CTA in collaboration with IFPRI, the ACP Secretariat, the European Commission, PAFO shall host a panel and launch the Sub-Saharan Africa Food Security Portal, on 16 September 2015, 9h30-13h00, at the ACP Secretariat, 451 Avenue Georges Henri, 1200 Brussels, Room C.
***To attend the event, please make sure you register online.***
*** Follow live tweeting @ctabrussels and via webstream ***
Data: key tool for agricultural transformation
Data has become a key asset for agricultural transformation in Africa. The availability of timely, relevant, and reliable data on the agriculture sector is necessary for effective planning, monitoring, and evaluation of agricultural and rural development policies and to increase the impact of field interventions. Whereas in the past, a relatively small volume of analog data was produced and made available through a limited number of channels, today massive amount of data is regularly generated from various sources, through different channels.
The phenomenon of ‘’big data’’ – where information comes from different sources ranging from connected devices to sensors and GPS – offers enormous potential to develop innovative products and services. Turning big data—call logs, mobile-banking transactions, online user-generated content, online searches, satellite images, etc.—into actionable information opens exciting opportunities. The growing role of ‘crowdsourcing’ and other “participatory sensing” efforts bringing together communities of practice through the use of mobile phones and other platforms including Internet, hand-held radio, and geospatial technologies present promising opportunities.
Generating value at the different stages of the data value chain is at the centre of the knowledge economy. Improved and inclusive data setting, use and sharing will enhance evidence-based decision-making and improve the policies. To fully exploit the potential of open data, new partnerships are needed between policy-makers, researchers, farmers and the private sector.
Building resilience for food and nutrition security through better data
The Food Security Portal, facilitated by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), aims to provide improved food security for the world’s poor and increased resilience of global food systems against food and financial crises. It brings together international, regional, and country-level data, news, and research aimed at meeting countries’ immediate food security needs, as well as building long-term global food security.
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New! on the topic of Data and agriculture
CTA’s Brussels Briefing n. 40 on “Data: the next revolution for agriculture in ACP countries?”
ICT Update: Data Revolution for Agriculture
Capacity4Dev feature on Agriculture’s Data Revolution
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Programme
Welcome
Viwanou Gnassounou, Assistant-Secretary General of the ACP Group of States in charge of Sustainable Economic Development and Trade
Context & objectives
Isolina Boto, Manager, CTA Brussels Office [Presentation]
Introduction
Jean-Pierre Halkin, Head of Unit, Rural Development, Food Security, Nutrition, European Commission/EuropeAid; Michael Hailu, Director of CTA
Perspectives on Data-driven farming in Africa
This panel will bring various perspectives to the debate on data use for improved agricultural transformation in Africa.
Chair: Professor Eric Tollens, Chair, CTA Executive Board
Panelists:
- How better data use can increase resilience of food systems against crises
Maximo Torero, Division Director of the Markets, Trade & Institutions, IFPRI [Presentation]
- The benefits of Open data for agriculture
Chris Addison, Senior Coordinator, Knowledge Management, CTA [Presentation]
- The role of mobile applications in data use for agriculture
Ben Addom, ICT4D Programme Coordinator, CTA [Presentation]
- How can farmer’s organizations contribute to data-driven farming?
Perspective from PAFO: Theo de Jager, President, PAFO
Perspective from Central Africa: Celestin Nga, Permanent Secretary, PROPAC
Perspective from Southern Africa: Ishmael Sunga, CEO, SACAU
Perspective from West Africa: Djibi Bagna, President, ROPPA
Perspective from UMNAGRI: Abdelmajid Ezzar, President UMNAGRI
Debate Expanding Knowledge, informing policy: Launch of the FS Portal
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CTA and IFPRI collaboration
CTA and IFPRI collaborate in several areas relating to improving the management of data for agriculture in Africa: (i) analysis of African Agricultural Trade through the production of a yearly Trade Outlook in partnership with the AUC, UNECA and with the expertise of African researchers from the AGRODEP network; (ii) support to Strategic Analysis Knowledge Support Services (SAKSS) to inform the CAADP process at national level and regional levels (East and West Africa); (iii) support to strengthening data management through the Agriconnexions project with African farmers organizations; (iv) joint food policy briefings in areas such as resilience, nutrition and food price volatility.
Brussels Development Briefings 