PAEPARD Mauritius Activities - August 2012

Partnership Inception Workshop - 8th and 9th August 2012

The Mauritius Breadfruit Sector Consortium organized a two-day Partnership Inception Workshop on 8^th and 9^th August 2012 at the Food and Agricultural Research Council, Reduit. This workshop is supported and is part of the Platform for African-European Partnership on Agricultural Research for Development (PAEPARD) Project, which is facilitating this collaboration among various stakeholders in the Breadfruit Sector in Mauritius as well as European Partners (African-European Partnership).

The overall objectives of the workshop were to 

• Develop Concept Notes for each of the Research questions formulated from previous workshop and working sessions

• Discuss on possible funding opportunities

• Develop a partnership action plan.

The opening of the workshop was done by the Director General of the Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC), whereby directors and representatives of the organizations participating in the workshop activities were present. The participants of the workshop were from the Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC), the Agricultural Services of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security (MAIFS), Conserverie Sarjua International Ltd, the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) - University of Greenwich, Rose-Belle Sugar Estate, Greenworld Company Ltd and the Professional Association of Producers / Exporters of Horticultural Products from Mauritius (APEXHOM).

The Director General of FARC, Mr. Ramkissoon welcomed all the partners present at the workshop opening, and highlighted that the European Partner of the consortium, Mr. Whitfield from the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) was also present in the room. He gave an over-view of the activities of the consortium and explained the importance of breadfruit as an alternative source of carbohydrate in the context of food security in Mauritius and how each stakeholder has a role to play to contribute in the breadfruit value-chain. This was followed by a Power-Point Presentation by Mr. Gunesh who gave more details on the PAEPARD project: Context, objectives, expected results, activities, the Mauritius Breadfruit Sector Consortium 

The Director General of FARC during his address

This was followed by a presentation by the Consortium facilitators who gave more details on the PAEPARD Project and the activities of the Mauritius Breadfruit consortium. The Presentation can be viewed below:

Session 1: Group Allocation and SWOT Analysis

From previous working sessions, 5 Research Topics were generated and one group was formed for each topic (A total of 5 Groups). Before proceeding with the SWOT Analysis, each participant was allocated to a group, depending on their role in the consortium and their contribution in the development of the concept note. For each group, it was ensured that partners were from different stakeholder groups (research, non-research, private sector etc.).

Once the participants were allocated to a group, the Facilitator explained the purpose and importance of doing a SWOT Analysis, which is one of the essential tools used in project planning. The participants were required to work in their respective groups and had to present their work after discussion.

Session 2: Project Planning Tools

The objective of this session was to introduce different project planning tools to the participants, explain how to plan a project proposal and engage them in Group Activity. After a PowerPoint Presentation to explain the activity, each group was required to do a Logical Framework (Log Frame) for their respective Research Topic. This activity was the last one for Day 1.

Day 2: Development of Concept Notes

On the second day of the Partnership Inception Workshop, Power Point presentations were delivered by the facilitators and group activities were organised, whereby participants got a background on (a) Project Planning tools, (b) different aspects of a project proposal, (c) potential funding sources & their requirements. With this knowledge and having completed the SWOT Analysis and Log frame for each of the 5 cascading projects, the participants were provided with a guideline on Key Concepts of Project formulation (developed by ICRA) and were asked to start writing the concept notes. 

Before coming to the workshop, each group had already started to gather information and did a desk research on their respective Research Topic. In addition, each group was also provided with a laptop with internet connection, which they could use to search for any information that was required in writing the concept note.

The rest of the day was taken up with this activity and after more than 3 hours of work, each Group submitted their concept notes. 

In the closing plenary of the workshop, the facilitators explained to the participants that the 5 concept notes would be consolidated together as a National Programme during the next working session and when completed, the consortium will apply for funding as soon as there is an opportunity.

Please find pictures from the workshop in the following Slide-Show:

Working session - 29th August 2012

A full-day working session was organised by the Mauritius Breadfruit Sector Consortium on 29th August 2012 at the Food and Agricultural Research Council, Reduit. The objective of the working session was to review the concept notes developed during the Partnership Inception Workshop on 8th and 9th August. Participants present were from the Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU) and the Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC).

During the Working Session, each concept note was projected and the facilitators and participants were going through them together. When each concept note was reviewed, each group took its respective concept note and made amendments so that all the Concept notes that were being developed had the same structure and the objectives, methodology, budget etc. were as per the guidelines being used.

Facilitator and Consortium Partners going through the concept notes together

This activity took up the whole day and it is expected by the consortium that a consolidated proposal with 4 cascading projects would be developed in September 2012. 

More Information on the Mauritius Breadfruit Sector Consortium can be found on this Link: PAEPARD Mauritius Wiki

Some thoughts on Youth and Motivation

Being a youth, it is true that life is not so straight forward. There are ups and downs, success and failures, happiness and sadness.. And sometimes, despite being an optimist, a fighter etc., it is difficult to handle these (especially the negative ones), and unconsciously, you start giving up. 

