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“LEAP4FNSSA long-term impact will enable and catalyze the transformation of the existing AU-EU FNSSA Partnership into a “bi- continental” Platform supporting collaboration through multi-stakeholders alliances, a Knowledge Management and Communication framework, and funding initiatives.”
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IN THIS ISSUE
1. Project Brief
2. Kickoff Meeting
3. Roundtable Discussions
4. Upcoming Events
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Foreword
By Philippe Petithuguenin, Project Coordinator.
Welcome to the first newsletter of the LEAP4FNSSA project!
May be some of you will say “No, not another newsletter from another (so far unknown) project”! So my challenge in this editorial is to convince you that you should read this newsletter, and register in order to receive the many future newsletters that will follow...
If you are an actor of the R&I landscape in Europe and/or in Africa, and if you believe in what R&I can deliver for our societies,
if you like working in partnership, with a diversity of trusted people and institutions,
if you are curious to learn about new developments in your domain, and seeking to better know who is doing what,
if you are convinced that R&I could have greater impact through increased coordination between stakeholders, greater alignment between programme owners, better mobilization of existing and new funding opportunities,
then LEAP4FNSSA is for you! As all this will be delivered by this project which it is not a “project” like any other! In its 4 years of activities, LEAP4FNSSA will establish a sustainable, long lasting platform for all EU and AU R&I institutions and individuals willing to work in partnership in the domain of food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture. This partnership platform will be built on three pillars, described in this newsletter, and will be “the” central mechanism for the cooperation between the R&I communities of both continents.
If you are willing to be part of this journey, if you are interested to know more about this platform, I am sure you will enjoy reading this newsletter and the future ones. Then, we would also like to hear from you, as this newsletter could also be your newsletter! And, of course, do not hesitate to share it with your contacts.
With my best regards.
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Introduction
LEAP4FNSSA is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) under the framework of H2020.
The main objective is to establish a sustainable ‘Platform’ for the efficient and coherent implementation of the AU-EU Research and Innovation Partnership described in the Food and Nutrition Security, and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) Roadmap.
Under the aegis of the EU-AU High Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) and its Bureau, LEAP4FNSSA builds upon former EU funded projects such as RINEA, CAAST-Net Plus, ProIntensAfrica and is linked with the ongoing ERANet Cofund LEAP-Agri.
The project aims at increasing synergies and coherence, developing a learning environment and a large knowledge base, and establishing a long-term and sustainable governance and funding mechanism for the Platform.
Main actions
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“Innovative actions are foreseen to run the Platform efficiently e.g. a new approach to information mapping, text and data mining, and testing of multi- stakeholder alliances at a regional level and a 4-steps management cycle for research and innovation.”
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Supporting the Bureau of the AU-EU HLPD in overseing the implementation of the FNSSA Roadmap.
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Strengthening the knowledge base to increase the efficiency of the AU-EU Research and Innovation Partnership on FNSSA.
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Creating strategic alliances of actors committed to align their R&I activities to the FNSSA Roadmap.
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Facilitating relevant FNSSA research and innovation networks.
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Participating Countries:
35 partners from / 23 countries;
Europe: 20 partners, 15 countries
Africa: 15 partners, 8 countries
Austria-BOKU, Burkina Faso-FONRID, Czech Republic-CULS, Denmark-UCPH, Egypt-MHESR and KEF, Ethiopia-UNION AFRICAINE, Finland-LUKE and JYU, France-CIRAD and ANR, Germany-BLE, DLR, UHOH and Go Africa, Ghana-FARA and CSIR-GH, Greece-KINNO, Hungary-SIU, Italy-CIHEAM-IAMB, Kenya- MEST and NASAC, Netherlands-WR, Nigeria-IITA, Portugal-FCT, Senegal-MESRI/DFRSDT, South Africa- NRF, ARC and DST, Spain-INIA, Sweden-SLU, Uganda-ASARECA and RUFORUM, United Kingdom- Greenwich and ACU.
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Expected Impacts
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A substantial contribution to the implementation of the AU- EU HLPD Roadmap on FNSSA by organizing and offering relevant and efficient support to the AU-EU HLPD Bureau.
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A structured long-term Partnership gathering diverse actors dedicated to the implementation of the HLPD Roadmap, including a governance system for the Platform.
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Coherence, synergy and optimization of R&I projects and programmes in the FNSSA domain by creating a true cluster of projects.
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Strengthened Innovation in agricultural systems, based on the utilization of R&I outputs
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The 30th of January, in Accra, Ghana, marked the official launch of the LEAP4FNSSA project.
High ranking officials and in particular the vice-Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation of the Government of Ghana, participated in this kick off meeting, which took place back to back with the first General Assembly meeting and the first Steering Committee meeting, over a time period of 3 days from 30th of January to 1st of February 2019.
Discussions helped to come up with a clear quality management plan as well as orientations for the communication and dissemination strategy and action plan.
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Detailed time scheduling of dissemination, promotion of the project and communication events, locations, participants and appropriate means/ channels for communication and dissemination beyond web-based activities were agreed upon in this meeting.
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The roundtable discussion is the first in a series of raising awareness events that will support the implementation of the EU-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership on Food and Nutrition Security & Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA).
The discussion took place as an integral part of the kickoff event in Accra, Ghana.
The discussion brought together policy makers, farmers, end-users, researchers, industry, representatives of the civil society, funding bodies and other relevant actors in the food and agriculture fields.
The participants were divided into 4 thematic groups:
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Food and Nutrition Security
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Sustainable Agriculture and Water Management
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Climate Change
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Nexus (food, water and energy)
The discussion was guided to find solutions to
- Possible synergies and trade-offs with other sectors
- Link between the entrepreneurship, research, innovation and industry with endusers in the food and agriculture sector
- Identify interventions that would encourage financing bodies to take part in similar initiatives
- Encourage women awareness and participation
- Ensure the continuity of initiatives by the beneficiaries after the project’s end
Each group presented the outcomes of the discussions by highlighting three main issues: gaps, challenges and obstacles, drivers and opportunities
These contributions will feed future project activities and policy proposals.
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Funders Workshop – Paris – August 2019
The workshop will enhance the FNSSA Funders Dialogue.
Clustering Workshop – Brussels – October 2019
Develop projects synergies, identify their priority needs for capitalization.
Workshop – North Africa – October or November 2019
Establish a FNSSA Alliance of donors, researchers and practitioners.
Fostering Knowledge, Communication & Innovation Hubs Workshop –North Africa (to be confirmed) – October or November 2019
Link small businesses to research based recommendations; study options to set up financial support mechanisms.
Stakeholder engagement event –Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) – first week of November 2019
Back to back with the EU AU HLPD Senior Official Meeting.
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