http://www.era-ard.org/ Agricultural Research for Development en-en http://www.era-ard.org/typo3conf/ext/tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.era-ard.org/ 18 16 Agricultural Research for Development http://backend.userland.com/rss091 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:34:00 +0200 http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/the-report-on-the-uganda-co-ordination-workshop-is-online/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=04&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=29&cHash=d74e5492ec56735b4424076ce39afea8 The report on the Uganda workshop is online. http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/nourish-our-people-nurture-our-planet/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=04&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=03&cHash=dabfbed88924a2994ad626fd9348a4f7 Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/scientists-need-to-bring-women-into-ard/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=03&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=20&cHash=2d8c98b088d54c158efa7ab2662eebdd Today, much of the scientific knowledge and technologies does not reach rural women for various reasons. This needs rectification. Research systems must also seek the inputs of women, as they have historically been the source of much traditional knowledge and innovations at the grassroots level’, according to her Excellency Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, in New Delhi, India.While appreciating the efforts of the National Agricultural Research System for bringing women in the fore front of agricultural research and development, the President of India suggested forming of Mahila Kisan Mandals in every village to educate women on different aspects of agriculture and related activities. ‘I also believe that tapping the potential of Rainfed and Dry land farming is necessary. In this, water management would be essential, again an area where the role of women is crucial, and needs to be... http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/cassava-best-bet-for-african-farmers/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=03&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=01&cHash=3f45a0d9f6bc2029852e4fba69e04f00 Scientists examined the impacts of climate change on cassava production in Africa, and question whether cassava can play an important role in climate change adaptation. A study was done to examine expected climate change impacts on cassava itself, and on other important staple food crops for Africa including maize, millets, sorghum, banana, and beans based on projections to 2030. Results indicate that cassava is actually positively impacted in many areas of Africa, with −3.7% to +17.5% changes in climate suitability across the continent. The paper concludes that cassava is potentially highly resilient to future climatic changes and could provide Africa with options for adaptation whilst other major food staples face challenges. http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/agricultural-research-resource-share-guide/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=02&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=26&cHash=380caeede1f72f6f71f783dd817c60b3 The AgShare initiative has produced a Guide in collaboration with African universities to help them strengthen their MSc curricula in the agricultural sciences through the creation, utilization, and management of open educational resources (OER). This initiative, which is now drawing to the end of its initial planning and pilot phase, aims to demonstrate that cooperation between universities, community organizations, and content providers can help generate OER that is used by MSc agricultural faculties in Africa and around the world to strengthen their academic programs and their relevance to local communities. Students and farmer organizations have been actively involved throughout this process.With its focus on Africa, AgShare complements other share resources:1. AGORA (Access to Global Online Research Literature in Agriculture), established by the Food and Agriculture Organization... http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/partnership-paradox/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=02&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=15&cHash=7b61a369795a4da25e14fb8d3daa9bc8 The Centre of International Development Issues Nijmegen (CIDIN), Radboud University in the Netherlands recently produced a PhD-dissertation entitled The Partnership Paradox: Principles and Practices in North-South NGO Relations. Based on fieldwork in India, Ghana and Nicaragua he examined the contradiction between the ideal and practice of partnerships. The analysis focused on:- the processes and outcomes of decision-making in partnerships between Northern and Southern NGOs;- the institutional design of partnerships, particularly the rules that guide interaction and decision-making;- the strategic behaviour of Southern NGOs in response to adverse donors conditions;- the influence of the institutional environment of the private aid channel on the principles and practices of partnership. http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/iprs-hampering-food-security/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=01&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=27&cHash=e51a3106d171152ec8e5fbac8d6ee2ce The double role of IPRs in the context of facilitating the MDGs http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/food-security-climate-change-road-map-in-science/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=01&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=25&cHash=e193b5a9173a4df4406c16ada89808d3 What next for Agriculture after Durban? http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/report-on-the-future-of-farming/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=01&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=20&cHash=4e37c41712ec90f8bdc07bfb4617a9ab Power in Agriculture: Resources, Economics and Politics http://www.era-ard.org/news/info/aktuell/capacity-building-helps-pastoral-women-in-ethiopia/?tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2012&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=01&tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=10&cHash=500416e95498970030b0becd41b755cd A capacity building project in Southern pastoral Ethiopia showed that it could ‘set the stage for use of new information and technology’ in pastoral regions of Africa. A report by three scientists claims that their capacity building project has specifically helped pastoral women transform impoverished communities in southern Ethiopia. From 2000 to 2004 they used an action-oriented approach to build capacity among thousands of pastoralists to diversify livelihoods, improve living standards and enhance livestock marketing. The process included collective action, microfinance, and participatory education. Poor women previously burdened by domestic chores became leaders and rapidly changed their communities. Then drought occurred from 2005 to 2008. After that period, the intervention effects on household drought resilience were assessed using a quasi-experimental format that incorporated...