African-Brazil Innovation Market Place

Dr. Ramadjita TABO of FARA at the
African-Brazil Innovation Market Place

6 - 7 October 2010. African-Brazil Innovation Market Place

The Africa-Brazil Agricultural Innovation Marketplace is an international initiative supported by different donnors aiming to link brazilian and african experts and institutions to develop cooperative projects.

The Innovation Marketplace was composed of three basic pillars:

1. A policy dialogue between the main authorities from Africa and Brazil supporting institutions focused on the development of a mutually agreed framework for collaboration
2. A forum for presentation and discussion of research for development ideas, including proposal selection, that would be competitively supported.
3. Support and implementation of Africa-Brazil agricultural projects.

Proposal: what happened?

250+ pre-proposals were submitted.

61 were eligible and could continue further. They had the previlege to meet their partners in Brazil during the IM Forum.

20 were selected to submit full proposal. 

6 were selected and received their cheque on the 6th of October.

E-survey system

The Innovative Marketplace was an amazing experience for some of the participants (See blog of Andrianjafy Rasoanindrainy)

The use of interactive e-survey system during the last sessions was one of the most interesting experiences that african participants had.

Andrianjafy Rasoanindrainy: "Such kind of equipment should be used more frequently in Africa to improve reliability, transparence and accountability in voting and all democratic processes."

Launching of the Brazil/ Africa Marketplace Initiative

10-14 May 2010. Brasilia, Brazil. Launching of the Brazil/ Africa Marketplace Initiative and the Brazil/ Africa Dialogue on Food Security, Fight Against Hunger and Rural Development anchored by the Ministry of External Affairs in Brazil.

Following the logic that gave birth to PAEPARD, FARA initiated partnerships with EMBRAPA on what is termed Africa/Brazil Innovation Marketplace. Through this initiative, both parties in the agreement hope to organize a platform for researchers on both sides to come together with common topics which would be considered for funding using the Marketplace principles. Both DFID and the World Bank embraced the idea and agreed to provide seed money. Currently, IFAD and AFDB are considering their participation in this innovative South-South partnership approach.

The Africa/Brazil Dialogue involved African Ministers in charge of Agriculture, Water Resources, Rural Development and Fisheries. The Ministry saw the Innovation Marketplace Initiative as a tangible element that gives immediate meaning to a well publicized Dialogue and decided not only to put money into it but also agreed to have it launched with its own identity, but as part of the whole Dialogue process with Africa.

The Launching of the Marketplace Initiative was followed by the inauguration of the Center for Strategic Studies and Capacity Strengthening at EMBRAPA by the president of Brazil, Mr Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. This structure is a $10m project which is targeted at providing critical services to developing countries in strategic discussions and capacity strengthening. Many African Ministers saw value in this Center and the first set of themes that were presented during the launching. Immediately after the launching of the Center, the participants were led through a display of technologies and innovations coming from EMBRAPA addressing various challenges along the value chain for several commodities.
FARA was represented by Dr Ramadjita Tabo, Deputy Executive Director, and Dr Adewale Adekunle, Director, Partnerships and Strategic Alliances

Bio Circle and the collaboration between EMBRAPA and FARA

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25-26 May, Rome. Bio Circle. Ana Chistina Sagebin Albuquerque of EMBRAPA Brazil says that Bio Circle can be an opportunity for EMBRAPA and FARA to prioritize common research issues which can be submitted together with an European partner for EU funding like the FP 7 programme.

She therefore advocates for FARA and EMBRAPA to

1. first prioritize common research interests,
2. have a training on how to apply for FP 7 funding in Accra and in Brazil,
3. identify a suitable European partner and
4. submit in January 2010 a proposal under the FP 7 FAFB programme (Food Agriculture, Fisheries and Bio technology)
   

Brazil opens agricultural research office for Africa in Accra

Brazil on Sunday 20/04 inaugurated a Regional Office of its Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) in Accra to spearhead agricultural revolution in Africa.Ghana's President John Kufuor and visiting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva jointly performed the inauguration, with Ghana contributing US$500,000 towards the Office.

The Accra Office, among other things, will facilitate technical co-operation activities for agricultural development, technology transfer, ensure availability of research findings to industry and enhance human resource capacity building.Additionally, it is designed to help to deepen South-South co-operation through collaboration of Ghanaian and Brazilian scientists to the mutual benefit of Ghana and other African countries.

EMBRAPA, established in April 1973, has developed into a major world player in agricultural research and technology development, contributing an estimated US$40 billion to Brazil's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Profile:
Dr. Silvio Crestana, Brazil Director-General, EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation). In addition to leading EMBRAPA, one of the world's largest agricultural-research enterprises, Dr. Crestana is also a Research Scientist at the National Center of Research and Development in Agricultural Instrumentation in São Carlos. Read more

Reference:
Afrique-en-ligne 20/04
The Ghanean Journal 20/04
IPS 21/04 AGRICULTURE: Brazil Shares Technology with Africa