1. A MODEL FOR PROMOTING YOUTH AGRIPRENEURSHIP IN WEST & CENTRAL AFRICA
Engagement of Youth Entrepreneuship for Agricultural transformation in Aftica
Workshop May 2014
CORAF/WECARD

2. Presentation Outline 1. The profile of CORAF/WECARD
2. The CORAF/WECARD’s Agribusiness Model
3. CORAF/WECARD as a Regional Agricultural
Knowledge Management Center
4. Conclusion

3. The Profile of CORAF/WECARD
Sustainable reduction in poverty and food insecurity in WCA through an increase in agriculture-led economic growth and sustainable improvement of key aspects of the agricultural research system
VISION
Created in 1987
NARS of 23 countries
12 M km2
Surface area
Growth rate 5 to 7%
433 M inhabitants
Sustainable improvements to the productivity, competitiveness and markets of the agricultural systems in WCA by meeting the key demands of the sub regional research system as expressed by target groups
MISSION
Average yield Gap: 75%
74% engaged in agriculture
1.25 US$ a day
< 48.5%
Food demand > 60 – 80%

4. Key functions of CORAF/WECARD
Coordinate NARS
Encourage common planning, fin. & admin. systems
Pool resources
Support FAAP compliant programmes
Strengthen NARS capacity
Create & maintain expertise
Foster institutional strengthening
Develop competence in implementing IAR4D
Knowledge Management
Convert information to knowledge & disseminate
Establish innovation platforms & support experiential learning
Advocacy
Provide information on strategic options
Influence policies
Mobilise financial resources
End users/producers

5. The CORAF/WECARD’s Agribusiness Model
Regional Agricultural
Knowledge Management Center
Increased use of Research
results &
Innovation
Increased
public-private
partnership
Creating enabling conditions
Communication

6. Pillar 1: Increased use of research results and innovations
Technologies developed through 212 IPs along commodity value chains ranging from crops, livestock, fisheries, and Natural Resources Management.
Publications leaflets to facilitate the promotion of use of technologies
Virtual Market on technologies developed through MITA (Marché des Innovations et des Technologies Améliorées)
Database on seeds and seed suppliers available

7. Pillar 2: Increased Public-Private Partnership
The Network of Agricultural and Rural Advisory Services (RESCAR-AOC) established
Private sector organization facilitated
National Seed Trade Associations (NSTA) with AFSTA organized and functional
Business Plans developed for the SMEs
PPP established between NARIs and private sector

8. Pillar 3: Creating Enabling Conditions
Appropriate trainings provided to Youths
Modules developed for Capacity Strengthening in seed value chain
Support to Youths in developing business plan
A special program to promote Gender in Agricultural Research for Development
Getting youths taking advantage of UNIBRAIN programme
Link youths with mentors

9. Communication as the foundation
30 films produced (English and French) on technologies using Youtube and other social networks format for the Youth WECARD/videos
Facebook page developed to present CORAF/WECARD results
The number of visitors of CORAF Website has increased since the use of social media from in Oct to in March 2015, and most of these are Youths

10. CORAF/WECARD: a Regional Agricultural Knowledge Management Center
Media is one of the key players in the process of catalyzing the development of any community, mostly Youths.
Television is a major electronic media for information dissemination, education, economic development, entertainment and empowerment in the knowledge society
Television is fast growing and its reach is gradually increasing, mostly with Youth in the rural Africa.

11. CORAF/WECARD: a Regional Agricultural Knowledge Management Center
Many channels operating for Mass Communication and entertainment in Africa, but none is on Agriculture.
Advantage with the visual medium is that a farmer can see whenever a scientist exhibits a diseased plant, notice unequal growth of a particular crop, and so on. In fact, ‘seeing is believing’.

12. Implementing the Regional Agricultural Knowledge Management Center
To convey information to a large youth audience, with technological quality and credibility from the field of agriculture, livestock, aquaculture, forestry, environment, food, health and nutrition
To link Youth viewers to opportunities and trainings in agriculture: land and water resources, tools, technologies, markets, commodity prices, trade fairs, funding, jobs etc.
To be a communication medium towards Youths for Development agencies, Research organizations, NGO, Advisory & Extension Services and Universities on sharing best practices, experiences, lessons learnt and success stories.

13. Implementing the Regional Agricultural Knowledge Management Center
To provide educational program on weather, climate change and mitigation measures, climate smart agriculture, sustainable use of natural resources
To establish and support a Call Center that will provide specific and detailed answers to viewers

14. Conclusion
Innovative approaches and tools have been developed by CORAF recently to boost technology adoption and facilitate Agripreneurship by Youth
CORAF has facilitated the enabling environment to develop PPP and Agripreneurship by Youth
For CORAF/WECARD to continue to ensure leadership in improving agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption in WCA, it should develop a Regional Knowledge Management Center connected to a Call Center
This will provide more opportunities to Youth for effective Agripreneurship skills enhancement.
This initiative is under development and the outcome will be shared with partners.

15. Merci pour votre aimable attention, Thank You