LEAP-Agri Project’s Kick-Off Meeting of ERA-Net LEAP-Agri Funded Projects
(8–10 October 2018, Bari, Italy)
- Background
The ERA-NET Cofund LEAP-Agri (2016-2021) is a partnership between partners from 18 European and African countries and the European Commission aimed at research and innovation on food and nutrition security as well as sustainable agriculture, including aquaculture. The partnership, coordinated by Agence Nationale de la Recherce (ANR), France is built on a European Commission’s instrument called ERA-NET Co-fund financed by Ministries/agencies from these countries with additional finances from the European Commission in support of the EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)1. The LEAP-Agri main objectives are:
- The preparation and implementation of a joint call for proposals for collaborative R&I projects between European and African partners which will contribute to the coordination and increase of joint activities between R&I institutions, and their programmes across European Union Member States, Associated countries and African countries. 27 collaborative European African projects have been selected for funding by the 24 LEAP-Agri funding agencies, based on an international Independent Review panel evaluation and ranking..
- The undertaking of other activities, in particular: the identification and test of innovative instruments for alignment and collaboration in research, innovation, capacity strengthening and infrastructure development; the communication and dissemination of results emerging from LEAP-Agri activities; the definition of a joint Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda in the Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture domain; and the consultation and liaison with relevant stakeholder communities, including research, the private sector, civil-society organisations and governments in Europe and Africa.
- Aim of the LEAP-Agri Projects’ kick off meeting
The main objective of the Seminar is to to have a platform in which will build and strengthen the LEAP-Agri community in order to have a common focus while implementing the overall LEAP-Agri project objectives.
In that respect, the aims of the of the LEAP-Agri Project’s kick off meeting are:
- To present and discuss the broader context and partners of the LEAP-Agri programme
- To create synergy between the projects and connection with LEAP-Agri as a programme
- To support the networking and collaboration process of the projects along three clusters (1) Sustainable intensification, 2) Agriculture and food systems for nutrition 3) Expansion and improvement of agricultural markets and trade)
- To inform about and discuss the M&E, especially for enhancing impact for the projects and the clusters
- To discuss how to achieve common impact as a programme on EU-Africa Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture and Aquaculture
- To share information about the 27 research projects including their respective theories of change and impact pathways co-funded by ERA-Net LEAP-Agri;
- Seminar expected outcomes
- To enhance the inclusion and participation of the individual LEAP-Agri supported the projects’ consortium partners into the LEAP-Agri AU-EU multistakeholders network community on FNSSA
- To create synergies between all the LEAP-Agri projects towards improving the impact of R&I collaborations in food systems
- Seminar Structure
The expected participants are:
- The 30 ERA-Net Co-fund LEAP-Agri partners (Group of Funding Parties),
- The 27 funded LEAP-Agri projects’ coordinators and consortium representatives , between 2-4 per project are expected and
- AU & EC representatives as delegates and members of the EU AU HLPD FNSSA Bureau.