CORAF is an international non-profit association of national agricultural research systems in 23 West and Central Africa countries. It is the largest of the four Sub-Regional Organizations (SROs) under the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).
The other three include the Association for the Strengthening of Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), the Center for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), and the North African Sub-Regional Research Organization (NASRO).
The primary objective of CORAF is to improve livelihoods in West and Central Africa through the sustainable improvements in agricultural production and productivity, as well as to promote competitiveness, and markets.
CORAF is composed of the following:
General Assembly
The General Assembly is the supreme authority of the Association. It is composed of representatives of its NARS members, regional and international institutions in the sub-region, intergovernmental organizations in the field of agriculture and regional economic communities of West and Central Africa, and development partners. Its mission includes among others:
- Approval and ratification of various agreements and policies, operational plans, programs, budgets and funding plans, audit reports;
- Study and approval of the report of the Governing Board which elects the Chairman, the Vice Chairman and other members or renews their mandate;
- Delegation to the Governing Board of its powers and prerogatives for an effective and efficient implementation of programs that it has approved;
- Ratification of the appointment of the Executive Director on the recommendation of the Governing Board;
- Evaluation of the performance of the Governing Board through Ad-Hoc committees.
The CORAF board is composed of key partners and clients including farmers organizations, the private sector, representatives of universities, regional economic communities, development partners, and NARIs. Specialists in finances, human resources, legal issues and tertiary education institutions will also be part of the Board in future. The composition of the STC changes in function to CORAF interventions areas.
News on 12th GA
The Governing Board
The implementation of these guidelines and decisions by the Executive Secretariat is controlled and monitored by the Governing Board (GB), under a chairperson.
The members of the Governing Board supervise the activities of the Executive Secretariat, examine and approve the annual programs and budgets. GB members are mandated to monitor the decisions of the General Assembly, act on behalf of the GA on all matters requiring immediate attention, recommend for approval and ratification by the General Assembly, the programs, budgets, financial reports, audit reports, and new memberships.
The General Assembly,
- In view of Article 12a of the Statutes on the composition of members of the Governing Board,
- In view of Article 12b of the Statutes relating to the term of office and mode of renewal of the members of the Governing Board,
Has elected for three years, as member of the CORAF Governing Board:
- Djondang KOYE, Director General of ITRAD, Chad;
- Baba Ahmed Ould NAGHRA, Director General of CNRADA, Mauritania;
- Yté WONGBE, Director General of CNRA, Cote d’Ivoire;
- Franck IDIATA, Commissioner General of the National Center for Scientific and Technological Research, Gabon;
- Angela Maria Perera Barreto Da Veiga MORENO, President of INIDA, Cape Verde;
- Victor AGYEMAN, Director General of CSIR, Ghana;
- Nteranya SANGINGA, Director General of IITA, representing scientific partners;
- Nathanel BUKA, President of PROPAC, representing Producer Organizations;
- Blessed OKOLE, Managing Director, SG Sustainable Oils Cameroon Ltd, representing the Private Sector;
- Abdouhramane DICKO, representing the development partners;
- …………… ………, representing agricultural NGOs.
Mr. Nathanel BUKA, President of PROPAC, representing the Producers’ Organizations, will finish his term at the end of May and will be replaced, according to the principle of rotation, by a representative appointed by ROPPA. Agricultural NGOs have yet to appoint their representative.
The General Assembly,
- In view of Article 14a of the Statutes concerning the election of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Governing Board,
Has elected:
- Angela Maria Perera Barreto Da Veiga MORENO, Chairperson of the GB;
- Koye DJONDANG, Vice-Chairman of the GB
PRESENTATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD
Dr Maria Angela P. Bareto Da Veiga MORENO
Expert in Biosystems and Rural Engineering
Chair of the Governing Board since April 2018
Currently, President of the National Research Institute for Agricultural Development (INIDA) of Cape Verde, Dr. Angela MORENO has a PhD in Biosystems Engineering-Rural Engineering, a Masters in Hydraulics and Water Resources. She is also an Agricultural Engineer, with 26 years of experience in agriculture, irrigation and hydraulics, water management and agricultural research. Since 2003, she has been working on the establishment of partnerships between political bodies and public institutions in the areas of agriculture, forestry, livestock, research and development in national and international institutions.
