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Africa BICs Communication and Outreach Activities

Africa BICs Communication and Outreach Activities. By Margaret Karembu ISAAA AfriCenter Singapore , April 4-6, 2011. Outline. Areas of responsibility Our Communication Goal (desire) Initiatives & activities in 2010 Updates on changing political landscape Challenges faced

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Africa BICs Communication and Outreach Activities

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  1. Africa BICs Communication and Outreach Activities By Margaret Karembu ISAAA AfriCenter Singapore , April 4-6, 2011

  2. Outline • Areas of responsibility • Our Communication Goal (desire) • Initiatives & activities in 2010 • Updates on changing political landscape • Challenges faced • Planned Activities for 2011

  3. The AfriCenter Team From R-L: Anthony Nderitu; Faith Nguthi; Brigitte Bitta; Ann Mukuna; Arnold Musanga; Margaret Karembu and David Wafula (PBS staff-hosted)

  4. Africa BICs Strategy 1. Strengthening capacity for crop biotechnology uptake - Knowledge-sharing - Science Communication - Enabling policies - Regional harmonization efforts 2. Promoting strategic alliances and partnerships 3. Facilitating international representation of Africa’s biotechnology agenda

  5. Regions covered Eastern and Central Africa West Africa North Africa Southern Africa (thro’ partnerships) with Africa Bio

  6. EGYPT EGYPT UGANDA MALI BURKINA FASO KENYA BURKINA FASO TANZANIA TOGO MALAWI NIGERIA SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA Our desire for Africa by 2015 Main Driver – Regulations for enabling, not blocking Innovation and end-user satisfaction 2015 (up to 10 countries) South Africa, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Mali, Togo, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania , Malawi 2010 (3 countries) South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt

  7. Knowledge-sharing

  8. Africa Launch of Brief 41 10 countries Highlights translated in 9 African languages

  9. Some Africa Launch events

  10. Translations of Brief 41&42 Highlights Mooreand Diula Burkina Faso Amharic Ethiopia Banaman Mali Luganda Uganda Akan Dominant Local Dialect of Ghana Kiswahili Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and DR Congo Ewe Spoken in Togo ,Benin and Ghana Chichewa and Chitumbuka Malawi

  11. Contributions to Crop Biotech UpdateCurrently >1million subscribers • Contributed 18 articles on key Africa biotech developments Honorable Kityo, former member of parliament and the Secretary General of the Uganda National Farmers Federation, challenged Uganda leaders to change their attitude toward GM "to ensure that when Africa is waking up, Uganda is not left behind.” • Achieved target subscription of 10,000

  12. Seeing-is-believing study tours in Burkina Faso and Egypt Appreciation of benefits Enhanced understanding of commercialization process

  13. Spain and Burkina farmers sharing the experience with the Egyptians Biovision, Bibliotheca Alexandria, April 2010

  14. COP-MOP5 Preparatory Workshop for Africa Delegates • Key outputs: • Interactions with one of the co-Chairs (Rene) of L&R working group • COMPACT discussed • Communiqué outlining Africa fundamental issues • Signs of informed contributions at MOP5 -Kenya

  15. Sharing IEC Materials in various fora

  16. Science Communication

  17. Building Capacity in Science/Risk Communication (with PBS) • Regulators (National Biosafety Authority Board) • Scientists • Policy makers • Journalists

  18. Strategic Alliances - OFAB with AATF 2-hour lunch meeting every last Thursday of the month -topical issues; local and international Speakers

  19. Member - Bt cotton commercialization taskforce in Kenya • Sensitisation and stewardship committee • Creating awareness among extension officers in two cotton growing areas-Rift Valley, Coastal region • Developing simplified IEC materials • Radio programmes • Development of video on Bt cotton activities

  20. Regional harmonization efforts

  21. RABESA project under COMESABiosafety regional harmonization efforts • 19 member states • Population > 389 million • Annual import bill of around US$ 32bn • Export bill of US$ 82 billion Africa’s largest trading bloc

  22. Challenges • Delay in the gazettment of biosafey regulations • Delayed multi-locational evaluation trials • In Egypt political restlessness may interfere with the commercialization process • Strict biosafety regulations in Tz have halted initiation of WEMA trials sending negative signs to product developers • Increased activism and gross misinformation even among scientists

  23. Activities for 2011 Target countries- Burkina Faso, Egypt, Malawi, Uganda, Mali, Togo • Technology acceptance- sensitization and awareness creation in Universities and educational institutions, study tours • Global report launches • Activities to facilitate favourable regulatory processes • Development and translation of IEC materials into popular local languages • Stewardship in commercialization though radio • Africa Communications Book

  24. Thank you!

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