Having faced such situations in the past, I have learnt to train my mind on how to always think positive and never give up, whether it is by focusing on what I want to do and believe I can do it (talking to oneself is very important - it is not craziness), talk to someone I trust or watch inspirational videos/movies etc. These simple actions seem stupid, but trust me, it does work. Motivation and inspiration  levels are not same all the time. We have to play around with it and bring it back whenever it goes down. What really makes the difference between those who are able to achieve their set goals and those who are unable to do so is their ability to get up quickly after being hit.

Now you must be wondering why I am writing about all these. In fact, I have recently  experienced something new.. Having been active on social media for some time, I did not realise that many people are actually reading and following what I post here and among these virtual contacts, I have got some "mentors". Indeed, mentorship is a great way to boost youth's motivation, encourage and guide them. I just did not expect to find it on social media. 

I recently posted a "not too positive" tweet and to my surprise, I got an email from one of my followers who simply wrote just what I needed to hear to bring my motivation back. 

I just want to say a very big THANK YOU to all the people out there who are following my posts (and will recognise themselves), and are taking the initiatives to motivate the youths and guide them. For me this is just another advantage of blogging and social media: You get feedbacks and advice from more experienced professional, that may bring you on the right track. And my other message is to always think positive, no matter what. And if ever you feel your motivation or confidence level going down just follow the simple tips given in this post! :)

Please watch the following video, which always motivates me whenever I feel my motivation level is going down:

Key messages and commitments on the International Youth Day 2012

Some day ago, we celebrated the International Youth Day (12th August 2012), and various organisations and institutions had organised activities and some launched communiques or took commitments to support the youths in their activities.

First of all, I would like to quote the message of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on this occasion:

"Today’s generation of youth — the largest the world has ever known, and the vast majority of whom live in developing countries — has unprecedented potential to advance the well-being of the entire human family.  Yet too many young people, including those who are highly educated, suffer from low-wage, dead-end work and record levels of unemployment.

The global economic crisis has hit youth the hardest and many are understandably discouraged by rising inequalities.  A large number have no immediate prospects and are disenfranchised from the political, social and development processes in their countries.  Without urgent measures, we risk creating a “lost generation” of squandered talent and dreams.

Working with and for young people is one of my top priorities.  Youth are a transformative force; they are creative, resourceful and enthusiastic agents of change, be it in public squares or cyberspace.  From their pivotal role in efforts to achieve freedom, democracy and equality, to their global mobilization in support of the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, youth have energetically demonstrated yet again their capacity and desire to turn the tide of history and tackle global challenges.

Young men and women are not passive beneficiaries, but equal and effective partners.  Their aspirations extend far beyond jobs; youth also want a seat at the table — a real voice in shaping the policies that shape their lives.  We need to listen to and engage with young people.  We need to establish more and stronger mechanisms for youth participation.  The time has come to integrate youth voices more meaningfully into decision-making processes at all levels.

Around the world there is growing recognition of the need to strengthen policies and investments involving young people.  On International Youth Day, I call on Governments, the private sector, civil society and academia to open doors for young people and strengthen partnerships with youth-led organizations.  Youth can determine whether this era moves toward greater peril or more positive change.

Let us support the young people of our world so they grow into adults who raise yet more generations of productive and powerful leaders."

For the past 2 years, since the International Year of the Youth (August 2010 - August 2011), the UN, through its different Agencies, has been supporting the youths by recognising their potential in shaping our future through positive change. In this context, many other International, Regional and National organisations had some activities and projects focusing on youths, giving them opportunities (whether in terms of participation in policy processes/debates to voice out their opinions, providing training or creating job and other opportunities for them). These initiatives have impacted the lives of may youths, including mine. For me, the project that has had a lot of impact on my personal and professional life is the ARDYIS Project by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA). It was the first International project for youth and agriculture in which I was involved, and following the very enriching experience, I joined other youth platforms and networks where I got other opportunities to participate in policy debates and make positive impact on the society.

Google+ Hangouts
To mark the International Youth Day, The UN held a series of 6 Google+ Hangouts on 8th, 9th and 10th August 2012 on themes related to the priority areas of the Secretary General's 5-year Action Agenda and the development of a UN System Wide Action Plan on youth, namely Employment, Entrepreneurship, Education (including sexual and reproductive health), Political Inclusion, Citizenship, and Protection of Rights).

Please find below the videos of the 6 Google+ Hangouts:
Employment 



Entrepreneurship



Education (including sexual and reproductive health)







Political Inclusion



Citizenship and Protection of Rights




Communique launched by Agriculture organisations and platforms
On the occasion of the International Youth Day 2012, some Agriculture and Youth organizations (YPARD, ARDYIS, e-Agriculture, GYIN, YPLD, "This is my story") made a joint statement to assert their will to strengthen partnership among youth for Agricultural Development. 

The statement can be read on this Link: Asserting our will to strengthen partnership among youth  for Agricultural Development

Being a member/contributor of all the above organisations/projects/platforms, I have been contributing to Agriculture and Youth Development in every way I can for the past 2 years and will continue to do so in the future as well.