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Dr DJONDANG Koye
Agronomist and Agricultural Economist
Vice President of the Governing Board
Director General of the Chadian Institute for Agricultural Research for Development (ITRAD) since June 2014. Dr Djondang Koye has a PhD in Agricultural Economics with more than 27 years of experience in the field of agricultural economics focused on agricultural production systems, farm management and agriculture and livestock integration. He was the Scientific Director of ITRAD from December 2005 to June 2014. Since January 2018, he is the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Regional Center of Applied Research for the Development of Farming Systems in Central Africa (PRASAC).
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Mr. Baba Ahmed Yacoub Naghra
Agro-Economist
Member of the Governing Board
Director of the National Center for Agricultural Research and Development (CNRADA) since 2010, Mr. Baba Ahmed Yacoub Naghra holds a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics. He has a long experience of more than 30 years in management, management of basic community structures (associations and cooperatives) with skills in the areas of extension/farm advisory and dissemination of technical and scientific information and plant protection to the populations. He is also a member of the Governing Board of the Mauritanian Institute of Oceanographic Research and Fisheries (IMROP) and Member of the Governing Board of the National Office for Research and Development of Livestock (ONARDEL, ex-CNERV).
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Dr Yté WONGBE
Ecologist-Hydrobiologist
Member of the Governing Board
Director General of the National Agricultural Research Center (CNRA) of Cote d’Ivoire, Dr. Yté WONGBE holds a PhD in Ecology and Hydrobiology. He has more than 35 years of experience in the field of agricultural research and research management. Experience that allowed him to hold high positions within the CNRA. From 2008 to 2012, he was Chairman of the Governing Board of the CNRA before assuming the position of Director General since 2012. He also has experience in research activities on animal resources and lowland systems. He was the Chairman of the Management Advisory Committee of the Lowland Consortium.
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Prof. Daniel Franck IDIATA
Pschyco-Linguist
Member of the Governing Board
Chief Commissioner of the National Center for Scientific and Technological Research (CENAREST) of Gabon, Prof IDIATA holds a PhD in Language Sciences, specialized in language acquisition (psycholinguistics) and full Professor of CAMES since 2011. He has experience of more than 20 years in the acquisition of languages by children, the description of African languages, ethnohistory, anthropology and cultures of Gabon, the reform of national systems of scientific research; reform of national higher education systems. From 2010 to 2014, he was the Chairman of the Governing Board of PRASAC.
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Dr Blessed OKOLE
Biotechnologist- Agri-entrepreneur
Member of the Governing Board and Representative of the Private Sector
Dr Blessed Okole, a native of Cameroon is the Managing Director of SG Sustainable Oils Cameroon Limited (SGSOC), a private company establishing a 19,840 hectares oil palm plantation in the South West Region of Cameroon. Dr Okole holds a PhD in Agriculture and has a strong international background in both agriculture, business development and operations. Previously, he served as the Head of the International Business Development for the Technology Innovation Agency and Chief Executive Officer of East Coast Biotechnology Innovation Centre, both funding initiatives set up by the South African government for establishing small businesses in the country.
As an entrepreneur, Dr Okole started a successful tissue culture company, African Biotechnologies in South Africa that was annually producing 8 million indoor pot flowers, bananas and pineapples; He has helped in setting up tissue culture labs in South Africa, Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Ethiopia. Dr Okole is the former Chairman of Africa Harvest Board, and has previously been Chair or Board member of the Durban Chamber of Commerce, Ithemba Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Arvir, African Clinical Research Organization, East Coast Rapid Diagnostics Ltd and the National Bioproducts Institute of South Africa. Dr Okole is skilled in fund raising and leveraging.
