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FIRM - Development and Establishment of Two Professional Degree (Masters Level) Programs on Food Security: Land and Water Resource Management for Food Security and Food Security and Agro-food Manageme

"The European Commission launched an online consultation on the role of research in global food and nutrition security. The aim of the consultation is to gather the views of stakeholders, citizens and the scientific community on the role that research has to play in tackling the challenges associated with ensuring food and nutrition security. We want an open and forward-looking debate with stakeholders to encourage dynamic and evidence-based policy making to tackle the many pressing challenges associated with food and nutrition security."

The Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund (ABCF) seeks applicants with innovative ideas for research projects (up to 12 months) aligned with national, regional or continental agricultural development priorities. ABCF is fellowship program that develops capacity for agricultural biosciences research in Africa and supports research projects that ultimately contribute towards increasing food and nutritional security and / or food safety in Africa. Applicants must be scientists or graduate students affiliated with a NARI or African University, and conducting research in the areas of food and nutritional security or food safety in Africa. Closing date for applications: March 31st 2015.

"The objectives of the project is to contribute to food security in areas of poverty in the region of the Caribbean and to strengthen management capacity at the University in terms of learning and practice in the field of food security in areas of poverty, and in this order, during the period of the project, the results obtained are considered of great importance for the final beneficiaries."

"MASERU- Nthabiseng Hlalele , a young and vibrant lady, living in the small village of Masite on the outskirts of Maseru says women should bring food security to the fore because they are the ones taking care of their families. Hlalele said she ventured into farming in 2010 by helping her mother in her farming projects. She said she is following her mother's footsteps in interacting with nature in order to put bread on the table, saying her mother had influenced her discernibly on food security initiatives. "My mother was nominated as the Woman of the Year in Agriculture- 2014," explained Hlalele."

"The EU-funded project JOLISAA coordinated by CIRAD, France; the Prolinnova international network hosted by ETC Foundation, Netherlands; the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS); the AusAID-funded project Food System Innovation for Food Security (FSIFS) and other partners are to meet in May 2013to jointly discuss approaches to enhance knowledge-to-action linkages among actors in agricultural innovation systems in Africa. During WAIA, a workshop on Agricultural Innovation Systems in Africa (AISA) will take place, preceded by an Eastern Africa Farmer Innovation Fair to showcase the achievements of individual and groups of smallholder farmers in improving their farming and their livelihoods. "

"The Africa Lead database features an extensive listing of upcoming trainings and open education resources relevant to anyone interested in food security in Africa. It is relevant for government officials, farm leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and policy leaders in agriculture. The courses and resources include materials from African institutions, training providers, and relevant university, government, and non-governmental organizations from around the world."

Food security remains one of the key challenges that African countries confront today. This problem is most visibly evidenced by frequent food shortages and famines, such as the crisis in the Horn of Africa that lasted from July 2011 to February 2012 and impacted some 13 million people. But it is also illustrated in less visible, but no less dramatic, ways : The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 26 percent of Africa's population is undernourished

The next Brussels Development Briefing on "Global food systems, local impact: the role of agribusiness and development partnerships in advancing African agriculture" will take place Tuesday 25th November 2014 (9h-13h) at the ACP Secretariat (451 Avenue Georges Henri, 1200 Brussels, room C). The transformation of the African agri-business sector is a key challenge to achieve food security and economic development. A differentiated approach to partnerships, based on the development of competitive local private sectors, is essential to boosting agricultural development in Africa. In this context, the objective of this Brussels Briefing is to discuss strategies and approaches for harnessing the potential of development partnerships with the private sector to catalyse market development and productivity in African countries. The outcome of this meeting should be a better understanding of the needs and constraints of the local agricultural sector and strengthen linkages between private sector and development cooperation. At the European level, the meeting would contribute to the development of a framework for dialogue and effective joint action with the private sector. Speakers will include the European Commisison (DG Agri and DG Devco), Yara, the Farmers organizations (SACAU, EAFF), some EU agribusiness groups operating in Africa, European Investment Bank, BMZ, AUC

Under the program Research and Innovation Network for Europe and Africa (RINEA), Africans can apply for mobility grants to promote business, technological, and research partnerships in Europe. The current call focuses on Food Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture, and related fields. The program offers three match-making events, one in Italy and two in Denmark, for which applications are invited from African SMEs, universities, research institutions, and other R&I organizations. The application deadline is 29 April 2016.

