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GLOBALHORT NEWS

 Jan-March, 2010

GlobalHort welcomes the submission of news features of interest to our communities.  Please send your suggestions, features or publications that you would like to have disseminated to the editor.

GlobalHort 6th Board Meeting Held in Bangkok

Published on 25^th Feb 2010

 A very important meeting of the GlobalHort Board of Directors was held in Bangkok, Thailand, November 12-13, 2009 following the Asian Seed Congress.  The discussion and decisions covered such topics as the Board’s composition, staffing, funding, formalizing partnerships, granted projects, and the 2010 workplan. The year 2010 will be a crucial year for GlobalHort.  Many challenges threaten its very existence but the shareholders all continue to strive to ensure the long-term life of this valuable initiative  

 Changes to the Board 

Gilles St. Martin will be leaving his seat as the representative for the Advanced Research Institutes (ARI) at the end of 2010. His replacement by a member of a different ARI will be discussed at the next meeting. WUR and Horticulture CRSP have already been invited to apply.FAO had been invited to join the Board however no response has been yet forthcoming. The Board will request that the FAO, Horticulture Division, Plant Production and Protection Department (AGP) provide a representative as observer at each Board meeting.It is unclear how CGIAR will be represented in the future due to its reform. This may be clearer after the GCARD meeting in Montpellier, France in March, 2010.The board members were asked to be more active in promoting GlobalHort in their respective organizations and to help achieve continuity and a long-term strategy in seeking donors for GlobalHort and its causes. 

 Staffing 

Remi Kahane has been the first Executive Secretary of GlobalHort.   His contract was for a three-year period ending in July, 2010.  While Remi announced to the Board that he would not request a renewal to his contract he agreed to extend it to the end of 2010. Juergen Anthofer, Portfolio Manager since June 2008, officially ends his CIM-contract in June 2010.  He will be applying for a renewed contract with CIM. Jerry Miner, Webmaster in Charge of Communication Consultant out of  Canada since 2009, has had his contract renewed for 2010.  Gladys Machange, Assistant Secretary since 2008 will continue in 2010.  

 Funding 

Dr. Pai-Po Lee, representing Taiwan ICDF confirmed that this agency will continue its support for GlobalHort through 2010. However, in line with his frequently stated concern that Taiwan ICDF has almost independently supported GlobalHort since its inception, it cannot continue as the sole donor after 2010. The Board Chair, Norman Looney, thanked Dr. Lee and Taiwan ICDF for its generous investment in the development of GlobalHort and outlined plans for fund raising in 2010 and beyond. He urged Taiwan ICDF to consider some level of ongoing support contingent on other donors stepping forward.

A decision was taken to continue investing in the development of the project proposal put forward for funding by the European Commission. This project, “Coordinated Regional Innovation Platforms for advocacy, capacity building and strategic networking for Horticulture in Africa” (CORIPHA) calls for two regional innovation platforms in Africa. A number of potential partners have indicated strong interest in working with GlobalHort to develop projects in association with these Regional Platforms. The Board expressed its strong support for this project and noted that approval could prove critical to the further development of the Initiative. 

Formalizing Partnerships 

• With the Global Forum for Agricultural Research (GFAR).  GlobalHort is seeking  Global Partnership Program status to work with GFAR to identify opportunities for collective actions to address constraints within the realm of horticulture for development.
• With CTA.  CTA is the acronym for Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation between the EU and its former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (the ACP countries).  GlobalHort and the CTA have identified many realms of mutual interest and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is awaiting former approval by the CTA.
• With NEPAD.  The Board urges that high priority be given to completing a MoU that will outline shared interests in improving human nutrition through greater uptake of horticulture in Africa.  NEPAD and GlobalHort also share the aim of building professional capacity for supporting the horticulture Industry in Africa.
• With the Horticulture Cooperative Research Support Program of USAID (The Horticulture CRSP).  The Horticulture CRSP will be managed by the University of California at Davis and many of its proposed activities are highly complementary with those of GlobalHort.  One of the managing Directors, Dr. Ronald Voss, was invited to participate in the Bangkok Board meeting.  GlobalHort will be invited to join the official launch of the CRSP in May of 2010.  This partnership will include cooperation with respect to webpage resources and efforts.  

