Collaboration with UNU/RTCs
UNU's strategy for Africa aims at addressing real needs of African universities and academic institutions, making optimum use of available human, physical and financial resources, creating synergies between the activities and programmes of UNU RTC/Ps and associated institutions, and increasing UNU's visibility and impact in Africa. One issue of particular interest would be the role UNU-INRA could play in facilitating the implementation of such a strategy. The past year has seen an increased collaboration between UNU-INRA and other UNU RTC/Ps. This development, if confirmed over the years to come, could help to increase UNU's impact in Africa and provide a strategic perspective to UNU-INRA to help facilitate and implement UNU's Africa strategy.
1. UNU-MERIT
UNU-MERIT and UNU-INRA are developing a joint programme in innovations in natural resource management. Dr Andy Hall, UNU-MERIT, Hyderabad & Addis Ababa, has made several visits to UNU-INRA to discuss this collaborative effort.
As of 1st December 2006, Dr Daniel Dalohoun, Benin, has been appointed as a PDF based at UNU-INRA to study the introduction of WARDA's improved NERICA rice variety (& management package) in West Africa. In addition, Mr Marc Vleugels, administrator at UNU-MERIT has given UNU-INRA much needed and much appreciated administrative support and advice.
Visit UNU-MERIT's website.
2. UNU-ILI
Dr. Y Asamani of UNU-ILI, Amman, Jordan, has made several visits to UNU-INRA with a view of organizing a joint workshops on "Waste management in Africa: Theory and Practice", which was held from 7-9 May 07 in Accra, Ghana. Resource persons from Senegal, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, and Ghana, including two Coordinators of UNU-INRA Operating Units assembled in Accra, Ghana during the period May 7-9, 2007, to dilate on assigned topics and also share experiences on sound waste management practices. The discussions were very open and stimulating. A full report on the workshop is available. Recommendations will be forwarded to policy makers in the region. The workshop was funded by UNU-ILI and received financial support through the UNU Joint Activities Fund and the UN Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague. It is hoped that this workshop will result in externally funded follow-up activities to be jointly executed between UNU-ILI and UNU-INRA.
Visit UNU-ILI's website.
3. UNU-WIDER
Following up on discussions between the Directors of UNU-WIDER and UNU-INRA, the Deputy Director of WIDER visited UNU-INRA in Jan 07 to discuss collaboration between both institutions and this has resulted in a proposal to establish and support a team of four African social scientists (two senior and two junior researchers) to be based in Accra, Ghana, who will undertake research on Africa that relates to the economic development focus of UNU-WIDER and the natural resource interests of UNU-INRA. In close collaboration with staff in Helsinki, the team will engage in projects in the WIDER Research Programme (precise topics to be determined) and organize seminars, lectures and conferences in Africa as a joint effort in capacity building. Members of the Accra research team will spend annual working visits at UNU-WIDER in Helsinki, and select UNU-WIDER researchers will spend shorter reciprocal periods at UNU-INRA. It is envisaged that the researchers would work on topics such as Food Security; Natural Resource Management; Land Tenure; Natural Resource Competition and Conflicts; and Factoring the possible effects of Climatic Change into Development Policies.
In addition to the proposed joint research programme, UNU-INRA has assisted UNU-WIDER in organizing a workshop on Gender and Food security, which was held from 17-19 May 07 in Accra, Ghana.
Visit UNU-WIDER's website.
4. UNU-INWEH
Both UNU-INWEH and UNU-INRA are involved in the conceptualization and preparation of a UNU Training Programme on Land Management and Restoration. The Directors of UNU-INWEH and UNU-INRA participated in an evaluation of the proposal for a 6-months training programme to be organized jointly by the Agricultural University of Iceland (AUI) and the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland (SCSI), which was held from 26-28 April 2007 in Reykjavik, Hvanneyri and Gunnarsholt, Iceland. The Directors of both UNU-INWEH and UNU-INRA also attended a major International Conference on Soils, Society and Global Change, which was held in Iceland from 31 August to 02 September 2007 in Selfoss, Iceland. During this conference, the Training Programme on Land Management and Restoration was further discussed with staff involved in this project.
Visit UNU-INWEH's website.
5. UNU Headquarters
UNU-INRA helped to organize a Project meeting on the Creation of the Innovative Centre to Revitalize Education in Sub-Sahara Africa, which was held from 1-3 August 2007 in the Erata Hotel, Accra, Ghana. Staff of UNU-INRA participated in the meeting.
UNU-INRA has been working throughout 2007 on the development of a "Human Security" component of the Project entitled "Enhancing Human Security through Developing Local Capacity for Holistic Community-Based Conflict Prevention in Northern Ghana". The Human Security sub-project will be coordinated by UNU-INRA and conducted jointly by UNU-INRA, the UNDP Human Security Unit in Accra and the Peace and Governance Programme at UNU Centre, Tokyo.
The UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) is expected to provide funding for the implementation of the project.
Visit UNU Headquarters.
