Tuesday 9 November 2010

Niigata International Food Award

On 29 October, Prof Monty Jones, Executive Director of FARA, was awarded the Main Prize of the 1st Niigata International Food Award for his leadership role in the development of NERICA. 


No less than 95 nominations were received from 15 countries. Dr Hideaki Karaki, Vice President of the Science Council of Japan and Chairperson of the 11-member screening committee, defined the screening criteria as follows: ‘The winner’s project should have universal value for the world and/or improve human lives.’
The Niigata International Food Award consists of three separate prizes: the Main Prize, the Sano Touzaburo Special Prize (for increasing food supply/harvest in developing countries), and the 21st Century Hope Special Prize (for young, promising candidates below age 40).
The Main Prize went to Prof Monty Jones, whose leadership in the development of NERICA, which expresses the high yield characteristics of Asian rice and the fast growth and suitability to the African climate of African rice. NERICA rice has improved the productivity of farmers across Africa and raised the food security level of fragile, small family farms. The increased yield of this crop has resulted in reduced reliance on rice imports, and increased independence and financial security for smaller farmers.

The Sano Touzaburo Prize went to Mr Yuan Long Ping, Chief Researcher at the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center, who dramatically improved harvests far beyond other conventional hybrid rice varieties. Dr Fumihiro Fujimori, winner of the 21st Century Hope Special Prize, an Associate Professor at the Tokyo Kasei University, led a team that developed a large-scale database of the fungal genetic code (cDNA).

Read more:
Niigata Award Ceremony issue 01/12/2010

The 5TH All African Society of Animal Production

25 to 28 October, 2010 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 5th AASAP was hosted by the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP). Theme: Commercialisation of Livestock Agriculture in Africa: Challenges and opportunities

The conference examined the research and development progress in the continent and its effect on the environment and socio-economic lives of the people.



See also:

Reporting the 5th All Africa conference on animal agriculture

Governance and Small-scale Agriculture in West Africa

8th- 10th November, 2010/ Nairobi, Kenya. Idasa’s Economic Governance Programme hosted a conference on ‘Governance and Small-scale Agriculture in West Africa’.
The aim of the conference was to discuss governance and public investment processes and how these are shaping small-scale agriculture in the region.
Specifically, the meeting focused on three themes:

  1. priorities for public investment in agriculture; 
  2. trends in public expenditure on small-scale agriculture; 
  3. and, policy processes and stakeholder participation.
The conference provided a forum for stakeholders to identify constraints and opportunities in agriculture and draw interdisciplinary lessons and best practices.

Where Would You Like to See More Funding Directed?

21-25 October 2010. The fourth annual meeting of the worldwide Terra Madre network took place in Turin, Italy. A five-day meeting that coincides with the international Slow Food Fair, Salone del Gusto, Terra Madre brought together over 5,000 global representatives of food communities, cooks, academics, youth and musicians united in the ambition of promoting  sustainable local food production in harmony with the environment while respecting traditional knowledge and food cultures.
One of these representatives was Mangeons Local founder Seck Madieng from Senegal who participated in Nourishing the Planet’s workshop on October 24th , discussing environmentally sustainable ways to relieve world hunger and rural poverty. In the below video, Seck explains why he believes agricultural funding should focus on promoting local foods to improve livelihoods and local economies.


While meeting with Mariam Ouattara, the President of Chigata Fettes et Development (Women and Development), an NGO in N’Ganon village, and founder of Slow Food Chigata, Worldwatch Senior Researcher and Nourishing the Planet co-Project Director, Danielle Nierenberg, asked her about how agricultural funding could help to scale up efforts to promote local food production and consumption to improve diets and livelihoods and preserve local cultures and traditions.