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Dr Alfred DIXON
Breeder/Genetician
Member of the Board and representative of the Scientific Partners
Alfred Dixon is the Director, Development and Delivery, Partnership for Delivery Directorate, and the Project Leader of the Cassava Weed Management Project at IITA. Born in Sierra Leone, Dr Dixon holds a PhD in Agronomy, specializing in plant breeding and quantitative genetics, with entomology as a minor subject. His career with IITA started as a Postdoctoral Fellow (1989 – 1991), an Associate Scientist (1991 – 1994), a Scientist (1994 – 2008) and Principal Scientist (2016 – Present) in Cassava Breeding/Genetics. He served in several management positions at IITA. He had a break from IITA in 2008 to serve as the Director General of the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute, Sierra Leone for five years and later returned in 2013. He was member of CORAF Governing Board from 2010 to 2014.
He has gained a wealth of experience in scientific research, research management, training and mentorship of young scientists.
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Mr. Abdrahamane DICKO
Agriculture and Development Specialist
Member of the Board and Representative of the Development Partners
Mr. Abdrahamane Dicko joined the USAID/West Africa REGO on March 7, 2016 as Program and Policy Advisor. He handles multiple activities related to Policy dialogue and Capacity building and Institutional strengthening of West Africa regional organizations to improve agricultural productivity in the region.
Before joining USAID/West Africa, Mr.Dicko worked for USAID/Mali for 16 years as Senior Program Management Specialist. As such, he served as the senior advisor to the Director, Deputy Director and to the Supervisory Program Officer as well as to the Technical teams on program strategy development, project implementation and negotiations with the Government of Mali (GoM). He was the Mission’s chief interlocutor and liaison with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (USAID’s primary ministerial counterpart in the Government of the Republic of Mali) and also served as the Mission’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and led the Mission engagement in Donors coordination and Public-Private Partnerships. Mr. Dicko is an active member of various civil society networks and organizations in Mali and in the West Africa region.
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Dr Abdou TENKOUANO
Executive Director of CORAF, Ex Officio and Secretary of the Governing Board
Dr Tenkouano has a long and solid experience of agricultural research and management.
Dr Tenkouano obtained his MSc in plant breeding and PhD in genetics at Texas A&M University in the USA. He has worked across sub-Saharan Africa with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT, 1994 – 1996, Mali), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, 1996 – 2008, Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana) and The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC, 2008 – 2016, Tanzania and Mali). Dr Tenkouano also served as a member of the research for development council at IITA, and as deputy chair of the institutional research and development committee and a member of the institutional management committee at AVRDC. He joined CORAF in May 2016.
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M. Jean Claude MBASSI
Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist
Member of the Board and ECCAS Representative
Mr. Jean Claude MBASSI holds a professional Master’s degree in Documentary Information Sciences obtained at the School of Librarians, Archivists and Documentalists (EBAD) of Cheikh Anta Diop University. Since Javier 2012, he is the Communication and Marketing Officer of the Comprehensive Program for the Development of African Agriculture at CEAAC. Also since 2009, he is the head of the ECCAS Knowledge Management and Information Center. He has extensive experience in Information and Knowledge Management, Business Intelligence, Hypertext and Hypermedia, GED, Website Creation, Computer Network Management and Information Technology.
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M. Nathanaël MUPUNGU BUKA
Development Specialist
Member of the Governing Board and Representative of Producers’ Organizations
Mr. BUKA holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science and Technology Development. He is currently the President of the Regional Platform for Central African Producers’ Organizations (PROPAC) since 2017. In addition to this responsibility, he is the President of the National Committee for the promotion of family farming in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 2014. He is also a member of several organizations promoting agriculture and food security both in the DRC and at the regional and international level.
The Scientific and Technical Committee
The Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) is a consultative organ of the Governing Board and is made up of twelve members. They are chosen by their merit, experience, and reputation in the field of agricultural research and for development. They are responsible for reviewing and advising the Governing Board on scientific matters and the relevance of research proposals. The STC assist the Executive Secretariat in carrying out its functions of organizing and coordinating scientific meetings. They also assist the Governing Board in the evaluation of scientific activities, monitoring, and evaluation of all scientific cooperation activities including scientific publications.
