ASADAO Program (Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems in West Africa)
Following the 4th International Conference on World Food Security held in Montpellier in December 2020, the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Agropolis Fondation launched a first joint research program on Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems in West Africa (ASADAO program).
The aim of this initiative is twofold:
- to launch applied research projects on how agroecology can improve food systems in West Africa, in particular by identifying and testing trade-offs between the components of these systems and between strategies for transforming and improving them ;
- test how to better equip practitioners and decision-makers with the knowledge to better understand these trade-offs and improve the sustainability and equity of food systems.
By collaborating with IDRC on this program, Agropolis Fondation is promoting the integration of Montpellier-based scientific teams into the work carried out locally by West African research teams through consortia.
The NGO ENDA Pronat, the Senegalese organization (Hub) in charge of managing the program and IDRC funds, launched the call for projects in June 2022.
Five projects were selected and funded, with Agropolis Fondation financing the French part and IDRC the African part.
List of projects:
- EQUITAE - Equilibrium and equity for an inclusive and sustainable agro-ecological transition in favor of resilient food systems in Niger territories with high socio-economic and ecological stakes. Supported by the Fédération des Unions de Groupements Paysans Du Niger (MOORIBEN) and UMR AGAP.
- AGRIPSAU - Exploring the conditions for an Inclusive AGRoecologization of Innovation Support Policies and Services to strengthen the resilience of Urban Agriculture. Supported by the Institut des Sciences des Sociétés du Burkina Faso (INSS) and the UMR MOISA and Innovation.
- NEMO - Neglected no More. Supported by the Institut Sénégalais de la Recherche Agronomique / Centre d’Étude Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la Sécheresse (ISRA/CERAAS) and UMR AGAP.
- BenCout-Agrodur - Crop systems integrated with cattle breeding and improvement of milk and meat value chains in West Africa: An assessment of trade-offs. Supported by the World Trade Organization Chair in Inclusive Trade and Sustainable Development (WTO-CIDI) and UR AIDA.
- ASPAAP - Agroecology for Peasant Food and Agricultural Production Systems. Supported by the Union des Groupements Paysans de Meckhé (UGPM) in Senegal and UMR AGAP.
