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2nd Science Week Concept Note

 

CORAF/WECARD 2nd SCIENCE WEEK &
NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
24-28 May 2010

 

A Concept Note

 

CENTRAL THEME
“Managing post-harvest systems and operations to enhance agricultural productivity and competitiveness in West and Central Africa”

 


1. Introduction
Post harvest operations and management represent a critical component of the production-to-market value chain continuum in WCA.  The multitude of studies conducted in the sub-region over the last decade have revealed the clear need to put emphasis on post harvest technologies and techniques if agriculture is to adequately play its role as an engine of economic growth. Post harvest systems constitute several categories of operations that requisite specific types of responses to address constraining factors that represent key weaknesses in the value chain continuum.  In the area of processing and transformation, the sub-region’s local (consumption) and commercial industry is dominated by two main groups of consumers and agri-business entrepreneurs. These are the small-scale women processor groups who process farm produce into house-hold foods and the large scale entrepreneurs who process farm produce into industrial feed and beverages.  For both groups, the main shortfalls in achieving efficiency are related to inadequate access to quality raw material, improved processing and storage equipment, and marketing limitations.  Furthermore, capacity to conduct post harvest management remains low in the sub-region along with a supportive policy and regulatory environment to ensure effective functioning of marketing and distribution systems for processed and transformed agricultural outputs

Quality raw material from farm gate represent the front end of the post harvest commodity chain continuum; the deficiency of which directly reflects on the marketing constraints of processors in their inability to meet market demands. One of the greatest challenges faced by the post-production sub-sector is the need to improve critical value chain linkages. This area has been neglected in most regional initiatives designed to address food insecurity and food shortages.  Innovative technologies and appropriate strategies would need to be developed to encourage small and large-scale processors gain access to modern prototypes. Low entrepreneurship capacity, insufficiency of suitable germplasm for processing, as well as inadequate access to processing and preservation technologies, communication and market information systems are major gaps that require focused research and development innovations.

2.  Proposed Central Theme
It is in this context these shortfalls that CORAF/WECARD opted to consider “Managing post-harvest systems and operations to enhance agricultural productivity and competitiveness in West and Central Africa” as the main theme for the 2nd Agricultural Science Week scheduled for May 2010. The theme calls for pragmatic and innovative measures in finding integrated solutions to alleviating the constraints of actors in the post harvest commodity chain continuum.
The proposed theme will complement and promote actions derive from the theme of 2008 science week which focused on “Producers and End-users of Agricultural Research and Development”, which attempted to address the integration of producers and end-users in key agricultural production and productivity processes.

3.  Proposed Sub-themes
The related sub-themes proposed below are aligned with the four main result areas to be delivered by CORAF/WECARD in the context of its 2008-2013 Operational Plan.

Result Area 1: Technology Generation
Innovative systems for enhancing processing, packaging and labelling of agricultural products.

Result Area 2:  Policy Marketing and Trade
Enabling policy and institutional options for enhancing processing and marketing of agricultural products   

Result Area 3:  Capacity Strengthening and Coordination
Strengthening partnerships among key stakeholders (farmers, processors, NGO and extension) to encourage collective actions towards post-harvest issues

Result Area 4: Knowledge Management
Effective utilization of post harvest knowledge

 4. Theme Contribution to Regional Objectives
It is expected that the proposed theme and sub-themes will fuel discussions in a forum where innovative mechanisms for linking producers to consumers, via input provider, processor, and markets, as well as strengthening these chains for relevant commodities will be revealed.   It is anticipated that the exchange on the proposed sub-themes will contribute to achieving the following regional objectives:

  • Mmobilize the strengths, expertise and resources for post-harvest technology development, promotion and transfer in West and Central Africa through effective partnership with relevant stakeholders, including the private sector ;
  • Establish cooperation in processing and marketing to support community development policy as outlined in the CORAF/WECARD strategy, and in contributing to the realization of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
  • Improve and promote harmonized policies, rules and regulations, relevant implementation mechanisms and market information systems to facilitate sub-regional distribution of food commodities
  • Strengthen capacity of farmer/processor groups and civil society organizations to improve post harvest management, post harvest organization and lobbying, and marketing skills. This will enhance cohesiveness for linkages to various financial and non-financial resources.

Integration of post harvest management systems to other productivity enhancing systems including to improve food security in the sub-region.