PRESENTATION OF MEMBERS OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
Prof. ANYANGWE FLORENCE FONTEH née ANGABA
Specialized in Food Science and Nutrition (Meat and Milk science)
STC Expert in Nutrition and Health
Prof FONTEH is currently Professor of Food Science and Nutrition, at the University of Dschang, She lectures “Industrial microbiology” course to Master’s students in the Department of Plant Biology, University of Dschang; “General Microbiology” course to undergraduate students in the Department of Animal Biology, University of Dschang and “Human Nutrition” course to undergraduate students in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang. She is also the Head, Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agronomy and Agric Sciences, Dschang University. She has more than 20 years experience in teaching, managing development projects in Nutrition and Health.
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Dr OUALI San-Whouly Mauricette née N’GORAN
Specialist in Agricultural Entomology
STC Expert in Knowledge Management and Communication Technologies
Currently Lecturer/Researcher at the Felix Houphouet Boigny University in Abidjan, Dr. Mauricette OUALI teaches Insect Biology and Physiology, Histology and Cytology of Animal Tissues, Embryology of Insects, Management of Insect Pests of Crops, Applied Biotechnology in agriculture, arthropod resistance to pesticides, insect population dynamics in a cultivation system. Since 2016, she has been responsible for short-term training of the African Center of Excellence in Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (CEA-CCBAD).
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Dr. Aissétou YAYE DRAME
Entomology/Crop Protection Specialist
STC Expert in Agroforestry
Currently a researcher at Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey, Dr. Aissétou DRAME YAYE teaches and supervises Bachelor and Master’s students at the Faculty of Agriculture in Forestry, Agroforestry and Entomology. Prior to this position, she was from 2007 to 2016, Executive Secretary of the African Network of Education in Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural Resources (ANAFE) whose Executive Secretariat is based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has over 20 years of experience in teaching, conducting development research projects in agroforestry, forestry and natural resources.
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Dr. Maïmouna CISSE
Specialist in Animal Health
STC Expert in Animal Production and Health
Currently Director of Research at the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research (ISRA), Dr. Maïmouna Cissé has a long experience in the field of animal health. She holds a PhD in Animal Physiology from the Blaise Pascal Clermont 2 University in France. She has more than 20 years of experience in the management of agricultural research and development projects, particularly in the field of animal health. She held several positions at high levels of responsibility as Head of the Food Service of the National Laboratory for Livestock and Veterinary Research, 1993-1995 before being the National Director of Food Processing at the Ministry of Mines, Industry, Agribusiness and SMEs in 2009-2012.
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Dr Pauline LIMI née MOUNJOUENPOU
Specialist in Biotechnology
STC Expert in Post-Harvest & Food Technology
Currently Head of the Agricultural Research Center of Nkolbisson of the Agricultural Research Institute for Development (IRAD), Yaounde, Cameroon since 2014, Dr Pauline LIMI holds a PhD from the University of Montpellier 2 in France. She has extensive experience in conducting agricultural development projects and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in Biotechnology and Microbiology. She was Head of Laboratory of Agro-Food Technology of Nkolbisson-Yaounde, Cameroon from 2012 to 2017.
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Dr Rachidatou SIKIROU
Phytopathology and Plant Protection Specialist
STC Expert for Crop Protection
Currently Senior Research Fellow of the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES), Dr. SIKIROU is Director of the Agricultural Research Center Agonkanmey of the National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin. She holds a PhD from Georg August University of Göttingen, specialized in Phytopathology (Germany). Dr. SIKIROU has a long experience in training students, setting up and conducting agricultural development projects in Benin and West Africa.
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Prof. Emmanuel Kolawole AJANI
Specialized in Fisheries Management
STC Expert in Fishery and Aquaculture
Prof. Emmanuel AJANI is currently Professor of Fisheries Management in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Management of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He has over 25 years experience in natural resources development, planning and policy analysis covering public/private equity investment and donor funded projects, and academic tutoring.
He has served different Organizations in different capacities as a Fishery Expert on long and short-term assignments. These include the African Development Bank (AfDB), West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), the Federal Department of Fisheries of Nigeria and has been involved in World Bank and Food and Agriculture Organization projects. As a Lecturer in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, he has been involved in the training and development of manpower in the area of agriculture and natural resources development in the past 20 years.
