for smallholdersExternalEvents
Lessons learned from case studies of applying biotechnologies for smallholders presentation by Andrea Sonnino, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development and FAO, Rome, Italy
Mini core collection – a means to enhance utilization of germplasmICRISAT
Plant genetic resources (PGR) are the basic materials for progress in crop improvement and an insurance against unforeseen threats to agricultural production. Greater use of germplasm in crop improvement is needed for sustainable conservation of genetic resources, to protect the natural ecosystems and simultaneously enhance agricultural production for food security.
" Resource use efficiency in vegetables: Application of molecular breeding to...ExternalEvents
" Resource use efficiency in vegetables: Application of
molecular breeding to bambara groundnut, an underutilised crop for low-input agriculture" presentation by Sean Mayes, Crops for the Future, Semenyih, Malaysia
Molecular breeding in legumes for resource-poor farmers: Chickpea for Ethiopi...ExternalEvents
Molecular breeding in legumes for resource-poor farmers: Chickpea for Ethiopia and India presentation by "Douglas Cook, University of California Davis, Davis,
United States of America"
Evidence-based policy-making: The role of impact assessment studies and thei...ExternalEvents
Evidence-based policy-making: The role of impact assessment studies and their implications for agricultural biotechnologies presentation by David Spielman, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington D.C., United States of America
Genetic Enhancement- Need for Genetic EnhancementKK CHANDEL
Journey From Wild to Domestication; Genetic Enhancement- Need for Genetic Enhancement; Genetic Enhancement in Pre Mendelian Era and 21st Century; Genetic Enhancement and Plant Breeding; Reasons For Failure in Genetic Enhancement; Sources of Genes/ Traits- Novel Genes For Quality
The role of ex situ crop diversity conservation in adaptation to climate changeLuigi Guarino
Keynote delivered on behalf of Cary Fowler at international conference on Food Security and Climate Change in Dry Areas -- 1-4 February 2010 -- Amman, Jordan. Thanks to Colin Khoury for putting this together.
AU Policies and Decisions for the Use of STI in the Implementation of a Susta...Francois Stepman
Jeremy Tinga OUEDRAOGO
Head of the NEPAD Regional Office for West Africa
Director of the African Biosafety Network of Expertise - ABNE
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
" Harnessing agricultural biotechnology for resilience to climate change: A l...ExternalEvents
" Harnessing agricultural biotechnology for resilience to
climate change: A lesson from water efficient maize for Africa
project" presentation by Yoseph Beyene, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Nairobi, Kenya
Advances in legume breeding for better livelihoods of smallholder farmers in ...ICRISAT
Despite their many benefits, productivity of legumes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is generally lower than world averages due to:Biotic stresses (diseases, pests, weeds), Abiotic stresses (heat, frost, drought, and salinity) and Edaphic factors (associated with soil nutrient.
deficits). Reference sets developed for assorted legumes and traits of agronomic importance identified for further crop improvement.
African Orphan Crops Consortium (AOCC): A public-private partnership for enablement of African plant scientists through development of open source genomics resources for promoting food and nutritional security in Africa through orphan crops
" Resource use efficiency in vegetables: Application of molecular breeding to...ExternalEvents
" Resource use efficiency in vegetables: Application of
molecular breeding to bambara groundnut, an underutilised crop for low-input agriculture" presentation by Sean Mayes, Crops for the Future, Semenyih, Malaysia
Molecular breeding in legumes for resource-poor farmers: Chickpea for Ethiopi...ExternalEvents
Molecular breeding in legumes for resource-poor farmers: Chickpea for Ethiopia and India presentation by "Douglas Cook, University of California Davis, Davis,
United States of America"
Evidence-based policy-making: The role of impact assessment studies and thei...ExternalEvents
Evidence-based policy-making: The role of impact assessment studies and their implications for agricultural biotechnologies presentation by David Spielman, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington D.C., United States of America
Genetic Enhancement- Need for Genetic EnhancementKK CHANDEL
Journey From Wild to Domestication; Genetic Enhancement- Need for Genetic Enhancement; Genetic Enhancement in Pre Mendelian Era and 21st Century; Genetic Enhancement and Plant Breeding; Reasons For Failure in Genetic Enhancement; Sources of Genes/ Traits- Novel Genes For Quality
The role of ex situ crop diversity conservation in adaptation to climate changeLuigi Guarino
Keynote delivered on behalf of Cary Fowler at international conference on Food Security and Climate Change in Dry Areas -- 1-4 February 2010 -- Amman, Jordan. Thanks to Colin Khoury for putting this together.
