Communication for Development and Knowledge Management

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1 Communication for Development and Knowledge Management Beatrice Nkatha (left), the Sorghum Aggregator from Tharaka Nithi County (Kenya) during the Governing Council panel discussion at the IFAD Farmers Forum 2016 in Rome. 60 Africa Harvest Annual Report 2016

2 Africa Harvest outreach in West Africa helps biotech develop strong roots During the year under review, Africa Harvest continued with biotech outreach projects in Ghana, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. In Ghana and Burkina Faso, the main focus was strengthening biotech stakeholder management by supporting regular, multi-institutional meetings to build consensus on critical issues. The meetings were also designed to synergize biotech and biosafety outreach strategies of members of the Ghana Biotech Stakeholders Forum (GBSF). These include the NBA, Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI), the Program for Biosafety System (PBS) Ghana, the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) Ghana Chapter, Crop Life Ghana and the Africa Biosafety Network of Experts (ABNE). Through the GBSF, Africa Harvest supported efforts to maintain and coordinate communications, outreach, and advocacy efforts among partners. A meeting was held at Kumasi. Interviews were held with scientists at the Crops Research Institute (CRI) in Kumasi as part of a strategy to interview and gather information for a multi-institutional, national communication strategy. Africa Harvest undertook similar work in Burkina Faso; however, the interventions were more focused on challenges related to the non-planting of Bt cotton. Several meetings were held to enable the Burkina Biotech and Biosafety Stakeholder Forum (BBBSF) build consensus on critical issues. Partner organizations synergized their biotech and biosafety outreach strategies. The institutions included: Africa Harvest, Institut de l'environnementet de RecherchesAgricoles (INERA), ABNE, Burkina Biotech Association (BBA), RECOAB and OFAB. Among the achievements of the stakeholder forum in Burkina Faso was mitigating the adverse effects of not planting Bt cotton. Information was disseminated to defined target audiences, especially within the new government. The forum remained engaged with Bt cotton farmers; their support for the technology was not in question and helped frame discussions with the government in a progressive way. Africa Harvest was part of a multi-stakeholder Rapid Response Team (RRT) that played a key role in message development and deployment. A regional biotech stakeholder conference, which included partners outside Burkina Faso - such as Africa Harvest, Africa Seed Traders Association (AFSTA) and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) confirmed to the new government, politicians and policymakers that the issue was beyond the country or the West Africa region. Communication for Development and Knowledge Management 61

3 However, the political transition and the fact that many in the new government were not conversant with the technology made the challenge of reaching out particularly difficult. Nonetheless, a clear way forward was agreed, based on a single coordinating unit, consisting of local individuals and institutions involved in biotechnology and biosafety. During the last quarter of 2016, Croplife International (CLI) requested Africa Harvest to strengthen biotech outreach in Nigeria. More specifically, Africa Harvest was asked to synergize and strengthen efforts of the NABDA. To this end, a stakeholders workshop to review efforts by different organizations and agree on a unified strategy was held in Abuja in December Top (left to right): INERA Director General, Dr. Hamidou Traore chats with colleagues, Dr. Edgar Traore and Dr. Fidel Tiendrebeogo during a global celebration of 20 years of GM crops, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Right (left to right): Africa Harvest Communication Director, Mr. Daniel Kamanga with Dr. Moussa Savadogo of the African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) and former Monsato Corporate and Government Affairs Manager in West Africa. Dr. Doulaye Traore, during the Table for 20 celebrations. Below left: Participating in a panel discussions; African biotech organizations met in Ouagadougou to discuss challenges facing Burkina Faso Below right: Burkinabe and the African delegates 62 Africa Harvest Annual Report 2016

4 Nigeria multi-stakeholder meeting commits to unified biotech outreach Africa Harvest partnered with the NABDA and the AFSTA to hold a successful multi-institutional and multi-stakeholder meeting where the goal was to agree on a unified biotech strategy, given the diversity of the country and competing interests. The meeting was hosted by the OFAB Nigeria Chapter, which operates within NABDA. Given its mandate and role, the NBMA was a key partner in the meeting. Other institutions represented included the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Seed Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN), AFSTA, Crop Life International, Africa Harvest, the Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), IAR Zaria, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), National Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI),Badeggi, and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC). The meeting follows Crop Life s request for Africa Harvest to work with NABDA/OFAB Nigeria to strengthen OFAB Nigeria s role as the focal point and single coordinating unit on biotechnology and biosafety outreach in Nigeria. The meeting therefore sought to explore ways of ensuring a unified voice and strategy, especially with regards to issues management and engagement with various government/private entities. It was also an opportunity for stakeholders to share their plans for 2017 with a view to identifying possible synergies. The meeting also strengthened the database of all biotechnology stakeholders with a view of regular communication and effective issues management. The ARCN Executive Secretary was represented by Mr Yarama Ndirpaya who said the Council would continue to partner with various local and international institutions to get improved technologies to farmers. The Executive Director, IAR, Zaria, Prof. I. U. Abubakar said agricultural biotechnology was a proven and novel science used all over the world to solve emerging agricultural challenges. He highlighted its positive impact in many countries such as Brazil, Argentina, China and the United States. He recognized the collaborative efforts of AATF, NABDA, Africa Harvest and other organizations working to develop genetically modified (GM) products in Nigeria. The Director General/CEO of NBMA, Dr Rufus Ebegba said: NBMA has the responsibility to ensure that an enabling legal framework is created to carry out modern biotech activities and agricultural improvement from small-scale to large-scale through biotechnology. He commended stakeholders for their efforts to synergize outreach among the biotech stakeholders and seed companies. The President of SEEDAN, Mr Richard Olafare commended the efforts of OFAB and the collaborating institutions for organizing the meeting. He said the private seed sector was critical in acceptance of biotech products as they are the ones who ensure the products gets to farmers. Africa Harvest Communication Director, Mr Daniel Kamanga, presented a Case Study of Coordination Efforts in Africa. According to him, agriculture has a big role to play in solving the current challenges faced by Nigeria. He said effective coordination by institutions involved in biotech is critical to public acceptance, farmer adoption and commercialization. To this effect, he proposed some guidelines that could help create synergy among biotechnology institutions: Development of a multi-institutional, multistakeholder coordination unit. Communication for Development and Knowledge Management 63

5 An online, central system of on-going biotechnology research as one of the benefits of membership. Professional code of conduct to ensure bestpractice and compliance among institutions and individuals conducting biotechnology research. System of synergizing with international and regional biotech initiatives to ensure they are mainstreamed into the national framework. Mr Richard Olafare, President SEEDAN. Mr Yarama Ndirpaya, representative of the Executive Secretary of the ARCN. Mr Daniel Kamanga, Communications Director, Africa Harvest making a presentation. Prof I. U. Abubakar, Executive Director, IAR Zaria. Engineer Steve D. YakubuAtar, Managing Director Alheri Seeds. 64 Africa Harvest Annual Report 2016

6 Dr Rose Gidado, OFAB Nigeria Coordinator making a presentation. Director General/CEO NBMA, Dr Rufufs Ebegba making a presentation. Participants of the Nigeria Biotechnology and Biosafety Stakeholders Meeting. Communication for Development and Knowledge Management 65