14 March 2016 /
The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) is organizing a Consultation Workshop of decision-makers and heads of National Institutions members of the National Centers of Specialization (NCoS) in West Africa from 14th-15th March 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria. The workshop which is expected to be declared open by the Nigeria Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe aims to stimulate the ownership of the NCoS-RCoE process by decision makers and heads of hosting institutions in terms of institutional arrangements and governance.
Abuja, Nigeria - The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) is organizing a Consultation Workshop of decision-makers and heads of National Institutions members of the National Centers of Specialization (NCoS) in West Africa from 14th-15th March 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The workshop which is expected to be declared open by the Nigeria Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe aims to stimulate the ownership of the NCoS-RCoE process by decision makers and heads of hosting institutions in terms of institutional arrangements and governance. It is an opportunity for CORAF/WECARD to present to stakeholders the progress made in supporting NCoS in their evolution towards RCoE.
Will attend this consultation workshop, Over 50 participants ranging from decision makers, the heads of ministries and national institutions of NCoS, WAAPP / PPAAO National Coordinators, members of the Executive Secretariat of CORAF/WECARD to representatives of technical and financial partners and resource persons.
In total, 9 National Centres of Specialization (NCoS) have been established since the commencement of the first series of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP/PPAAO) in 2008. These NCoS are: (i) Roots and tubers in Ghana, (ii) Rice in Mali; (iii) Dry cereals in Senegal; (iv) Fruit and legumes in Burkina Faso; (v) Plantain in Côte d’Ivoiere; (vi) Aquaculture in Nigeria; (vii) Maize in Benin, (viii) Livestock in Niger and (ix) Mangrove Rice in Sierra Leone.
The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP /PPAAO) initiated by ECOWAS and coordinated by CORAF / WECARD, through its Component 2 provides for the strengthening of National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) through the establishment of National Centres of Specialisation (NCoS) during the first 5-year phase of the program. These NCoS should evolve towards Regional Centres of Excellence (RCoE) from its second phase.
The Regional Centres of Excellence are considered as strong tools for regional and international cooperation and networking that can mobilized human, financial and material resources to achieve the scientific objectives which results are applicable or adaptable by other countries with similar development concerns.
Recalling that, In June 2012, the ECOWAS Council of Ministers adopted the criteria for the establishment of Centers of Excellence in ECOWAS. In May 2014 in Togo (Lome I), CORAF / WECARD gathered its partners to reflect on consensual and harmonized assessment criteria which allow NCoS and Base-Centres to have a repository in order to evolve towards qualified RCoE. In October 2015 in Togo (Lome), CORAF / WECARD brought together stakeholders of NCoS-RCoE to share the evaluation report of the level of maturity of each NCoS and develop action plans for their evolution towards RCoE.
For more information, please contact :
Dr Lamien Nieyidouba
Regional WAAPP Officer
James APOCHI
Acting MPC WAAPP Nigeria
Dr Anatole KONE
Information and Communication Manager – CORAF/WECARD
Lola AKOMATSRI
WAAPP Community manager
Rowland LONGS
WAAPP Nigeria - Communication specialist