FANRPAN Youth Case Studies
Another initiative to support the youth in Agriculture is the one from the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN). Since 2011, the organization has been advocating for the active engagement of youth in the Agriculture Value chains. This year, FANRPAN and CTA commissioned case Studies in 6 Countries (Malawi, Mauritius, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe) on Current and Emerging Youth Policies with a special focus on links to Agriculture. These case studies will be presented at the FANRPAN 2012 Annual High Level Regional Food Security Policy Dialogue in September 2012 in Tanzania.

Please find the Country case studies on this Link: FANRPAN Youth Country Case Studies

Concluding remarks
At the International front, these initiatives are definitely beneficial, but the impact is always greatest when the work is being done at National Level. Youths over the world are facing several challenges and are not getting the opportunity to develop their potential and contribute to the society. The UN Google+ Hangouts, communique by Agriculture organisations and the FANRPAN Youth Case Studies have all some points in common: To recognise the potential of youth, support their initiatives, include them in policy processes and give them opportunities for a better future!

Web 2.0 Learning Opportunity in Mauritius : Closing Ceremony and Award of Certificates

The closing ceremony and award of certificates of the Web 2.0 Learning Opportunity in Mauritius was held on 27th July 2012 at the Lecture Theatre 2 of the New Academic Complex, University of Mauritius. Present at the ceremony were the Pro-Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, the acting Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, representative from the  Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC), various stakeholders from agricultural institutions and the 50 participants who were trained in 2 batches from 9-13 July and 23-27 July respectively.

The ceremony started at 14:30 with the opening address from the acting dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. S.J.Santchurn, who welcomed the audience and called on stage Mr. K.Boodhoo, the lead trainer of the workshops to present the outcomes of the Web 2.0 Learning Opportunity in Mauritius.

Opening Address by the Acting Dean of FOA

Examples of how the workshop participants have started to use web 2.0 tools were presented by Mr. K.Boodhoo. He explained to the audience that during the 2 workshops, 50 blogs have been created by participants and some of these blogs were showcased. The wiki of the Mauritius Breadfruit Sector Consortium was also shown to demonstrate how such a platform (which is a web 2.0 tool) can enable remote collaboration in a multi-stakeholder partnership. 

Address by Mr. K.Boodhoo

This was followed by a video projection on participants' experience at the Web 2.0 Learning opportunity: 

One of the web 2.0 tools that the workshop participants found interesting and useful to them in their work was Google Maps. Participants who were trained in the first batch (9-13 July 2012) had started to use Google Maps and 2 examples were given.

The first example was a Google Map created by Mr. R. Bedacee, a livestock Extension Officer at the Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU). The Google map shows pig farms that have been mapped in the North-East region of Mauritius. Details that are available on the map are number of farmers, number of pigs, number of pigs ready for market etc. and this information may be useful to many stakeholders in the pig sector (input suppliers, producers, processors, policy makers, retailers/wholesalers, research, extension etc.). This map can be accessible on this Link: Google Map of Pig Farms.

Mr. Sembhoo presenting the Google Map of Pig farms

Another interesting example was given by Mr. Yash Ramdharee of the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority, who is working in collaboration with Mr. R.Ramburn of the Irrigation Authority on a project to monitor and evaluate irrigated sugarcane crop at St. Felix. 

Mr. Y.Ramdharee during his presentation

More information on this project can be found in the following presentation:

After the insightful presentation by the workshop participants, Mr. C.Sembhoo, the co-trainer of the workshop highlighted that these examples are from people who have been trained for just 5 days and the projects being presented are on a pilot basis, but these web 2.0 tools should be integrated in our work at institutional level and the Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development (CIARD) movement (which is working to make agricultural research information publicly available and accessible to all) should be followed.

Mr. K.Boodhoo thanked CTA, FOA, FARC and all people involved in making the Web 2.0 Learning opportunity in Mauritius possible.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, Prof. S.Rughooputh started his speech by going through the outcomes of the workshop and he thanked CTA for making the Web 2.0 training possible in Mauritius. He was very enthusiastic about integrating web 2.0 tools in the University curriculum and announced that a blogging competition may be launched at National level during the University of Mauritius Research Week 2012. 

The Vice-Chancellor during his speech

The Pro-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, Prof. S.Jugessur stressed upon the fact that we are not food-secured in Mauritius and there is a need to produce our food locally, especially staples. According to him, we are now becoming more knowledge-based and should be able to transfer this knowledge in Agriculture among institutions and to the farming community through  web 2.0 tools. One very interesting statement he made was that "Today children are not interested in Agriculture. They think the milk that they consume comes from the fridge". The Pro-Chancellor ended his speech by saying that we will take the children back to the farm, equip them with the right tools and they will contribute to food security and wealth of the country. With this, he officially closed the Web 2.0 Learning Opportunity in Mauritius and Certificates were awarded to the 50 participants of the 2 workshops.

Participant receiving his certificate from the Pro-Chancellor

After the award of certificate, the participants gave a gift to the trainers of the workshop and refreshments were served.

The web 2.0 Learning Opportunity has been a wonderful experience for participants, trainers and the organisers, but the success will depend on how we are going to use these tools in our daily activities to contribute to Agricultural Development!

Please find all pictures of the workshop from 23-27 July 2012 in the following Slideshow: