CEA-FIRST

Boosting Agrifood Research and Innovation Cooperation for Impact at Scale
2025-03-11 08:00 - 2025-03-13 17:00 UTC | The COMET-Louise. Stefaniaplein 20, Brussels, The COMET-Louise. Stefaniaplein 20,, Brussels, Belgium
Agrifood systems need to become more sustainable, healthy, productive, inclusive, climate resilient to be able to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. This requires profound changes through the contribution of research and innovation (R&I). The EU Research and Innovation cooperation agenda is implemented within the framework of various dialogue fora with partner countries. It is also part of the Global Gateway including a pillar on “education and research”. It mobilizes different EU instruments and programs such as the DeSIRA initiative or the Horizon Europe programme. This conference is organized by DG INTPA in collaboration with other EU Directorate Generals.It specifically addresses the question of how cooperation in R&I can contribute to desirable agrifood systems transformation, discussing principles, partnerships, methods for innovation at scale, capacities, funding, and policies. The conference is built on the collective achievements and consolidated lessons of the DeSIRA initiative and takes stock of other R&I programmes implemented or supported by EU.

Conference Objectives

The main conference objectives are to:

Share results and lessons on the contribution of R&I projects to food systems transformation in LMICs through the experiences of UE interventions and similar other international interventions.
Identify key enablers and hurdles for innovation at scale for productive, inclusive, and sustainable investments into agrifood systems.
Explore future contributions of R&I for agrifood systems transformation, innovation system strengthening and innovation policies in support of development agendas (SDGs, post Malabo, Science Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa, EU Global Gateway strategy).
Inform policy makers and provide recommendations on improved complementarity and synergy of EU mechanisms and approaches to support R&I at scale in partner countries, including inputs to the EU-Africa R&I Partnership on FNSSA.

Lean more: https://www.desiralift.org/conference/

Tropical Summit 2024 - Lisbon
2024-11-04 - 2024-11-08 | Lisbon Congress Centre, Portugal
This event will offer a unique opportunity to connect with global stakeholders and foster the exchange of ideas on the summit’s four pillars.
The Summit’s main objectives are thus designed to critically appraise within the context of the remaining timeframe of the SDGs, what can be realistically achieved, with whom, and with what resources, policy restructuring and strategies. It will also foster knowledge transfer, catalyze multidisciplinary collaboration, multiply synergistic pathways and stakeholder engagement, and contribute to co-creation and innovative projects, capitalizing and densifying the existing collaborative initiatives and platforms towards the swift implementation of tangible and robust solutions. The focus will be on propelling new partnerships and action via South-South-North multi-stakeholder cooperation and investment in the 4 major domains:

P: Planetary Health: Nurturing life within the global boundaries
A: Agricultural Development: Sustainability as a path to socioeconomic progress
T: Territorial And Social Transitions: Building resilient spaces and societies in every dimension
H: Human Growth: Empowerment and technology for the times ahead

Date: November 4-8, 2024
Venue: Lisbon, Portugal
Conference Registration ends – October 25, 2024
To Register, visit: https://www.tropicalsummit2024.com/registration/form-guidelines

20th CAADP Partnership Platform & 15th ADFNS Commemoration Sub-theme 3: Engaging Research and Innovation Building Digital and Climate-Resilient Agrifood Systems
2024-10-31 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | Rainbow towers hotel zimbabwe, Rainbow towers hotel, Zimbabwe
Africa and Europe share a profound and historically rooted connection characterized by diverse cultures, geographical proximity, and a commitment to a common future. Their commitment to a common future is grounded in mutual values such as respect for human rights, freedom, equality, solidarity, justice, the rule of law, and democracy—principles enshrined in the foundational texts of both the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU). This partnership has been strengthened through a series of Africa-EU Summits, including key meetings in Cairo (2000), Lisbon (2007), Tripoli (2010), and Brussels (2014). Notably, the Lisbon Summit produced the “Joint Africa-EU Strategy and Action Plan” (JAES), which established priorities for collaboration, particularly in Science, Information Society, and Space.
Download Concept note