AU Policies and Decisions for the Use of STI in the Implementation of a Susta...Francois Stepman
Jeremy Tinga OUEDRAOGO
Head of the NEPAD Regional Office for West Africa
Director of the African Biosafety Network of Expertise - ABNE
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
" Harnessing agricultural biotechnology for resilience to climate change: A l...ExternalEvents
" Harnessing agricultural biotechnology for resilience to
climate change: A lesson from water efficient maize for Africa
project" presentation by Yoseph Beyene, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Nairobi, Kenya
Advances in legume breeding for better livelihoods of smallholder farmers in ...ICRISAT
Despite their many benefits, productivity of legumes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is generally lower than world averages due to:Biotic stresses (diseases, pests, weeds), Abiotic stresses (heat, frost, drought, and salinity) and Edaphic factors (associated with soil nutrient.
deficits). Reference sets developed for assorted legumes and traits of agronomic importance identified for further crop improvement.
African Orphan Crops Consortium (AOCC): A public-private partnership for enablement of African plant scientists through development of open source genomics resources for promoting food and nutritional security in Africa through orphan crops
The production of haploid plants exploiting the totipotency of microspore.
Androgenesis is the in vitro development of haploid plants originating from totipotent pollen grains through a series of cell division and differentiation.
Genome Editing: A Disruptive Technology for Accelerating Breeding CIAT
Talk during CIAT’s 50th Anniversary: Gene editing is the most exciting area in biology right now. Here we introduce ways it can help us tackle climate change and boost food production.
Speaker: Joe Tohme, Director, Agrobiodiversity Research Area, CIAT
Cali, Colombia. 8-9 November 2017
This slides briefly summarize some of my research studies, which include studies on oomycetes, biological controls and plant growth-promoting bacteria, and pathogenic nematodes. The overall goal of the seminar was to show how our understanding of the various plant associating microbes can facilitate better crop production to ensure more food security.
Micropropagation and commercial exploitation in horticulture cropsDheeraj Sharma
Micro-propagation – principles and concepts, commercial exploitation in horticultural crops. Techniques - in vitro clonal propagation, direct organogenesis, embryogenesis, micrografting, meristem culture. Hardening, packing and transport of micro-propagules.
Similar to The African Orphan Crops Consortium (20)
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.
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.
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.
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.
3. Growing Africa Out of Stunting, Hunger &
Malnutrition: The African Orphan Crops
Consortium
• Provide genomic tools to accelerate breeding in crops important to
African diets
• Train African plant breeders to use the latest strategies and
technologies in plant breeding
Make nutritious crops productive
Benefit comes through plant breeders
4. 37%
48%
7%
Stunting: Physical, Neurological, Economic
Stunting is the impaired
growth and development
that children experience
from poor nutrition.
Children are defined as
stunted if their height-for-
age is more than two
standard deviations below
the WHO Child Growth
Standards median.
5. It is not so
much a
question of
more food
It is more a
question of
better food
Stunting: Physical, Neurological, Economic
6. Founding members
New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD)
Administration and development of
the AOCC
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
Incorporate AOCC species into its
agroforestry delivery vehicles such as
portfolio of (fruit) crops and
popularize them at local level and re-
sequence 100 accessions each from
the 101 species
Mars Inc.
African Plant Breeding Academy
scholarships for breeding programs
and support for AOCC lab personnel
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Endorse AOCC’s recommendations
and help raise support and
translation at country and
international level
University of California,
Davis (UC Davis)
Conceptualization,
technical guidance and
knowledge partner
7. Allen Van Deynze, PhD
Director of Research The Seed Biotechnology Center
Department of Plant Sciences, The University of California Davis
Steering Committee of the African Orphan Crops
Howard-Yana Shapiro, PhD
Chief Agricultural Officer, Mars, Incorporated
Fellow Mars Advanced Research Institute
Senior Fellow Plant Sciences, The University of California, Davis
Science Advisor, MIT Media Lab
Distinguished Fellow, The World Agroforestry Centre
Growing Africa Out of Stunting, Hunger &
Malnutrition: The African Orphan Crops
Consortium
8. Prasad Hendre
AOCC/ICRAF
Alice Muchugi
GRU/ICRAF
Ramni Jamnadass
ICRAF
Allen Van Deynze
UC Davis
Robert Kariba
AOCC/ICRAF
Samuel Muthemba
AOCC/ICRAF
Nelly Mutio
AOCC administrator
Albert Mwangi
AOCC website admin
John Innocent
AOCC website technician
Everyday governance …
The AOCC team
http://africanorphancrops.org
10. The consortium’s goal is to sequence, assemble and annotate the genomes of
101 traditional African food crops, which will enable higher nutritional content
for society over the decades to come. The resulting information will be put in
the public domain with the endorsement of the African Union.
Sequence genetic diversity of 101 species x 100 lines
Main Goal 1!
13. A diverse panel of 100
scientists, anthropologists,
food scientists, nutritionists
and plant breeders, responded
to the survey.