Date : 25-31 mai 2013 Lieu : Nairobi (Kenya) "Les parties prenantes du projet JOLISAA, financé par l'Union européenne et coordonné par le CIRAD (France), le réseau international Prolinnova, dont le secrétariat est basé à la Fondation ETC (Pays-Bas), le programme de recherche du CGIAR sur le changement climatique, l'agriculture et la sécurité alimentaire (CCAFS), le projet Food System Innovation for Food Security (FSIFS) financé par l'Agence australienne pour le développement international (AusAID) et d'autres partenaires, se réuniront en mai 2013 pour examiner les différentes stratégies visant à renforcer les relations entre les connaissances et l'action au sein des systèmes d'innovation agricole en Afrique. À cette occasion, un atelier sur les systèmes d'innovation agricole en Afrique sera organisé en marge d'un salon de l'innovation agricole en Afrique de l'Est, qui vise à mettre en lumière les réalisations des petits exploitants agricoles (groupes et individus) dans le but d'améliorer leurs pratiques et leurs moyens de subsistance. http://aisa2013.wikispaces.com/ "

"After decades of underinvestment and policy neglect, agricultural development in emerging economies has quickly risen up the priority list for global development. In the wake of the 2008 food price crisis the international development community, governments and businesses are looking to developing regions - particularly Africa - to play a key role in ensuring global food security."

La semaine des systèmes d'innovation agricole en Afrique (Week on Agricultural Innovation Systems in Africa / WAIA) se tiendra du 25 au 31 mai 2013 à Nairobi (Kenya). Elle est organisée conjointement par : - Le projet JOLISAA du CIRAD (JOint Learning in Innovation Systems in African Agriculture), financé par la Commission Européenne - Le réseau international PROLOINNOVA hébergé par la fondation ETC (PROmoting LOcal INNOVAtion in ecologically-oriented agriculture and natural resources management) - Le CCAFS du CGIAR - Le projet FSIFS financé par la coopération australienne AusAID (Food System Innovation for Food Security)"

Youth are invited to pitch their idea/initiative which engages youth in agriculture and food systems in a 3 minute video outlining how their initiative will help end hunger and malnutrition. All videos will be featured on the Youth Idea Incubator page of the CFS website.

Food systems are often focused on maximizing profits rather than generating income on a sustainable basis for smallholder farmers. But in the context of rapid urbanization throughout the developing world, ensuring sustainable rural transformation and building vibrant rural communities is essential to global food security. Transformation of rural areas and sustainable smallholder agriculture involves creating viable market linkages between small farmers and consumers. This third session of AgTalks brings together experts to address various approaches to building these linkages and helping small farmers succeed. Speakers: Gabriela Soto Muñoz, Maximo Torero, Beatrice Makwenda and Kari Huhtala Date: 1 April 2015 Time: 2:30-5 p.m.

"02 February 2016, Johannesburg - Agro-industry development plays a pivotal role in improving people's lives and can be a major contributor towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (ending poverty), SDG2 (ending hunger and achieve food security), and SDG 8 (promoting economic sustained, inclusive and sustainable growth and employment). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) recently organized a training workshop on Developing and Implementing Agro-Industrial Strategies targeting SADC countries (2- 4 February 2016)."

"HLPE StC Renewal - Call for Nominations The Steering Committee of the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is to be renewed in 2015, for a 2-year term starting at the closure of CFS42 (2015) and ending at closure of CFS44 (2017). A call for nomination of experts is open from 3 November 2014 to 31 January 2015 (3 months). The letter from the CFS Chair and Secretary, calling for nominations, is available to download here [or in AR, ES, FR, RU]. Nominations can be submitted by all CFS members, participants and stakeholders. Nominators shall request their specific, dedicated, password-protected access to the nomination site by sending an e-mail to cfs-hlpe@fao.org. The given login and password will be specific to each nominating country or organization. The nomination procedure is entirely web-based via an online application form. Read more about the process here"

We are excited to learn that the final version of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) is now available online and in six different languages on the FAO website. Follow these links for English, French and Spanish versions.

JICA launched the Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa recently at a side event of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD Ⅵ), held in Africa for the first time. The initiative, abbreviated as IFNA, aims to improve nutrition in Africa, with a particular focus on the region south of the Sahara Desert, which is said to have some 220 million undernourished people.It is also said that nearly 800 million people in the world are chronically undernourished. What's more, some 159 million children ages 5 and under reportedly are stunted.

"Agriculture is a key focus of the rural development agenda and women now make up the majority of the agricultural workforce in developing countries. In the face of increasingly volatile agricultural conditions, due to the impacts of climate change for example, it is important that the rural poor and particularly women are equipped with the skills to cope and adapt to ensure food security and improve income levels""