Workplans 

Advocacy

• The All Africa Horticulture Congress (AAHC). GlobalHort is facilitating the publication of the Congress proceedings as a volume of Acta Horticulturae.
• GlobalHort has contracted with FAO to prepare a Position Paper outlining and documenting the case for more government support for horticulture for development.

 Knowledge and Information Management

• PROFAV workshop now confirmed for Arusha in June of 2010.
• GlobalHort will develop and submit a proposal to FSTP-1 (EU and EuropAid) to lead a work-package on communication and dissemination of results.  The project is named Hortinnov.
• Contribute to position papers, case studies and video-conferences commissioned by the World Bank and others.
• Cooperate with leaders of the Horticulture CRSP (see above) aimed at mutual enrichment of the respective webpages.

 Managing ‘Applied Research for Development’ Projects

• Managing and monitoring Taiwan ICDF-funded  projects on Asian Fruit Fly (Southeast Asia) and another called ‘Recipes for Success’ put forward by Crops for the Future.
• Solicit support for applied research projects led by GlobalHort but conducted with co-operators like the Horticulture CRSP.  

Enabling Training and Capacity Building

• Complete and submit a revised proposal seeking support for regional innovation platforms in Africa (see above re CORIPHA).

 

GlobalHort Pillars Intersect to provide a Single Strategy

Published on 25^th Feb 2010

The promotion and advocacy of GlobalHort since its inception in March 2006 is now producing results, thanks to its partners‘ support and well-defined workplan based on four pillars: promotion of horticulture for development, networking the diverse communities, facilitation of research for development projects, and contributing to capacity building in horticulture. 

The All Africa Horticulture Congress held last September opened the door to applied partnerships for setting up the proposal on coordinated regional innovation platforms for horticulture in Africa (CORIPHA). Two regional workshops, one in East and one in West Africa, are scheduled early in 2010 to finalize the draft proposal before submission to funding agencies. The European Commission, DG-Development and USAID, Horticulture CRSP, have already expressed interest in such a regional approach combining knowledge sharing, networking and capacity building in a defined value chain.

Through the series of video-conferences on High Value Regional Markets in East Africa contracted from the World Bank and funded by the European Commission, GlobalHort will gain experience in linking all types of stakeholders of the sector thus providing examples and good arguments for a regional platform. The topics of these video-seminars include Fruit Fly Management, Post-Harvest and Transport Technologies, Standards and Market Preferences, Regional Trade, Environment and Sustainability Issues, and Public Policy related to Smallholders. In 2010, seven East African countries will participate through their Global Development Learning Centers (African network).

Thanks to the generous funding of Taiwan ICDFT, GlobalHort will coach two projects in 2010, one on the Asian Fruit Fly coordinated by the Asian Institute of Technology, and one in Africa on improving awareness in healthy nutrition (Recipes for Success) coordinated by Crops For the Future. In both cases such funding and coaching should attract new donors and encourage strong public-private partnership. 

Promoting Innovation Transfer

Published on 25^th Feb 2010

During the last week of January 2010 GlobalHort has facilitated the meeting of potential private partners from the industry with the horticulture industry associations in Kenya and Tanzania (FPEAK, KFC and TAHA).  These private partners included AtoZ, a Tanzanian leader of impregnated mosquito nets in Africa against malaria, and Insect Intelligence Control, a European engineering specialist for insect control systems.

The GlobalHort public-private partnership contributed nicely to having diversified visits and meetings, extensive discussions and a brain storming session.  A collaborative project was defined dedicated to flower producers in parallel with small scale vegetable growers. 

The general objective is to dramatically reduce the use of chemical pesticides in flower and vegetable cropping and to improve the quality of both products and environment at the same time.