Data rich survey on the key orphan crops,
distributed across Africa. These crops
represent the basic food system in rural Africa
The criteria for selecting the crops
included:
• Nutritional value
• Widespread use
• Not currently sequenced
• Climatic adaptability
• Drought & pest resistance
How were the crops chosen?
14. Six-week continuing education program for scientists in
crop improvement
• Review foundational principles of genetics, experimental
design/ statistics, plant breeding
• Share proven technologies that enhance genetic gains and
speed development of improved varieties
• Provide tools
• Model implementation through actual breeding programs
• Final thesis: critiqued by class and instructors
Located at ICRAF in Nairobi, Kenya, the Academy
will train 250 plant breeders and technicians in genomics
and marker-assisted selection for crop improvement
Main Goal 2: African Plant Breeding Academy!
15. Cohorts I,II,III comprised 80 scientists
representing 25 countries across the
African continent
• 67 PhD / 13 MSc
• 29 women
• > 91 crops
Theophile Ndacyayisenga
Rwanda
Wonder Nunekpeku, Ph.D.
Ghana
Godson
potato, sorghum cassava, pepper cow
Meet the students …
16. Outcomes and impact …
• 250 scientists and technicians empowered
• Trainers trained (sustainability)
• Professional networks formed and Communities of Practice developed
• New research funding garnered (> $18M by breeders)
• Improved crop varieties to underpin African food systems
• Key milestone in a Green Revolution for Africa!
17. De novo sequencing and resequencing …
Sequence
genetic diversity
of 101 species
x 100 lines
18. Species name Reference genome
Re-
sequencing Transcriptome Species name Reference genome
Re
sequencing Transcriptome
1 Eleusine coracana Final assembly On going Completed 31 Anacardium occidentale ON Yet to begin On going
2 Lablab purpureus Final assembly Yet to begin Completed 32 Dovyalis caffra On going Yet to begin Completed
3 Digitaria exilis Final assembly Yet to begin Yet to begin 33 Parinari curatellifolia On going On going Yet to begin
4 Solanum aethiopicum Final assembly Yet to begin Completed 34 Parkia biglobosa ON Yet to begin ON
5 Cleome gynandra Draft assembly ON ON 35 Saba comorensis ON Yet to begin Yet to begin
6 Vigna subterranea Final assembly ON Completed 36 Uapaca kirkiana ON ON ON
7 Celosia argentea ON Yet to begin Completed 37 Elaeis guineensis Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI
8 Phaseolus vulgaris ON ON Yet to begin 38 Mangifera indica Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI
9 Solanum nigrum ON Yet to begin ON 39 Macadamia ternifolia Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI
10 Brassica carinata Non-BGI ON Non-BGI 40 Persea americana Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI
11 Lens culinaris Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 41 Casimiroa edulis ON Yet to begin Completed
12 Allium cepa Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 42 Dacryodes edulis ON Yet to begin ON
13 Amaranthus tricolor Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 43 Vitellaria paradoxa ON Yet to begin Yet to begin
14 Carica papaya Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 44 Ziziphus mauritiana ON Yet to begin ON
15 Citrullus lanatus Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 45 Tamarindus indica ON Yet to begin Tissue collected
16 Cucurbita maxima Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 46 Syzygium guineense ON Yet to begin Tissue collected
17 Dioscorea alata Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 47 Irvingia gabonensis DNA Yet to begin Yet to begin
18 Dioscorea dume torum Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 48 Ricinodendron heudelotii DNA Yet to begin Tissue collected
19 Erogrostis tef Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 49 Detarium microcarpum ON Yet to begin Yet to begin
20 Ipomoea batatas Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 50 Garcinia livingstonei ON Yet to begin Yet to begin
21 Musa acuminata AAA Group Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 51 Vitex doniana Yet to begin Yet to begin Tissue collected
22 Momordica charantia Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI 52 Allanblackia stulhmanli Yet to begin Yet to begin Tissue collected
23 Annona senegalensis. Final assembly Yet to begin Completed 53 Strychnos cocculoides Yet to begin ON ON
