BIO CIRCLE trains African researchers in FAFB (1)

June 1st and June 2nd. Accra, Ghana. TRAINING SEMINAR OF FOCAL POINTS IN AFRICA to participate in EC/FP7 and EC/FSTP calls for proposals. The Training Workshop was organized in the framework of the Bio Circle project (01/10/2008 – 30/09/2010) co-financed by European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme (FP7).

The participants watched the video interviews of 

• Dr. Angelo Visconti (Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR) Bari, Italy and 
• Dr. Kevin Urama, the director of the African Technology Policy Studies (ATPS Kenya)

The BIO CIRCLE NET is a two year project that aims to reinforce the network of National Contact Points (NCP) for the Seventh Framework programme under Theme 2 “Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology” (FAFB) and extend the network to include National Information Points (NIP) for major Third Country partners in two years. BIO CIRCLE promotes the work of the EU-Africa Joint Partnership through stimulating international cooperation between EU and African researchers.

Thanks to its cooperation with BIO CIRCLE, FARA is able to provide consistent and accurate advice to researchers throughout the African continent about FP7 participation in the FAFB theme. The Round Table on African Agricultural Research priorities (co-organised with CTA in Brussels - April 2008), brokerages, twinning and the present tailor made trainings all help stimulate dialogue on these issues, thereby contributing to Overall Objective 2 (Better define specific areas of mutual interest and mutual benefit in FAFB international cooperation research between the EU and Third Countries as well as new cooperation mechanisms).

Complementing the activities which are planned under the PAEPARD project this training will enhance the capacity and capabilities of national research teams to compete for EC funds in IAR4D. More in particular it will increase the knowledge about European funding opportunities among African ARD stakeholders.
Specifically, the workshop is aimed at training some experts (information points) from Africa who will be able to:

INFORM
Favour knowledge of EU opportunities by means of Internet, organisation of events, meetings on specific calls for proposals or thematic sectors.

ASSIST/TRAIN
Support scientific community to submit projects proposals that could be co-financed by European Commission (by explaining modalities of funding schemes, advising on administrative procedures and legal issues, assisting in partner search activities).

Presentation of the FSTP proposal HORTINOV by Leo Matos, Regional Director of Embrapa Accra

PROVIDE FEEDBACK
Draft statistics on issues that could be useful to PAEPARD: such as: a) the participation of ARD actors to S&T events organised by EC; b) the number of national participations in co-financed projects, c) the thematic sector in which there are more projects submitted and the sector in which there are more projects co-financed, d) distribution of projects per geographic area; e) average of funds per project, and so on.

FAVOUR NETWORKING WITH OTHER IP.
Networking to share and disseminate EC funding opportunities among the African Information Points.

The beneficiaries of this training were participants and their institutions but also the PAEPARD II project and all partners who benefit from their knowledge.

Related

The upcoming FP7 call on  FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY (FAFB) will be launched by EC 31st of July 2010. Following research themes are relevant for Africa: (disclaimer: this may still change when the final call will be launched)

1.  KBBE.2011.2.5-02 Reducing post-harvest losses for increased food security — SICA Up (Specific International Cooperation Actions) to 2 projects may be funded (SICA means that non EU members are mandatory
2.  KBBE.2011.1.3-01 New/next generation of researchers for Neglected Zoonoses at the animal-human interface – Mandatory ICPC (International cooperation partner countries ) Coordination and Support Action targeted to SMEs. Minimum number of participants: 3 from different Member States or Associated Countries and 3 from different ICPC (of which at least 2 from Africa
3. KBBE.2011.1.4-08 Role of aquaculture in improving food security and eradicating poverty worldwide - Mandatory ICPC Coordination and Support Action (coordinating action) Minimum number of participants: 2 from Member States and Associated Countries and 3 from different ICPC (International cooperation partner countries )