GlobalHort will continue to promote this original case study where the expertise and industrial power is in the hands of Africans themselves.  

Advocating for Horticulture at GCARD 2010

Published on 25^th Feb 2010

The Global Horticulture Initiative will hold the 7th meeting of its Board of Directors on  March  26, 2010 in Montpellier, France prior to the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD).  During GCARD GlobalHort and its two partners, ISHS and CIRAD, will promote Mediterranean Horticulture (thematic exhibition),  advocate for capacity strengthening in the horticultural public and private sectors (speech from Board Chair, Dr. N. Looney), and present a case study for public-private partnership in East Africa (diversification of mosquito nets in horticulture). Through such applied exposures GlobalHort should justify its application to become a member of the GFAR Global Partnership Program (GPP).

GlobalHort, Horticulture CRSP and AVRDC to Collaborate on Web Developments

Published on 3^rd Feb 2010

In December, 2009 GlobalHort’s Webmaster in Charge of Communications, Jerry Miner (middle), met with Hort CRSP staff, Mark Bell (left), Ron Voss (right) and Michael Reid, at the University of California in Davis (UCDavis).  The objective of the meeting was to explore and identify collaborative opportunities in terms of the web presence and information management.  

It was acknowledged that GlobalHort has become the primary internet site for horticulture for development since 2007.  GlobalHort will continue to have as its main purpose to promote R&D, grants, a knowledge hub and facilitate capacity building.  Linkages will be developed by both parties that will allow the sharing and/or reuse of web content.

GlobalHort will be the primary source of horticultural events, success stories and RSS news feeds.  Mechanisms will be developed to allow for the sharing of calls and opportunities for funding, a database of organizations, mailing lists, and grants.  GlobalHort has already developed a significant database for Europe and Africa which needs to be categorized into donors, active researchers and their institutes, potential collaborators, and active organizations.  The GlobalHort Knowledge Hub will link to the Hort CRSP Knowledge Bank as it develops.

There is a future potential for greater collaboration in the facilitation of capacity building between the two organizations if the GlobalHort CORIPHA initiative is funded by the EU.  The CORIPHA platforms could coincide with Hort CRSP sustainable Centers of Excellence (COE) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Another collaborative partner is AVRDC.  Warwick Easdown has recently announced that their new website is now live, and has extended links to both GlobalHort and Hort CRSP.  Warwick states that “We hope that together we can create a better knowledge bank for horticultural crops that provides easy access to what is known and ready access to conversations with expert groups when there is no simple answer”.

There is indeed much to do.  Together our three organizations can work together to advocate and facilitate the development of horticulture for the health and prosperity of all.

GlobalHort at the APSA Seed Congress

Published on 25^th Feb 2010

GlobalHort participated in the Asia and Pacific Seed Association (APSA) Seed Congress from  November 8-11 in Bangkok, Thailand.  GlobalHort was invited to present a project proposal on an invasive pest, the fruit fly, a cohort of insect species damaging  fruit and vegetables, cucurbits in particular. Chemical treatment is no longer effective nor recommended on these pests, for inducing resistance, and food and environmental safety reasons.  Remi Kahane, in his presentation, advocated to the Special Interest Group on Vegetables, 11 November 2009 that attention and support be given to integrated pest management combining fruit and vegetable crops.

It is important that APSA members be made aware of this pest and the related project proposal to be funded by ICDF Taiwan on Asian Fruit Flies as it could have an impact on vegetable production in tropical Asia. It has been agreed that individual APSA members should contribute to the project upon request through field experiments as well as through monitoring and seed variety testing trials to check attractiveness. The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) is coordinating the project in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia for two years.  In parallel, APSA and GlobalHort have agreed to host a professional forum to be organized in 2010 on tropical vegetable breeding. Not much is known about tropical vegetables, considered as indigenous vegetables by the largest seed companies, in terms of crop improvement and higher quality seed production. Breeding exotic species for tropical climates is also an area where experience and knowledge sharing would benefit the vegetable seed community. Attempts to organize this forum in Malaysia, July 2010 will be finalized. Asian and African partners are expected to participate.

