NIPOFERD CONSORTIUM (NIGERIA) INCEPTION WORKSHOP

PARTNERSHIP INCEPTION WORKSHOP FOR NIGERIA POULTRY FEEDS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (NIPOFERD) CONSORTIUM ORGANISED BY PAEPARD, 16-19 APRIL, 2012, IBADAN, NIGERIA

Composition of the consortium
1. Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
2. Poultry Association of Nigeria, Imo State Branch, Nigeria
3. Feedmillers Association of Nigeria, Imo State Branch
4. University of Ghent, Belgium
5. Faculte D’Agronomie, Universite De Parakou, Republique Du Benin
6. Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Development Studies, Nyankpala Campus, Tamale, Ghana.
7. Bureau d’Analyses Macro-economiques, Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles, Dakar, Senegal

DAY 1.
The Partnership inception workshop (PIW) opened at about 9:25am with a welcome note from Dr Tunji Babatunde, the AI facilitator for the consortium. He introduced David Suale, his co-AI facilitator who joined the workshop later on. The participants in the workshop introduced themselves immediately after the welcome note. The workshop management process was established by Dr Tunji. Dr Jonas Mugabe, the Africa co-Manager of PAEPARD from FARA was introduced after which Dr Jonas gave a presentation on the PAEPARD project highlighting the following:
 A.    What is PAEPARD?
 B.    What does PAEPARD do?
 C.    Problems identified by PAEPARD I and their solutions by PAEPARD II
 D.    Summary of the previous calls and consortia selected
 E.    Achievements of PAEPARD
After the presentation on PAEPARD, responses were taken on the new idea of having non-research organisations leading partnerships as envisaged in future PAEPARD multi-stakeholders Innovation Partnerships calls as highlighted by Dr Jonas. This is so because of the need for an inclusive demand-driven Agricultural Research and Development (ARD) partnerships among research and non-research partners.

Dr Jonas’ presentation was followed by Dr Tunji’s talk on the PIW objectives highlighting
-    Why are we  here?
-    What are we going to do for the next four days?
-    What are the responsibilities of every participant?
-    Are my views important?
He also pointed out clearly the differences between the AIFs and the leader of the consortium. At the end of his presentation, the leader of the consortium, Dr Ifeanyi Charles Okoli requested the AIF to keep the consortium communicated with information about opportunities that will help the consortium achieve its objectives.
A general discussion followed raising the points that:
i.    It was clearly noted that each stakeholder in the consortium cannot achieve results working alone.
ii.    The need to form synergy and consensus of opinion among stakeholders in the partnership
iii.    The need to place the peculiar situation of the needs of Africa in the forefront in forming European-African partnerships for ARD
iv.    The need for the sustenance of the PAEPARD project of providing support for multi-stakeholders Innovation Partnerships across Africa
v.    The emergence of PAEPARD as a beginning of a positive direction for Africa’s ARD and hence forward looking.
The next presentation on the consortium and its concept note on Low cost and quality livestock feed production knowledge delivery to Nigerian poultry industry was given by Mr Omede Apeh.
The facilitation of identification of strategic interests of the partnership and development of partnership baseline and vision was done by David Suale after breaking the participants into three working groups. Before then, He triggered a discussion that highlighted the following points
i.    Accessing of markets as a need that will help promote the sustainability of agricultural productivity in Africa
ii.    The dynamics of agricultural changes and the need for government support in helping farmers cope with the changes
iii.    Involvement of end-users of agro-products in the formulation of agricultural policies
iv.    The need to development processes for value-chain addition in agricultural practices.
The day ended with presentations on partnership concepts and development process by David Suale at about 5:45pm after a session of role play on “trip around the table”, process monitoring and content reflections by the various groups.