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- CGIAR Researchers Join Forces with Senegalese Parliamentarians to Promote Agricultural Science for the Benefit of the Poor
IFPRI ForumIn the irrigated rice systems of West Africa, the back-breaking work of threshing and cleaning grain is largely carried out by women. This difficult manual labor not only adversely affects the women's health, but the quality and profitability of the rice as well. To address these problems, the Africa Rice Center (WARDA), in close collaboration with Senegalese partners, developed and adapted a rice thresher that is perfectly suited for the Senegal River Valley conditions.
In order to discuss this and other new technologies, production systems, income-generating crops and products, and development strategies and policies that can improve the livelihoods of the rural poor while protecting the environment, researchers from seven centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) met with Senegalese parliamentarians in Dakar in October. The event, held as part of the CGIAR Marketing Group's Parliamentarian Campaign, was organized jointly by IFPRI and l'Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA).
The goal of the dialogue was to familiarize parliamentarians with cutting-edge research being conducted by CGIAR scientists in collaboration with their Senegalese partners, highlight how these efforts are contributing to Senegal's agricultural and rural growth, and raise awareness about how science can be mobilized to benefit smallholder farmers.
Hearing how the research activities of Senegalese and CGIAR scientists have led to concrete results in terms of reducing poverty and fostering human well-being, the parliamentarians unanimously agreed on the importance of the dialogue, and called for increased support for agricultural research for the benefit of Senegal's national development.
"By the end of the meeting, all participants understood how vital it is for researchers to inform parliamentarians of the potential benefits of promising research, and for parliamentarians in turn to provide increased funding and favorable policies to support such research," said Dr. Papa Abdoulaye Seck, director general of WARDA.
In addition to IFPRI and WARDA, participating CGIAR centers included the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the World Agroforestry Centre.