AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2018 REPORT

On 20-21 March 2018, the third annual Joint AAUN Australia Awards Agricultural Research Symposium was held at the Southern Sun Mayfair Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.  The symposium was co-hosted by AAUN, ACIAR, the Australia Awards, the University of Nairobi and the University of Sydney. The Symposium is part of the Australia Awards Africa Short Course “Increasing the Development Impact of Agricultural Research” (IDIAR). Funding for the program has been supplied by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AAUN. Please follow the link to a video of this Symposium.

Program

View/download Symposium Report View program Background to speakers About ACIAR by Dr Leah Ndungu

Media coverage

Kenya Television Network – How Australia Plans to implement food security in Kenya Dhahabu Kenya Blog – Agriculture symposium brings together African and Australia researchers in Nairobi to spur research-based transformation in the sector Kenya Broadcasting Corporation – Kenya banking on Research and Innovation to boost food production K24 News – K24 News from 14.55 Ebru TV – Swahili news – Australia Awards Symposium Ebru TV – English News – Food Secure Africa Saturday Nation – Seeds of Gold Pullout – Experts call for increased funding (read via PressReader)

Presentations:

Panel Theme 1: Technology for Agricultural Impact

• Dr Bruce Pengelly, Tropical Agriculture Consultant at Pengelly Consultancy Pty Climate smart agriculture: lessons from ZimCLIFS
• Dr Mulugetta Mekuria, CIMMYT, SIMLESA Program Leader Building Productive, Resilient & Sustainable Maize-Legume Cropping Systems in Africa
• A/Prof Brett Whelan, University of Sydney Digital soil mapping for food and soil security
• Prof Hettie Schönfeldt, University of Pretoria Food composition data for animal-source foods in Sub Saharan Africa (AAUN PRDF 2017)
• Prof Mu Li, University of Sydney Using digital technology in health promotion: job aid mobile apps

Panel Theme 2: Private Sector Engagement for Agricultural Impact

• Dr Christy van Beek, SoilCares The business of soil testing: innovative agro-technology and integrated soil fertility management in Kenya
• Prof Catherine Wangari Muthuri, World Agroforestry Centre-ICRAF Developing value chain innovation platforms to improve food security in East and Southern Africa (VIP4FS)
• Dr Sylvester O. Oikeh, African Agricultural Technology Foundation ‘Shared Value Initiative’ Water Efficient Maize in Africa (WEMA) Project
• Dr Paul Greener, Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund ACEF’s work in supporting agribusiness
• Mr Colin Forbes, Base Titanium Partnerships for improved livelihoods in the cotton industry

Panel Theme 3: Gender for Agricultural Impact

• Dr Michele Mbo’o Tchouawou, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) Building capacity of African women in Agricultural Research
• Dr Rahma Adam, CIMMYT SIMLESA lessons on gender and benefits to women, men and youth of sustainable intensification technologies and constraints to adoption compare between women and men Africa
• Mrs Violet Gathaara, KALRO Gender and extension
• Dr Jemimah Njuki, Senior Program Specialist, IDRC Gender, Agriculture and Food Security: What works?

Conference Images: A Selection of Highlights

Lively discussions

University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor Prof. Peter Mbithi

 

AAUN Co-Chair Prof John Hearn The winning team of the innovation challenge was rewarded with 10,000 Australian Dollars to actualize a cross-country research project courtesy of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Congratulations! Prof Robyn McConchie, the University of Sydney Panel Theme 1: Technology for Agricultural Impact Panel Theme 3: Gender for Agricultural Impact