Sustainable
Agiculturual Initiative (IFS)
In December 2002,
CODESRIA and the International Foundation of Science (IFS)
jointly launched the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative to
explore ways of improving dialogue between researchers and
stakeholders in the agricultural production chain. This
initiative was conceptualised with the understanding that the
sustainable management of agricultural resources demands a
capacity to produce and use high quality trans-disciplinary
scientific knowledge. The initiative further aims at generating
new knowledge and appropriate technologies for improved natural
resource management for sustainable agriculture. It is an
initiative that is also meant to stimulate dialogue between
natural scientists and social scientists that will address the
issue of sustainable agriculture for food production in Africa.
Currently, two
themes are the main focus of research. On the one hand is the
role of under-utilised traditional food crops (including fruits)
in African agriculture. On the other hand is biotechnology and
food in Africa.
On going
activities: 7 teams were set up in
the year 2004. These teams are still carrying out research in
the following areas:
Ibrahima N’diaye – Mali:
Enrichissement des formations forestières avec des espèces a
usage multiples.
Adam Ahanchede - Benin:
Conservation of the generic diversity of local cucurbit crops to
improve farmers’ welfare in Benin
Aggrey J.D. Ambali - Malawi:
Application of biotechnology to enhance banana production in
Malawi
Asenath J. Sigot - Kenya:
Sustainable African Indigenous vegetable production, utilisation
and conservation in Lake Victoria region, Kenya
Sospeter Onchoke - Kenya:
Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Institute (KETRI) research team
Phillip O.Y.
Nkunika - Zambia: Development of
integrated pest management strategies for pestiferous termite
taxa in agroforestry systems in Eastern and Southern Africa
Daouda
Dan: Contribution des variétés
améliorées de l’igname (Dioscorea spp) a la stabilisation des
systèmes de production agricoles en Cote d’Ivoire
A call for
setting up new research teams for the year 2005/2006 has been
issued.
Link
http://www.ifs.se/programme/ifs_codesria_2006.asp