The Food Security Centre Offers 29 Doctoral & Postdoctoral Scholarships

Published on 7^th Jan 2010

In 2010, FSC awards up to 29 scholarships for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers for a period of 4 to 36 months, starting April 15, 2010. The Center wishes to attract outstanding PhD students and postdoctoral fellows pursuing a career in academia or development collaboration. The scholarships aim at increasing their previously gained scientific knowledge and skills relevant to food security related issues. Furthermore, FSC aims at establishing an active, long-lasting collaboration with the supported researchers and their home institutions.

Scholarships are for 4-36 months starting April 15, 2010.  The application deadline is Jan. 30, 2010.  For further details (...)

Hungry for the World: CALS Student Photographs Native Foods Across the Globe

Published on 8^th Dec 2009

To feed her passion for photography, Anna Herforth     ’02 has taken full advantage of her travels throughout the developing world conducting nutrition research. Her thesis work examines the nutritional benefits gained through traditional African vegetables in the diets of certain Tanzanians and Kenyans. Her images from her many trips abroad (29 countries and counting) have garnered her increasing visibility within the Cornell community and beyond. [Photos]

Pre-release of the Tomato Genome Announced

Published on 8^th Dec 2009

The SOL Project and the International Tomato Sequencing Project recently announced the pre-release which was generated by the combination of whole genome shotgun using 454 sequencing, Sanger shotgun sequencing, and BAC/fosmid end sequencing.

The scaffolds can be downloaded.  Annotations will be added soon.

GlobalGap Tour Nairobi, Sept. 14-17, 2009

Published on 9^th Oct 2009

Juergen Anthofer, GlobalHort, participated in the recent GLOBALGAP Tour 2009 in Nairobi. This included the regional National Technical Working Group (NTWG) and Smallholder Task Force pre-meetings on 14th September, as well as the main GLOBALGAP event.

Meeting presentations were given by Kerstin Uhlig of GLOBALGAP and Stephen Mbithi of FPEAK, the new Smallholder Ambassador. They described the various communication routes put in place by GLOBALGAP in order to take smallholder issues on board. This includes the GLOBALGAP website (http://www.globalgap.org/), which can be used by anyone to give feedback on aspects of the standard that create difficulties for smallholder certification.

Dr Mbithi summarised feedback so far given to the Sector Committee on smallholder issues (http://www.africa-observer.info/documents/Summary_of-Smallholder-recommendations-june_09.pdf), and the final decisions of the sector Committee, which can be seen on the GLOBALGAP website (http://www.africa-observer.info/documents/Excerpt-SC-FV-Minutes-Smallholder-Ambassador.pdf).Dr Mbithi also outlined the Africa Observer consultation structure. At the present time this relies on the Africa Horticultural Council (AHC) framework, which currently has 10 members, each of which is a producer/exporter association. This structure is argued to be better “at actually representing the voice of farmers”. However, there was much discussion on this point as to whether it will capture issues arising in West African (particularly Francophone) countries, or those without effective producer/exporter associations.

For further updates on the Africa Ambassador initiative, or to provide feedback, see the website: http://www.africa-observer.info/At the main GLOBALGAP event an update was given on the state of play with the revision process. GLOBALGAP Version 4 will be introduced in October 2010 at the London Conference, to be implemented from 2011 onwards. The Nairobi 2009 Tour was the first of a series of regional meetings in which GG will consult on V4, and officially launches the second consultation period, which will continue until mid-November. Feedback can be given via the GLOBALGAP website.

As part of the GLOBALGAP Tour 2009 (cf. above), GLOBALGAP has set up a discussion forum at: http://forum.globalgap.org/. The aim of this exchange platform is to collect comments and questions from anyone interested in helping to define Version 4 of the standard. Topics addressed include integrated pest management, contamination, traceability, and smallholder issues, which may be included in the round of public consultation. PIP encourages its beneficiaries to visit the forum and to post any questions they may have or any contributions they wish to make towards adapting the standard to the situation of ACP smallholders.

