In the last 2 weeks of November, the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture program team went on a tour of visits to the Lab's East Africa Regional Hub programs. From Uganda to Kenya, the team, represented by Lydia Maranga (program officer) and Michel Kabirigi (post-doctoral researcher), joined Peninah Yumbya, PhD (East Africa Regional Hub manager) to visit the various project sites and teams.
Throughout their visits and training activities, they also sat down for discussions with the Principal Investigators (PI) on the projects' progress, potential challenges, impacts on the target beneficiaries, and future opportunities for enhancing Kenya's horticulture sector.
🔗 Read the full story of the team's tour here: https://lnkd.in/dkSvBAV4
📸 Check out photos from the team's full tour experience: https://lnkd.in/dRWxt4zU
Very important step done to foster transition of AGROECOLOGY in Europe ,➡️get to know our member in our network of living labs and research infrastructure and/or become a member in our network🧩🌽🥕
📢 BIG NEWS!
🔎 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬!
After the official launch of European Network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures (the Network) in June 2024, a new subsection named ’𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐄 𝐋𝐋𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐈𝐬’ is now available on the Partnership’s website dedicated to present the Network and its members.
Here you can get familiar with the Network’s background, its objectives, and benefits of becoming part of this innovative community and you can also browse an interactive map of the current members. Moreover, you can find detailed descriptions of each member by clicking on them in the ’Members’ section. Information on this subsection of the website is continuously updated as new members enter into the Network.
Visit the Network: https://lnkd.in/etzCbibN
☘️ I'm so proud to share that the EU Network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures was officially launched this summer under the frame of AGROECOLOGY Partnership with 17 members. Thanks to three years of devoted preparatory work in the ALL-Ready and AE4EU projects, the foundations of the EU Network were already laid down between 2019-2023 in terms of operations, methods, networking tools, governance options and potential joint activities using co-creation and experimentation.
💡🤝The main objective of the EU Network - which coordinated by ÖMKi - Hungarian Research Institute of Organic Agriculture - is to connect participatory place-based innovations for enhancing knowledge sharing and for supporting multi-stakeholder co-creation of agroecology innovations across various scales in Europe.
Check out the news about the launch: https://lnkd.in/dqsPqX7X
In order to get familiar with the Network and its current members, discover the Partnership's website and browse the interactive map of agroecology LLs and RIs: https://lnkd.in/d_7QQ-FX
Interested in becoming a member? 📝📆
Every year, the Network application opens in December. So stay tuned, because the 1st wave of application will open on 9 December 2024!
Until then, prepare for your application and check out the Network Application & Criteria Guideline: https://lnkd.in/deHgbNCP#agroecology#livinglabs#researchinfrastructures#EUNetwork#research#innovation
📢 BIG NEWS!
🔎 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬!
After the official launch of European Network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures (the Network) in June 2024, a new subsection named ’𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐄 𝐋𝐋𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐈𝐬’ is now available on the Partnership’s website dedicated to present the Network and its members.
Here you can get familiar with the Network’s background, its objectives, and benefits of becoming part of this innovative community and you can also browse an interactive map of the current members. Moreover, you can find detailed descriptions of each member by clicking on them in the ’Members’ section. Information on this subsection of the website is continuously updated as new members enter into the Network.
Visit the Network: https://lnkd.in/etzCbibN
🌟 Combined Congress 2025 🌟
The 2025 Combined Congress, hosted by the University of Limpopo in Polokwane, kicked off with a truly inspiring opening session. This annual event brings together the South African Society of Horticultural Sciences (SAHS), the South African Society of Crop Production (SASCP), and the Soil Science Society of South Africa (SSSA).
This year's theme, "Science for Commercial and Rural Development," was beautifully introduced by Kgoshigadi Moremadi Mothapo, a traditional rural community leader. Her keynote message shed light on the pressing challenges faced by South Africa’s rural areas:
🌱 The urgency of tackling food security through sustainable innovation.
🌱 Addressing unemployment by driving agricultural development.
🌱 The critical role of collaboration and community in building resilience.
🌱 The need for accessible leadership to empower rural development.
