Volume 2, Number 02

July 2009

News and Recent Updates

Users Applaud the Role of AAAE Website: An online and email survey of the Association website was conducted between May and June 2009. The objective of the survey was to collect views of AAAE members and other users on the performance, organization and role of the Association website, www.aaae-africa.org. A majority of the users returned positive opinion on the role of the website and made useful suggestions on how to improve its quality, navigation and content for the greater benefit of members and the rest of the development, scientific and business communities. The full survey report is available here.

Third AAAE International Conference, Cape Town, South Africa. The 3rd International Conference of the African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE) is scheduled for Cape Town, South Africa during 20-23 September 2010. The call for papers comes out in August and we encourage readers to check with the Association website, www.aaae-africa.org.

Blog Topic: Information on Innovation Systems. This blog is proposed by a researcher working with a fodder project at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and using innovation systems perspective to work with multiple actors in livestock development in Ethiopia. The researchers, however, are constrained in their efforts to facilitate innovation platforms and engage actors. Readers are encouraged to share their expereinces and tools for innovations capapcity and systems analyses by visiting the blog at http://ageconomics-africa.blogspot.com. Articles can be sent by email to: africancrops@wananchi.com or to  Kebebe Ergano, Research Officer, ILRI Addis Ababa, email: k.ergano@cgiar.org

African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) Announces the selection of 61 women scientists who will receive the innovative AWARD Fellowship – a fellowship designed to boost the female talent pool for African agriculture. For more information about AWARD, go to:  http://fellowsupdate.wordpress.com/ and the CGIAR Gender & Diversity program, go to:

http://www.genderdiversity.cgiar.org.

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa(AGRA) - Proposals for Seed Production and Dissemination: AGRA announces a call for proposals to increase farmers’ awareness of the value of improved seed, and to strengthen seed dissemination channels. Send proposals to email address: seeds@agra-alliance.org,  before July 31, 2009. The full announcement is available here.

Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) - Call for Concept Notes for a regional project to facilitate strengthening of national and sub-regional farmer organizations (FOs). Deadline, July 31, 2009. Announcement.

European Commission External Corporation Programs – Calls for proposals in Agricultural Rehabilitation and Diversification of High Potential Irrigation Schemes in Southern

Somalia (ARDOPIS IV). Deadline is 24 August. Announcement.

Terra Viva Grants and YPARD Funding Newsletter. It provides detailed listing of funding opportunities for young professionals in agricultural research, with a focus on research for development. Open link.

Third World Organization for Women in Science – Postgraduate Fellowships: Fellowships to support women in developing countries in all branches of the natural sciences for PhD studies. Deadline 31 July. http://www.twows.org/

START (SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training) Grants for Global Environmental Change Research in Africa during 2010, call for proposals. Deadline, 30 August 2009 at Midnight US Eastern Time at the International START Secretariat office.  Electronic submissions of the completed CFP template are to be sent to: start-proposals@agu.org. Website www.start.org

Agricultural Economics Scholarships. A limited number of scholarships is available for outstanding AgEcon candidates from developing countries provided by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) under its special initiative “Postgraduate Courses for Professionals with Relevance to Developing Countries”. Deadline is December 1 2009, for the AgEcon Programme start in October of the next year. Announcement

USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) – Global Food Security, Africa Action Plan: 31 October is deadline for applications. Grants for agricultural productivity and marketing in West Africa. http://www.grants.gov (browse by agency, US Agency for International Development)

USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) -- Sustainable horticulture and endangered ecosystems in Tanzania. 10 October is application deadline. http://www.grants.gov (browse by agency, US Agency for International Development)

Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) are part of the Australian Government’s development cooperation program in Africa. The ADS scheme offers the opportunity to people from developing countries to study in priority sector courses at Australian universities. for more information, visit; http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/studyin.cfm#partner and download details.