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Prof. Isaac Roger TCHOUAMO
Specialized in Rural Sociology
STC Expert in Rural Sociology
Prof. Isaac Roger TCHOUAMO is currently a distinguished University Professor at the University of Dschang, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences in the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology. He is also the Head of the International Cooperation Unit, Scientific and Technical Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation. His long professional experience has led him to conduct technical and development activities related to environmental impact studies, development and evaluation of Rural and Agricultural Development Projects, endogenous knowledge and development (Traditional Pharmacopoeia), the development and evaluation of training programs for managers and rural development, the rural and farmers organization, conservation of biodiversity in Central Africa, the economic and social development of non-timber forest products…
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Prof. Shehu Garki ADO
Specialized in Crop science
STC Expert in Crop Science
Prof. Shehu Garki ADO is currently Research Professor at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. He is also the National Coordinator, Nationally Coordinated Research Programme on Maize, Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Since May 2013-to date, He is the Vice-Chancellor, Katsina University, Katsina. His long experience in crop science has largely contributed to improving agricultural research in Nigeria and West Africa through several agricultural development projects and programmes. He has been awarded the Distinguished Leadership Award for Excellence in managerial capabilities, track record of excellence, strategic management, positive vision and efficient leadership style.
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Prof. Emmanuel MBETID-BESSANE
Specialized in Agro-Economy
STC Expert in Agro-Economy
Prof. Emmanuel MBETID-BESSANE is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management of the University of Bangui, where he is also the Director of the Laboratory of Rural Economy and Food Security (LERSA). Since 2015, he has been President of the Scientific Council of the Regional Center of Applied Research for the Development of Agricultural Systems of Central Africa (PRASAC) and member of the Scientific Council of the African Center for Research on Banana and Plantain (CARBAP) since 2014. His experience and skills in agro-economics have earned him the invitation at the sub-regional and international levels to lead development projects and build capacity in Universities and other international institutes.
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Prof. Isaac Oludayo DANIEL
Specialized in Seed science
STC Expert in Biotechnology
Prof. DANIEL is currently a visiting scientist at the Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. He has also been senior lecturer at the Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Technology, (FUNAAB), Abeokuta, Nigeria. His current Research Involvements are: (i) Nano-technology applications for crop protection and improvement, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, (ii) Development of iron deficiency tolerant aromatic African rice germplasm, in collaboration with Africa Rice, Ibadan, Nigeria and (iii) Selection and characterization of sub-1 gene for developing submergence tolerant African rice germplasm, I n collaboration with Africa Rice, Ibadan, Nigeria. He has conducted several projects and programmes related to biotechnology in agriculture in West Africa and at international level.
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Dr. Robert Bellarmin ZOUGMORE
Specialized in Environment and Climate Change
STC Expert in Environment and Climate Change
Dr. Robert ZOUGMORE is currently the Head of the Africa Program on behalf of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security hosted by ICRISAT West and Central Africa in Bamako, Mali. From 2010 to 2016, he was responsible for the regional program of this research program. He has extensive experience in the areas of natural resource management, soil and water fertility and conservation, desertification management and climate change mitigation and adaptation, and rural development.
The Executive Secretariat
The Executive Director heads the Executive Secretariat of CORAF. The Executive Secretariat ensures the coordination and implementation of the strategic plan of CORAF as approved by its General Assembly, including monitoring, evaluation, financial and administrative management, communication, knowledge management and resource mobilization plans, and carries out the decisions of the General Assembly. It provides the necessary support to the development, implementation, and coordination of operational programs and units, organizes audit of research programs and projects, manages human and financial resources, and arranges statutory meetings. The Executive Secretariat serves as the focal point for development partners and other stakeholders of the Association, undertakes and coordinates the sharing and exchange of information between the member countries and institutions. The ES is based in Dakar under a Headquarters Agreement with the government of the Republic of Senegal, since 15 March 1997.
CORAF’s Organigram
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