Dar_USAID+Feed+the+Future+Initiative+research+strategy

=Sustainable intensification of cereal-based farming systems in Eastern and Southern Africa = = Project Inception Workshop = = 6-9 February 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania =

=Presentation: Feed the Future (Dr. Rob Bertram, USAid) =

This workshop provides an opportunity for a broad group of important stakeholders to both learn about the project plans and to share their views on expectations from and opportunities for synergies with the project (days 1 and 2) and for the core project team to finalize the project details (days 3 and 4).


 * Food crisis in 2008 led USAid to review the strategy.
 * Africa was particularly hit by the crisis. Richer countries were more resilient. The poorer countries - spending more money on food - had an affected ability to cope with it. Quality diets (meat, eggs etc.) went down in those days, in favour of basic staples.
 * //Feed the Future// is holistic and has a strong emphasis on pro-poor growth.
 * Goals are: accelerating inclusive agricultural sector growth, reducing child under-nutrition, including women, integrating climate change and environment.
 * How to design agricultural programs that have a large impact?
 * Poor people are particularly concentrated in West and Southern Africa (and Ethiopian highlands) and South Asia
 * Research themes: productivity, nutrition, food safety.
 * It is counter-intuitive for many to see the pockets of poverty in the areas where there is intensive agricultural production.
 * Long term research areas: heat/drought tolerant and climate-adapted cereals + advanced tech solutions for animals and plants + legume productivity for improved nutrition and household incomes.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Sustainable intensification:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">What? Integrates component technologies, NRM, socio-economic aspects.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Where? specific focal agroecologies, spillovers to other regions, targeted geographies and value chains.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">How? Aligning partnerships (national and regional CAADP plans, US unis e.g. CRSPs, International ag research centers, NARS, dev donors, private sector).
 * Interventions of sustainable intensification - increasing productivity while reducing risk:
 * Improve water productivity/water use efficiency
 * nutrient use efficiency;
 * minimize negative environmental impact
 * Increase adaption and reduce GHG emissions per unit of productivity
 * integrate best component tech
 * work in farmer context, integrating local knowledge/perspectives.
 * Challenges: going beyond tradeoffs?
 * The bigger picture: CAADP, other donors, USAid mission, impact assessment, an R&D model for alignment, coordination and integration).