Save African Bananas! and other Facinating Articles in Latest Edition of R4D Review

Published on 27^th Oct 2009

R4D Review 3rd Edition now out!The September 2009 issue of the R4D Review, IITA’s biennial magazine on tropical agriculture, is online and hot off the press. This third issue focuses on biocontrol, an area of research and development where IITA has had a lot of success and impact.In this issue:

• Unraveling the diversity
• Biocontrol at IITA
• Save African bananas!
• Hope for cabbage farmers
• Safeguarding against locusts
• Recipe for African farmlands
• Saving the environment
• The witch menace
• Allies in nature
• The cassava scourge

The R4D Review was launched in 2008 to exchange knowledge and develop solutions to address the complex problems that plague agricultural systems in Africa.
    The online R4D Review aims to stimulate dialogue with partners, investors, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders, to help accelerate the development, dissemination, and continuous improvement of innovative solutions. The site provides an interactive and collaborative environment to share views, ideas, and innovations. To view the online version, click on the image or go to http://r4dreview.org/  

FAO Releases New Summary Briefing, "Hunger in The Face of Crisis", that Highlights the Social Price of Poor Access to Fruit and Vegetables

Published on 9^th Oct 2009

Economic and Social Perspectives, a new policy brief series of FAO’s Economic and Social Development (ES) Department, provide guidance on today’s global policy challenges related to food and agriculture. Written in non-technical language, the briefs explain why policy makers need to address a particular issue and how they might do so.

The briefing "Hunger in the Face of Crisis" states:

Apart from humanitarian concerns, hunger threatens development more generally. Faced with food insecurity, households try to maintain income by migrating, selling assets such as livestock, borrowing money, or participating in new types of economic activity, including child labour. Furthermore, people tend to shift expenditures towards cheaper, calorie-rich, energy-dense foods such as grains, and away from more expensive protein- and nutrient-rich foods such as meat, dairy products, or fruits and vegetables; a situation that is particularly harmful for children and pregnant or lactating women.

Coping mechanisms thus involve undesirable but often unavoidable compromises: withdrawing children from schools destroys long-term human capital; the sale of assets reduces the stock of physical or financial resources and is not easily reversible; and shifting from more nutritious foods towards less nutritious items or simply eating less deteriorates people’s health, lowers labour productivity and reduces children’s cognitive potential.[...]

The Call for Abstracts for the 28th International Horticulture Congress (IHC), Lisbon, Portugal, 22-27 August, 2010 is now open!

Published on 9^th Oct 2009

For online abstract submission go to www.ihc2010.org

Abstracts will be organised into symposia and seminars as requested by authors at submission. When the topic of an abstract does not fit into any symposium or seminar, it can be submitted to Congress at large according to the list of topics given. Abstracts submitted this way will be gathered a posteriori for oral or poster presentation in thematic sessions.

Poster presentations are encouraged as they will be a major form of scientific communication at the Congress. Conveners will select abstracts for oral and poster presentation based on the preference indicated by authors and the suitability to the scientific programme.

All presentations must be in English the official language of the Congress.

The deadline for abstract submission is 31 December 2009. The final decision regarding abstract acceptance and the form of presentation (oral or poster) will be communicated to the corresponding author by 31 March 2010

The Center for Disease Control Reports Americans not Meeting Recommendations for Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Published on 9^th Oct 2009

No U.S. state is meeting national objectives for consumption of fruits and vegetables, according to the first report to provide state–by–state data about fruit and vegetable consumption and policies that may help Americans eat more fruits and vegetables.  (Read more)

The State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetable, 2009 is available at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/indicatorreport/.

CDC is a partner in the national fruit and vegetable program and provides resources for September National Fruits & Veggies – More Matters month at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.