Her words resonated deeply, reminding us of the transformative power of agriculture and science in shaping a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
With such a strong start, I look forward to a week filled with impactful talks, innovative ideas, and meaningful collaborations. Let’s harness this opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to a thriving agricultural sector.
#ScienceForDevelopment#AgricultureInnovation#CombinedCongress2025#SustainableAgriculture#CollaborationForChange
🌱🔬Do you operate a living lab or a research infrastructure that is actively contributing to the agroecology transition? Are you interested in connecting with similar initiatives to learn, grow 🌍, gain visibility 👀 or cooperate 🤝?
📅The European Network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures will open its first application wave on 𝟗 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒!
The Network’s Application and Criteria Guideline 📑 is now available online, which explains in detail the whole application process, eligibility, and the criteria to comply with in order to become a member in the Network. It also informs about the most important dates to keep in mind for the application .
✅Prepare ahead for your application, read the guideline now!
https://lnkd.in/eV5P5QcF#Agroecology#LivingLabs#Research#Innovation#Sustainability#AgroecologyTransition
🌱The Agroecology Coalition made significant strides in 2023! They established a permanent secretariat, launched strategy development, and engaged in global events to promote agroecology. Find out valuable outputs from their working groups!
Check out the Annual Report 2023 for more insights 👇
✨ Our 2023 Annual Report is out!
🌱 In 2023, the Agroecology Coalition set up its permanent secretariat, launched its strategy development process, set up its social media accounts and website, and actively participated with its members in several international events to promote #agroecology.
📈 The Coalition produced various outputs such as briefings and tools through its 5 working groups and saw an increase in its membership.
👉 To learn more about our work in 2023 you can consult our Annual Report, which is available in English, French, and Spanish: https://lnkd.in/dycnJ43X
CAWR researcher Judith Conroy attended the first annual meeting of the European Network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures in Helsinki. The network, established as part of the Horizon Europe project Agroecology Partnership, aims to facilitate the transition to agroecology across Europe, by building on participatory research approaches such as Living Labs, including the Coventry Agroecological Living Lab (CALL). The newly formed network connects participatory place-based innovations, to enhance knowledge sharing and support the co-creation of agroecology innovations across various scales in Europe. In addition, CAWR’s Professor Ulrich Schmutz is part of the Agroecology Partnership advisory board.
Eight Vice Chancellors of leading universities in Kenya visited recently visited ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, on a study tour to discuss scientific training, research and commercialisation of research outputs, with emphasis on technology transfer processes. University of EmbuMeru University of Science and Technology (MUST)Riara UniversityDaystar University, University of NairobiSouth Eastern Kenya University (SEKU)Maasai Mara University and Rongo University of Science &Technology. The visit was facilitated by Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA).
A highlight of the visit was a mini-exhibition showcasing icipe’s research products in #biopesticides, #InsectsforFoodandFeed, #bees, and #silk; followed by a presentation on icipe’s research outputs in Animal, Environmental, Plant, and Human health. Other capacity-strengthening initiatives under icipe’s like the PASET-Rsif, which collaborates with universities in and outside of Africa to support the training of PhD and MSc students, and #BioInnovateAfrica Programme, which supports researchers in building entrepreneurial skills and commercializing their research outputs, were highlighted.
The visit shows a commitment by Kenyan universities to drive innovation and address national challenges through research and technology transfer. The VCs acknowleged the need to create enabling environments for research and innovation within their respective universities, especially by strengthening their technology transfer offices.
Key recommendations were that universities should update Intellectual Property policies, ensure research is value-driven, explore private sector partnerships, offer entrepreneurial training, engage with policymakers, and enhance procurement and operational efficiencies. One the side of icipe more community and stakeholder engagement to broaden its impact was suggested. These steps aim to foster a vibrant innovation ecosystem in Africa, strengthen collaboration between research institutions and government agencies, and contribute to Africa's economic growth and social progress. This visit serves as a catalyst for future partnerships and knowledge exchange, positioning Africa at the forefront of scientific advancement and development.
Africans coming together to move Africa forward is what we need. African BioGenome Project, ThankGod Ebenezer, PhD and DAISEA AfricaBP are doing amazing things to eliminate the gap in skill across Africa in the field of Biodiversity Genomics and Bioinformatics. Well done👏