AFRACA-NIRSAL masterclass opens in Lagos, builds financial institutions’ capacity for climate, AI-driven agricultural finance - NaijaAgroNet

The African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA), in partnership with NIRSAL Plc, has convened finance professionals from across Africa for a week-long Masterclass in Lagos focused on inclusive climate finance and artificial intelligence integration for agricultural lending, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The capacity-building initiative brings together delegates from central banks, commercial banks, development finance institutions, microfinance banks, and insurance companies across Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya.

AUC awards 13 institutions with GMES support

NaijaAgroNet:

The African Union Commission (AUC) has awarded grants to thirteen consortia of institutions of higher learnings to serve as Regional Implementing Centres for the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security and Africa (GMES and Africa) Support Programme, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The award ceremony, NaijaAgroNet gathered, would hold on the margins of the 5th AU-EU Summit in Abidjan, Cote d`Ivoire.

Also, NaijaAgroNet recalled that following a call for proposals in May 2017, a number of African institutions operating in the areas of water, natural resources, marine and coastal areas, applied for the GMES and Africa Support Programme Grants.

The Communications Officer, GMES & Africa at AUC, Mr. Adiatou Fattey in a press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet, noted that in order to evaluate the applications and select the most suitable consortia of institutions that submitted proposals, the African Union Commission instituted a committee supported by a team of assessors comprising African earth observation experts.

The 13 consortia of institutions were finally selected and the award marks the official announcement of their selection.

1. Central Africa: Agence Gabonaise d'Etudes et d'Observations Spatiale (AGEOS) and Commission Internationale du Bassin Congo-Oubangui-Sangha (CICOS) for Water and natural resources service.

2. East Africa:

IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC) and Regional Centre for Mapping off Resources for Development (RCMRD) for Water and natural resources service

Mauritius Oceanography Institute (MOI) for Marine and coastal areas service

3.North Africa:

National Authority for Remote Sensing & Space Sciences (NARSS) for marine and coastal area service

Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS) for water and natural ressources service

4. Southern Africa:

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for marine and coastal areas service

Southern African Development Community Climate Services Centre (SADC-CSC) and Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) for water and natural resources service

5. West Africa

Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria (CSSTE-Obafemi) for water and natural resources service University of Ghana (UG) for Marine and coastal areas service.

At the award ceremony, the Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology at the African Union Commission, Professor Sarah Anyang Agbor, felicitated the successful institutions on their selection, which she said was based on their experience and proven capacities. 

She implored them to deliver the goods, and promised the African Union Commission’s unflinching support.

Isaac Oyimah/ED, Ops

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Italy, FAO to boost food production with 10,000 scientists

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Three Italian main research institutions are partnering the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to help developing countries build stronger agricultural sectors through better research and information, NaijaAgroNet reports.

The institutions, National Research Council (CNR), Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CRA) and National Agency for new technologies, renewable energy and sustainable economic development (ENEA), NaijaAgroNet gathered, would employ over 10,000 scientists in more than 100 research institutes across Italy to tackle global food and agricultural sector challenges, including climate change, degradation of natural resources, and plant and animal pests and diseases - as well as changes in dietary patterns that affect food systems.

Confirming the collaboration, Italian Ambassador to FAO Pierfrancesco Sacco said the agreement marks a turning point in Italy-FAO relations. "In particular, the partnership will help address the growing challenge of bringing sustainability into the food and agricultural systems of developing countries; also in view of future implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals," he said.

As part of Italian’s Ministry of Agriculture, CRA's 1,700 researchers and staff performing advanced research on agriculture, food, fishery, forestry and economics, toppled with more than 100 research institutes and 8,000 CNR’s research staff on areas of research and technological development in Agriculture and Food Sciences, Bio-Medicine, Engineering, Environmental and Social Sciences achieving the set goal is reassured.

FAO Deputy-Director General and Natural Resources Coordinator, Maria Helena Semedo, during the signing event, stated that research plays a crucial role in agricultural and rural development and can unleash tremendous agricultural potential in the developing world.

"Being able to harness the wide ranging expertise of three of Italy's top research bodies will not only help countries better manage their natural resources and food systems but also support FAO's larger mission of eradicating hunger and malnutrition worldwide," she said

NaijaAgroNet learnt that ENEA operates in the fields of energy, environment and new technologies and also employs over 2,600 staff across its 11 research centers.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE

 

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