This report from Boni Moyo presents highlights on institute wide activities in southern Africa for the period April, 2013. Highlights about on-going projects are captured elsewhere through special project reports or mission reports. Since this is the first report from this region this year, I have decided to include the list of current projects in the region. I have also taken the opportunity to introduce the ILRI staff that is based in the region.

Visit by Jimmy Smith – 21-24 April

The highlight from this region was the visit by Jimmy Smith from 21-24 April. Details on this mission were reported in the trip report circulated last Friday (10 May). In summary, this was Jimmy’s first visit to the region since he became DG. He was accompanied by Siboniso Moyo on this mission that took them to three countries (Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe).  Partners warmly welcomed Jimmy and affirmed their commitment to mutual collaboration with ILRI. In summary the following organisations and people were visited:

• Harare, Zimbabwe – Ministry of Agriculture, CIMMYT,  ILRI staff and farmers
• Pretoria, South Africa – Agricultural Research Council staff
• Gaborone, Botswana (Ministry of Agriculture, OIE, FAO, SADC Secretariat, CCARDESA, Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), GALVMed.

In addition to a series of meetings with different organisations as listed above Jimmy had high level discussions with the Ministers of Agriculture of Botswana and Zimbabwe. Both countries expressed their willingness to strengthen their collaboration with ILRI in an effort to enhance the contribution of livestock to improved food security, poverty alleviation and prosperity of their nations.

In South Africa, the discussions were mainly with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) on how to strengthen collaboration through the various activities of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI), Animal Production Institute of Irene and the Biotechnology Platform.

 The Center for the Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development in southern Africa (CCARDESA) finalises its Medium Term Operational Plan (MTOP) for 2013-2018

Siboniso Moyo was one of the key stakeholders that participated in the meeting organized by CCARDESA (a new Sub-Regional Organisation (SRO) established to coordinate agricultural research and development (R&D) in the SADC region). The meeting held in Johannesburg on 10-12 April brought together  national, regional and international agricultural research and development organisations, SADC Secretariat, NEPAD Agency, Farmer organisations and the private sector to input into the draft MTOP before it was presented to the CCARDESA Board for approval later in April. The MTOP describes the activities to be coordinated and implemented during the first five years (2013 – 2018) of CCARDESA. The document spells out CCARDESA’s intention to collaborate with the various stakeholders including CG Centers during the implementation of the proposed R&D activities.

Profile of current project activities in the region

• Small ruminant value chains as platforms for reducing poverty and increasing food security in dryland areas of India and Mozambique (imGoats) funded by EC IFAD – ends on 30/06/2013
• Safe Food, Fair Food: from capacity building to implementation: Risk-based approaches to improving food safety and market access in smallholder meat, milk and fish value four African countries. Funded by GIZ – ends on 31/12/2014
• ACIAR Botswana – Enhancing the Competitiveness of Smallholder  Livestock in Botswana –  ends on 31/08/2015
• ACIAR Zimbabwe – Improving food security and rural livelihoods through better integration of crop and livestock production – ends on 31/05/2015
• IFAD Swaziland – Innovative beef value chain development schemes in Southern Africa – ends on 31/05/2015
• USAID Feed the Future Research Strategy for Eastern and Southern Africa – ends on 30/09/2014
• MilkIT –Tanzania. IFAD funded –ends in 2014
• MoreMilkit – Tanzania. IrishAid supported. Preparing for Phase II (4 year programme)

CRPs

There is very limited direct CRP work in this region.

• Drylands: the Southern Africa region has an SRT 3 pilot site in Zambia, with Malawi and Mozambique as the spill over sites in the Chinyanga triangle
• Humid tropics: IITA led CRP. Some southern Africa countries (Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Madagascar) are part of Tier 2 countries.
• Markets – Value chains and institutes components (mainly with cattle and small ruminants)
• Livestock and Fish:  More meat, milk and fish by the poor for the poor. Tanzania is the target country for the dairy value chain. While it is part of the SADC countries it is also part of the East African Community, and at the moment is managed from the Nairobi office.
• Agricultural related diseases: the Southern Africa region is being considered for research on Rift Valley Fever and possibly research on cysticercosis?

 Pipeline development

• Zimbabwe EU Call for food security – EUR 7million. ILRI is working with an NGO in preparation for the bid. Godfrey and Siboniso are the ILRI contacts.
• Mozambique – Government/IFAD call to support the red meat value chain development in the south of the country (PROSUL). Derek Baker and team were part of the project formulation team under an IFAD mission.  ILRI will team up with an NGO to bid. Saskia and Siboniso are the ILRI contacts.

 Meet Team ILRI southern Africa

In addition to the above ILRI staff based in the region, Derek Baker and his team are frequently in the region to contribute to the beef and goat value chain projects in Botswana, Mozambique and Swaziland.