Danish Development Research Network – Funding opportunities - Current call for applications. DDRN funds participation in workshops and seminars, meetings, conferences, and other activities that promote North-South collaboration in development research. The third call of 2009 is open through deadline September 1, 2009 12 AM. Announcement.

Livestock Marketing in the Horn of Africa: Working Towards Best Practices Nairobi, 21 - 23 October 2009. Contact: The Secretariat, Livestock Marketing Symposium on LMS@care.or.ke  and copy Dr Adrian Mukhebi, amukhebi@kacekenya.com, Livestock Marketing Symposium Convener

Commodity Associations: a tool for supply chain development?  by Andrew W. Shepherd, Jean-Joseph Cadilhon and Eva Gálvez has just been published as AGS Occasional Paper 24, FAO, Rome. 60pp. The paper explores the role of commodity associations in improving supply chain performance. They can play an important role as a focal point for policy dialogue with government but they also have many other functions, including arbitration and regulation, setting or advising on grades and standards, promotion of trademarks or quality signs, support to research, export and domestic market promotion, and provision of information and statistics. To download or to order a hard copy, here:

AfJARE Journal. AfJARE is the official journal of AAAE. It has successfully entered its fourth year and its print and online issues are available at its website http://aaae-africa.org/afjare/index.html.

AgEcon Search. A WEEKLY free, open access repository of full-text scholarly literature in the field of agricultural economics including sub disciplines such as agribusiness, food supply, natural resource economics, environmental economics, policy issues, agricultural trade, and economic development, http://ageconsearch.umn.edu

PAAP Newsletter Vol 12, No. 14. This issue of the newsletter provides a detailed assessment of the recent large scale land acquisitions in Africa. http://www.asareca.org/paap

Welcome all to the second issue of the e-newsletter in 2009. The purpose of the newsletter is to promote sharing of information and networking among the members of the Association and the larger research, policy, business and development communities in Africa and the rest of the world. It has a subscription base of over 3000 readers. It disseminates news and communications of recently concluded or on-going research; scholarships and training, funding and job opportunities; upcoming conferences and meetings, various announcements (websites, databases, networks, etc.), publications (books, journal papers, extensions materials, policy briefs, etc.) and any other useful information. This newsletter is supported by a regularly updated news website within the AAAE site, http://aaae-africa.org/news

The African Association of Agricultural Economists was officially launched in December 2004 and registered in March 2005 in Nairobi, Kenya. The full description of the Association and its activities is available on its website, http://aaae-africa.org/aboutAAAE/index.htm. 

The association’s website, http://www.aaae-africa.org, facilitates exchange of information not only among members but also with the larger research, business, policy and development communities. The website is regularly updated with developments in agricultural policy review, research, reform and training.

African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE)

c/o FORMAT, 5th Floor Muthaiga Mini-Market, Limuru Road

P.O. Box  79 Village Market 00621, Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254.20.675.2866

Secretary Email

URL:   aaae-africa.org

In This Issue

• News

• Research Funding

• Conferences

• Journals & Publications

• The Informer

• About AAAE

• AAAE Website

• Call for Articles

Archive of Past Issues

Executive Committee

President

Dr Akinwumi Adesina

Vice President

Prof Egnonto Koffi-Tessio

Secretary

Musa N. Omare

Past President

Prof Willis Oluoch-Kosura

Regional Representatives

Dr Julius Mangishoni, Southern Africa

Dr Lassaad Lachaal, Northern Africa

Dr Rose A. Nyikal, Eastern Africa

Prof Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, Western Africa

Chief Editor, AfJARE Journal

Prof Rashid M. Hassan

Website

www.aaae-africa.org

Email

Secretariat address

Next Issue of The Informer  

The issue comes out in September and readers are welcome to submit news and articles. All materials must be sent to Secretariat

Disclaimer

The AAAE nor its Secretariat cannot guarantee the accuracy or take any responsibility for the information and links provided in this newsletter. The information and external links disseminated through this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the AAAE.