The Second Issue of the African Journal of Horticultural Science has been Published

Published on 9^th Oct 2009

The Horticultural Association of Kenya has recently published its inaugural edition.  Abstracts of articles may be found here.  You can obtain a copy of the journal from the Secretariat. Send an email to hak@agr.jkuat.ac.ke or hak.2006@yahoo.com

Earthscan Publishes New Book on African Indigenous Vegetables in Urban Agriculture

Published on 26^th Jun 2009

Earthscan are pleased to announce that review and inspection copies are now available for: 

African Indigenous Vegetables in Urban Agriculture
Charlie M. Shackleton, Margaret W. Pasquini and Axel W. Drescher
Paperback £24.95June 2009 

 

African Indigenous Vegetables in Urban Agriculture provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge of the potential and challenges associated with the multiple roles, use, management and livelihood contributions of indigenous vegetables in urban agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. Based on critical analysis of current debates and practices, it presents a multidisciplinary analysis of the realities and future opportunities.

 

To request a review or inspection copy and for all queries please contact andrew.miller@earthscan.co.uk.

CORIPHA Proposal Presented by GlobalHort Secretary at IFAP Meeting, Nairobi, Kenya

Published on 18^th May 2009

GlobalHort was invited by IFAP, the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, to present its CORIPHA (pdf) proposal that was to be submitted to the European Commission for funding under the Food Security Thematic Programme (FSTP) at the 16th International Federation of Agricultural Producers Africa Regional Committee Meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya 22-25 April, 2008.

The African farmers' groups and associations were represented by region and were therefore very enthusiastic in the prospect of being involved in a network of Co-Ordinated Regional Innovation Platforms for Horticulture in Africa (CORIPHA).

After the presentation and discussions, the Executive Secretary of GlobalHort received support from all five African regional federations of IFAP and the newly elected Chairman of the African Committee of IFAP, Mr. Leonard Nduati Kariuki, Chairman of KENFAP (Kenya).

Ryerson University Offers Distance Learning Courses on Urban Agriculture

Published on 7^th Apr 2009

Ryerson University’s G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education and Centre for Studies in Food Security (www.ryerson.ca/foodsecurity), ETC-Urban Agriculture (http://www.etc-urbanagriculture.org/) and RUAF (http://www.ruaf.org/) are offering the following two distance learning courses on urban agriculture in May and September respectively:  

Understanding Urban Agriculture (CVFN 410)Duration: 42 hours Fee: $474 (Canadian dollars)Schedule: May 9-August 8, 2009

Millions globally practise urban agriculture, with governments and civil society organizations increasingly promoting it to enhance urban food security, health, community building, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental management. This course provides a good introduction and expands your understanding of urban agriculture, its main types and dimensions, its potential impacts, the constraints and opportunities facing it, the stakeholders involved in it, the historical contexts shaping it, and the local, regional, and international development trends bearing on it. 

Dimensions of Urban Agriculture (CVFN 411) Duration: 42 hours Fee: $474 (Canadian dollars)Schedule: September-December, 2009 

This course describes the dimensions (functions, roles, benefits, potential risks) of urban agriculture and how these complement, supplement,compete with, substitute for, or undermine those provided by other land uses, sectoral activities and actors. The main dimensions covered are:health and food security, socio-cultural dimensions, economic dimensions, and environmental dimensions. Selected well-documented case studies will beused throughout the course to highlight each dimension separately, before bringing them all together. 

For more information and instructions on enrollment, please visit www.ryerson.ca/ce/foodsecurity or contact Reg Noble, Academic Coordinator, E-mail: food@ryerson.ca or rnoble@ryerson.ca. Ir. Marielle Dubbeling
Senior adviser ETC Urban Agriculture Global coordinator RUAF-From Seed to Table Programme

E-mail: m.dubbeling@etcnl.nl
Telephone: ETC: +31-(0)33-4326039;
                     Home: +33-(0)565-741951
PO Box 64, 3830 AB Leusden, the Netherlands
http://www.etc-urbanagriculture.org/; http://www.ruaf.org/