Tropentag, September 18 - 20, 2019 in Kassel "Filling gaps and removing traps for sustainable resources development"

Panel Discussion:
Scaling Up, Out and Deep – Lessons Learned
Sharing Experiences from Research Projects Funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, BMEL

¹Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), Division 121, Research and Innovation, Coordination of Research Area, Germany
²Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), Division 622, World Food Affairs, International Food and Agricultural Organizations, Causes of forced migration, Germany

Abstract

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) established the funding instrument “Research Cooperation for Global Food Security and Nutrition” to strengthen the German contribution to agricultural and nutritional research. Within this framework, research projects aim to improve food systems in partner countries, while building long-term partnerships between agricultural and nutritional research institutions in Germany, Africa, South and Southeast Asia.
Three calls for research proposals have been published in 2013, 2016 and 2019. The first call focused on diversified agriculture for improved and nutrition-sensitive diets. The second call related to innovative processing technologies of local food to reduce seasonal food insecurity as well as food and nutrient losses. A total of 17 project consortia have been funded. The most recent third research call (launched in July 2019, application open until October 2019) focuses on food environments for improved nutrition.
Project executing agency is the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).
The BMEL-Session at the Tropentag 2019 presents a panel discussion on the topic: „Scaling Up, Out and Deep – Lessons Learned“. The aim is to share experiences and to develop recommendations on how research results and innovations can be spread more effectively for lasting and sustainable impacts. As the funded projects are achieving promising results and working in diverse contexts, an enriching exchange can be expected. The panel consists of members from different project consortia funded by BMEL:

• Dr. Etti Winter, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University, Hannover – Project coordinator: „Food Security in rural Zambia – Integrating traditional Fruit and Vegetable Crops in Smallholder Agroforestry-systems (FoSeZa)“


• Dr. Klaas Dietze, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute – Coordinator for international relations, respresenting: „The importance of farm, domestic and wild animals as a source of Ebola virus infection (Ebola Foresight)“


• Dr. Stefan Sieber, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) – Project coordinator: „Scaling-up Nutrition – Implementing potentials of nutrition-sensitive and diversified agriculture to increase food security (Scale-N)“


• Dr. Barbara Sturm, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Kassel – Project coordinator: „Decentralised postharvest processing of underutilised species into innovative value added products for improved food and nutrition security in West Africa (UPGRADE Plus)”.

Keywords: Food and nutrition security, Global South, research cooperation, scaling

Contact Address: Ariana Bystry, Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), International Cooperation and Global Food Security 323, Deichmannsaue 29, Bonn, Germany, e-mail: Ariana.Bystryble.de