CEA-FIRST Policy Side Event: Bridging Research and Policy through the AU-EU International Research Consortium on FNSSA
2024-10-30 16:00 - 18:00 UTC | Rainbow towers hotel zimbabwe, Rainbow towers hotel, Zimbabwe
The CEA-FIRST Policy Forum will bring together policymakers, funders, and higher education institutions to strengthen the AU-EU International Research Consortium (IRC) on Food Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA). Through structured dialogue and interactive sessions, participants will explore ways to reduce fragmentation in AU-EU collaboration, enhance evidence-based policymaking, and improve coordination of FNSSA-related funding. Keynote speakers and experts will provide insights into the IRC’s role in FNSSA collaborations, while interactive discussions will gather input to shape the IRC’s strategic direction, encouraging stakeholder dialogue and innovation for Africa’s agricultural systems. The session’s collaborative format will encourage dialogue between stakeholders and support CAADP’s agenda to create robust, evidence-based policy environments that drive innovation and inclusivity across Africa’s agricultural systems.This forum directly supports CAADP’s mission by addressing gaps in research, fostering strategic coordination, and promoting policies that contribute to Africa’s agricultural transformation and Agenda 2063 goals
Download Concept note

4th Global Bioeconomy Summit 2024 – Nairobi, Kenya
2024-10-23 - 2024-10-24 | Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya
Theme: One Planet – Sustainable Bioeconomy Solutions for Global Challenges
Date: 23-24 October, 2024
Location: Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya
The Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) 2024 will gather leaders of bioeconomy from all hemispheres and will highlight a sustainable bioeconomy as the key to decarbonisation and sustainable transition to less fossil fuel dependent, rural and urban green economies; while building resilient and sustainable food systems, reversing biodiversity loss, meeting health challenges, and using innovation as a driver for new economic opportunities, especially jobs for the youth.
The Summit brings together bioeconomy industry pioneers, bioeconomy experts around the world and fosters dialogue between widely different actors to promote sharing of best practices and to identify opportunities for global innovation and collaboration. The 4th Global Bioeconomy Summit will be hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa on 23rd and 24th October 2024.
GBS2024 will discuss:

Cross sectoral topics (e.g., agri-food systems, forestry, ocean/aquatic, biomanufacturing, biopharma, biotechnology, biomaterials, and bioenergy)
Ecosystems (e.g., nature / ecology, consumer products, construction, and urban design)
Supporting mechanisms and enablers (e.g., policies, finance, standards, measurements, certifications). The GBS is a forum that fosters dialogue between widely different actors to promote sharing of best practices, to identify opportunities for global innovation and collaboration, and to gather champions in promoting the bioeconomy concept across disciplines and sectors amongst policy makers and financiers

Registration: https://portal.dijito.one/registration-start/global-bioeconomy-summit-2024
Event Website: https://gbs2024.org/

4th PANAP General Annual Meeting
2024-10-17 10:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Online
Date: 17 October, 2024 @ 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM CET
Theme: Engaging Policy, Science and Partnership for Sustainable Food Systems in Africa
The 2024 General Annual Assembly of the Pan-African Network for Economic Analysis of Policies (PANAP) will be organized as an online virtual meeting. The assembly will be chaired by the Africa Union Commission (AUC), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and the European Commission (JRC and INTPA).
All network partners are invited to participate.
Registration: https://faraafrica.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArcOuqrTwjG9ANUNQjomDu0D_oYa8rw0KM

Stakeholders Consultation Webinar on FNSSA Roadmap
2024-09-05 14:00 - 16:30 (Europe/Moscow) | Online
The primary objective of the workshop is to gather feedback from national stakeholders about the achievements and lessons learned from the 2016-2026 FNSSA Roadmap, and to collectively devise a strategic course of action for developing the 2027-2037 FNSSA Roadmap.
Concept Notes (English)
Concept Notes (French)
Zoom Registration Link:
https://bit.ly/4dSirzV
Time: 2:00pm – 4:30pm EAT.

The Consortium Europe-Africa On Research and Innovations For Food Systems Transformation(CEA-FIRST) Stakeholders' Engagement and Consultation Workshop)
2024-08-15 09:00 - 17:00 UTC | Mercure Hotel, Kuised 2, Namibia
This side event contributes to facilitating a dialogue between Africa Universities and research institutions on the International Research Consortium, as well as stakeholder inputs into processes for updating FNSSA 2016 roadmap to inform the development of the new roadmap for 2027-2037, its contents and the operationalization of the IRC.