24 Artocarpus heterophyllus Final assembly Yet to begin Completed 54 Strychnos spinosa Yet to begin Yet to begin Tissue collected
25 Faidherbia albida Final assembly Yet to begin Completed 55 Annona reticulata Yet to begin Yet to begin Tissue collected
26 Sclerocarya birrea Final assembly Yet to begin ON 56 Vangueria madagascariensis Yet to begin Yet to begin ON
27 Moringa oleifera Final assembly Yet to begin Completed 57 Passiflora edulis Yet to begin Yet to begin Non-BGI
28 Artocarpus altilis Final assembly Yet to begin Completed 58 Psidium guajava Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI
29 Adansonia digitata ON 5 received Tissue collected 59 Morus alba Non-BGI Yet to begin Non-BGI
30 Adansonia kilima ON Yet to begin Tissue collected
19. Summary of the genome survey
Of the 29 species sequenced
• Genome sizes range from 280 Mb to 2.9 Gb
• 5 species have relatively simple genomes
• 7 species are highly heterozygous
• 8 species have high repeat content
• Some species are tetraploid
20. Pentapetalae
Fabids
Asterids
Lamiids
Malvids
Mesangiospermae
Fabaceae
Organism
Estimated
Genome size
Ploidy
Heter/
Homozygous
Genome
survey
Lablab purpureus 0.43 Gb 2X Homo Normal
Vigna subterranee 0.51 Gb 2X Homo Normal
Tamarindus indica 1.67 Gb 2X Homo Normal
Detarium microcarpum 0.53 Gb 4X Heter HH
Faidherbia albida 0.66 Gb 2X Heter HH
Parkia biglobosa ND ND ND ND
Artocarpus altilis 0.80 Gb 2X Homo RR&HH
Artocarpus heterophyllus 1.01 Gb 2X Homo RR&HH
Ziziphus mauritiana ND ND ND ND
Dovyalis caffra 0.44 Gb 2X Homo Normal
Parinari curatefolia ND ND ND ND
Garcinia livingstonei ND ND ND ND
Uapaca kirkiana ND ND ND ND
Casmiroa dulis 1.21 Gb 4X Homo RR
Sclerocarya birrea 0.37 Gb 2X Heter HH
Dacryodes edulis 0.74 Gb 4X Homo HH
Adansonia digitata 2.9 Gb 4X Heter --
Adansonia kilima 2.9 Gb 4X Heter --
Moringa oleifera 0.28 Gb 2X Heter RR&HH
Syzygium guineense ND ND ND ND
Solanum nigrum ND ND ND ND
Solanum aethicopicum 1.17 Gb 2X Homo RR
Saba senegalensis ND ND ND ND
Vitellaria paradoxa ND ND ND --
Celosia argentea 2.1 Gb 2X Homo Normal
Elusine coracana 1.29 Gb 4X Homo RR
Elusine indica 1.23 Gb 2X Homo RR
Digitaria exilis 0.71 Gb 2X Homo RR
Annona senegalensis 0.74 Gb 2X Homo RR
Notes:
HH:Highly heterozygous
RR:Repeat-rich
Poaceae
Salicaceae
Clusiaceae
Chrysobalanaceae
Malvaceae
Myrtaceae
Moringaceae
Burseraceae
Solanaceae
Apocynaceae
Sapotaceae
Amaranthaceae
Annonaceae
Rhamnaceae
Moraceae
Phyllanthaceae
Rosales
Malpighiales
Sapindales
Fabales
Rutaceae
Rosids
The 29 genomes
sequenced …
21. 49 other genomes
are currently being
worked on
The 10 species with
genomes
assembled …
27. • Many parts of moringa are edible,
with regional uses varying widely:
• Immature seed pods, called "drumsticks"
• Leaves
• Mature seeds
• Oil pressed from seeds
• Flowers
Moringa oleifera, or drumstick tree
28. Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana)
• Indigenous to eastern Africa (but also widely
grown in India
• Adapted to diverse agro-ecologies
• Excellent source of nutrition for expectant
mothers and children
• Demand outstrips supply
• Challenges with pathogens
29. Mineral composition (mg/100g)
Ca Fe Mg K Cu Mn Zn
Finger millet 344 3.9 137 408 0.47 5.49 2.3
Wheat 41 3.9 120 363 0.9 13.3 1
Rice 10 0.5 32 130 0.25 1.1 1.2
Maize 10 2.3 0.163 270 0.22 0.163 0.46
Source: USDA database
Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana)
Nutritional quality
• High in unsaturated fatty acids, protein,
fibre, micronutrients
• Superior malting quality
• Gluten-free
30. Growth and Analysis of Diverse Cleome Lines
Deedi Sogbohossou and Enoch Achigan-Dako
University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin, Wageningen University
Cleome gynandra (spider plant)
31. Asian lines
Early flowering
Low carotenoids content
Rich in tocopherols
Light green leaves
African lines
Late flowering
Rich in carotenoids
Low levels of tocopherols
Dark green leaves
PCA based on carotenoids, tocopherols and flowering time in Cleome gynandra
Deedi Sogbohossou
Wageningen University
NWO-WOTTRO
Marker-assisted
selection could combine
the best traits of both
groups to improve
nutritional content.
Cleome gynandra (spider plant)
32. Acknowledgements
UC DAVIS
• Allen van Deynze
BGI
• Shifeng Cheng
• Yue Chang
• Yuan Fu
AOCC/ICRAF
• Prasad Hendre
• Ansie Yssel
• Lorenzo Carretero-Paulet
• Lieven Sterck
The entire AOCC