To read more responses on the question "Where Would You Like to See More Funding Directed?", see:
Part 1Dave Andrews (USA), Dave Johnstone (Cameroon), & Pierre Castagnoli (Italy)
Part 2Paul Sinandja (Togo), Dov Pasternak (Niger), & Pascal Pulvery (France)
Part 3:  Christine McCulloch (UK), Hans R Herren (USA), & Amadou Niang.
Part 4Michel Koos (Netherlands), Don Seville (USA), & Ron Gretlarson
Part 5:  Shahul SalimRoger Leakey (Kenya), & Monty P Jones (Ghana)
Part 6Calestous Juma (USA), Ray Anderson (USA), & Rob Munro (Zambia)
Part 7Tom Philpott (USA), Grace Mwaura, & Thangavelu Vasantha Kumaran
Part 8Peter Mietzner (Namibia), Madyo Couto (Mozambique), & Norman Thomas Uphoff (USA)
Part 9Tilahun Amede (Ethiopia), Shree kumar Maharjan (Nepal), & Ashwani Vasishth (USA)
Part 10:  Mary Shawa (Malawi), Wayne S. Teel (USA), & Bell Okello (Kenya)
Part 11: Mark Wells (South Africa), Pashupati Chaudhary (USA), & Megan Putnam (Ghana)
Part 12David Wallinga (USA), Ysabel Vicente, & Esperance Zossou (Benin)
Part 13Susi Basith (Indonesia), Diana Husic (USA), & Carolina Cardona (Togo)
Part 14:  Rachel FriedmanJennifer Geist (USA), & Lowden Stoole
Part 15Antonio Requejo, Alexandra Spieldoch (USA), & Daniele Giovannucci (USA)
Part 16Mary Njenga (Kenya), Mabel Toribio, & Makere Stewart-Harawira (Canada)
Part 17Dale Lewis (Zambia), Chris Ojiewo (Tanzania), & Molly Mattessich (USA)
Part 18Gregory Bowman (USA), Lucila Nunes de Vargas, & Caroline Smith
Part 19Tesfom Solomon (Sweden), Sahr Lebbie (USA), & Jenny Goldie (Austrialia)
Part 20Steven SweetVicki Lipski, & Viola Ransel
Part 21: Puspa R. TiwariJohan Staal (Netherlands), & Kevin Kamp (USA)
Part 22Steve Osofsky (USA), John Vickrey (USA), & Michael Levenston (Canada)Part 23Vasan (India), Excellent Hachileka (Zambia), & Royce Gloria Androa (Uganda)
Part 24
Pam AlleeDennis Calvan, & Salibo (Burkina Faso)
Part 25
Tony Gasbarro (USA), John Hassall,  & Kamal KhadkaPart 26: Farid WaliyarPaul Barker (Tanzania), Grace Ndungu (Kenya)
Part 27Tozie Zokufa (South Africa), Krystyna Swiderska (UK), & Al-Hassana Idriss Outman (Senegal)
Part 28Jan Helsen (Kenya), Charlie Balanon, and Ronia Tanyongana (Tanzania)

Part 29Eric Kisiangani (Kenya), Stephen Muchiri, & Luis Gasser.
Part 30Betty Maeda, Mary Mavanza (Tanzania), & Naude Malan (South Africa).
Part 31:  Theresa Endres (Mali), Gezahegn Ayele, Kephas Indangasi.

Part 32Susan Mwangi (Kenya), Keshab Thapa (Nepal) & Francis Lwamugira (Tanzania).
Part 33Yohannnes Mariam, Tshediso Phahlane (South Africa), & Nancy Karanja (Kenya).
Part 34Victor Gatonye Kuria (Kenya), Ahamad Kyaruzi (Tanzania), & Frank Place (Kenya).
Part 35Michael Misiko (Benin), Emmanuel M. Haambote (Zambia), & Anton Ferreira.Part 36Robert Goodland (USA), Yao M. Afantchao (USA), & Queresh Noordin.

Part 37Richard Twine (UK), Yiching Song, and Abdelmunem Ahmed (Palestine)
Part 38: Bruce Murphy (Australia), Richard (South Africa), and Paul Van Mele (Benin)
Part 39NM Nayar (India), Abe Agulto (Philippines), Paul Yao Kpai (Ghana)
Part 40Sophia MurphyRoland SundströmJones Lemchi
Part 41Xavier Rakotonjanahary (Madagascar), Tobias Leenaert (Belgium), Kristof Nordin (Malawi)

Part 42Nazeer AhmedWillie Tuimising (Kenya), & Sara Scherr (USA)
Part 43Caroline Smith, Klaus Droppelmann (Malawi), & Ashley Colpaart (USA)

Part 44Huriye KaraPat Lanyasunya (Kenya), Prince Charles Dickson (Nigeria)
Part 45Dyno Keatinge (Taiwan), Gizachew Sisay (Ethiopia), and Anne Woodfine (UK)
Part 46Faruq BannaArnold Kauk (Australia), and Shahul Salim (India)
Part 47Reed Sims (USA), Karen Soeters (Netherlands), and Kebebe Ergano
Part 48@FoodSecurityNetHowarth Bouis, Roger Serunjogi (Uganda)

Part 49Quintino Cabral Quade (São Tomé & Príncipe), Jill M. Smith Warning (USA), & Kathleen Guillozet(Ethiopia)
Part 50Njoh Wanduku (Cameroon), Brian Cady, & Brian Nugent (Kenya)
Part 51Gideon Behar (Senegal), Benjamin Tchoffo (Cameroon), & Stephanie Hanson (Kenya)

Part 52Chris Reij (Netherlands), Matty Demont (Senegal), and Ann Waters-Bayer (Germany)
Part 53Dennis Karamuzi (Rwanda), Mark Muller (USA), and @Peterballantyne (via twitter)

Part 54: King-David Amoah (Ghana), Tom Hager (USA), & Jim DeVries (USA)
Part 55Sheila Huggins-RaoRegassa, & Luc Maene

Part 56: Sandra KennedyIan Walker (Canada), & Shenggen Fan
Part 57: Bhavani (India), Angeline Munzara, Yvonne Pinto
Part 58: Seck Madieng (Senegal)
Part 59Albert Rouamba (Mali), Regassa, & Luc Mauene (France)
Part 60Marceline Ouedraogo (Mali)