Paris, 17 May 2010


EFITA newsletter / 461 / European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture, Food and the Environment


Africa France-Business Meetings: the "100% business" event following the Africa-France summit
2 - 3 June 2010 - BORDEAUX
At this meeting in Bordeaux on 2 and 3 June 2010, the business-oriented sequel to the "AFRICA-FRANCE" summit organized by the French government in Nice, around a hundred African business leaders will meet their French counterparts. Firms from twenty-three African countries have already confirmed their attendance, representing a variety of sectors: from health-care to construction and civil engineering, as well as agribusiness and energy, transport, and ICT. On the programme: 3 half-days devoted to business appointments, 2 conferences with feedback on business experiences, and an exhibition.

"Doing business" is the ambitious objective of the 2nd AFRICA FRANCE BUSINESS MEETINGS, thanks to the broad panel of African countries represented, with a special focus on English-speaking and Portuguese-speaking Africa, to open up new sources of business. This year, as 17 African countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of their independence, Bordeaux reaffirms its privileged relationship with the African continent by organizing this meeting.

>>> Presence of 23 African countries confirmed, including a large Nigerian delegation
The varied business interests of the African firms registered for AFRICA FRANCE BUSINESS MEETINGS will attract their French counterparts. Significant examples include Algerian agrifood concerns, logistics and construction businesses from Benin, woodwork specialists and transport firms from Burkina Faso, civil engineering and ICT from Côte d'Ivoire, a Nigerian delegation presenting several major investment projects (infrastructure and construction), consultants from Rwanda, and import/export enterprises from Togo.

>>> Keynote speakers to set the tone for the Bordeaux meetings
Keynote speakers at the opening session of AFRICA FRANCE BUSINESS MEETINGS include: Jean-Louis BILLON from the SIFCA-SIFCOM group in Côte d'Ivoire (agrifood), Soraya Fatima BADROUAOUI DRISSI, President of the Moroccan Businesswomen's Association, Doctor Anna MOKGOKONG, Executive President of Community Investment Holding in South Africa (health-care, energy, telecommunications, logistics, and mining), and José LEITAO, CEO of GEMA in Angola (construction, cement, and logistics).

>>> Africa: an emerging market!
Its young population includes undiscovered talents and highly-educated, ambitious entrepreneurs who have achieved success on all 5 continents. They will be present to report on their experiences and present new business opportunities. France, and Bordeaux in particular, truly believe in Africa. Numerous businesses that have operated successfully throughout the continent for many years will also be present to give the benefit of their highly useful feedback.

* Partners of AFRICA FRANCE BUSINESS MEETINGS: Club Entreprises Bordeaux Afrique, Bordeaux City Hall, Aquitaine Regional Council, DIRECCTE Aquitaine, CIAN, MEDEF international, Aquitaine External Trade Counsellors, Ubi France, TOTAL, Fayat, Le Moci, Groupe Jeune Afrique

>>> Africa France Business Meetings 
> Our objective: over 100 African and 100 French firms present
> Over 800 business appointments in "speed meeting" format

See: http://www.africa-france-business.com


XIth ESA (European Society for Agronomy) Congress Agro2010 Montpellier
The international scientific week around Agronomy
29 August – 3 September 2010 – MONTPELLIER
See: http://www.agropolis.fr/agro2010


World statistics and telecommunication report
See: http://www.internetworldstat.com


Centre for Learning on Sustainable Agriculture
Farming matters, the magazine on small-scale agriculture for a sustainable society.
See: http://www.ilea.org


For Kenyan farmers
The National Farmers Information Service (NAFIS) is an electronically generated voice information service for providing farmers with agricultural extension packages through mobile telephony and internet. It is a Government extension service currently in English and Kiswahili languages with room to accommodate other languages. It is easy to use and requires minimal training.
See: http://mobileactive.org/mobile-tools/nafis-national-farmers-information-service


Cash Transfers through Mobile Phones: An Innovative Emergency Response in Kenya
Kenya was one of the first countries to use mobile phones for cash transfers; through a service called M‐PESA, developed by Safaricom Limited. Concern Worldwide has pioneered the use of M‐PESA for emergency cash transfers in Kenya. This paper highlights Concern’s experience, which shows that despite initial software and logistical challenges, mobile phone technology offers a unique and empowering approach to efficiently deliver assistance to the most vulnerable people living in insecure and remote rural areas.
Experience also shows that cash transfers are a better option than food distributions in areas where adequate supplies of food are locally available. In addition, the partnership between Concern and Safaricom demonstrates that the private sector has significant and unique abilities to enhance the effectiveness of emergency response, and more importantly they can do so while maintaining their core business principles. The case study also demonstrates how technology can empower poor, marginalised and vulnerable people.
See: http://mobileactive.org/research/cash-transfers-through-mobile-phones-innovative-emergency-response-kenya


TropIKA.Net: Tropical Disease Research to foster Innovation and Knowledge Application
See: http://www.tropika.net


Weather info for all: Mobile communications to revolutionise African weather monitoring
See: http://iaald.blogspot.com/2009/06/weather-info-for-all-mobile.html


African research needs to be shared and be visible
See: http://iaald.blogspot.com/2009/05/african-research-needs-to-be-shared-and.html


How accessible is your agricultural information
See: http://iaald.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-accessible-is-your-agricultural.html


Making your AgInfo permanently accessible?
See: http://iaald.blogspot.com/2008/11/making-our-aginfo-permanenty-accessible.html


Making the web work for science
See: http://iaald.blogspot.com/2009/01/making-web-work-for-science.html


CIARD: Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development (CIARD)
See: http://www.ciard.net


Teal: A digital library for excellence in Agricultural research and education
See: http://www.teeal.org


INASP: International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications
See: http://www.inasp.info/


Co-capacity
>>> Vision
Co-Capacity combines multi-years of experience in a young and dynamic organization. Co-Capacity's expertise and activities are based around three "P"s: People, Processes and Platforms.
The combination of these three, are the core-competences of Co-Capacity and form the core business.

>>> The three "P"s
> People: Network & Community Services
"People" stands for the human networks and individuals in a network or community. Communities and networks lie at the heart of successful information and knowledge sharing. They are essential in both formal and informal communication and learning.  Member commitment, trust and co-ownership are key success factors for communities and networks to be successful.

Co-Capacity supports clients to establish, facilitate and manage networks and communities, including Communities of Practice. People in these communities and networks share the need to cooperate, communicate, co-activate, co-innovate.

> Processes: Enhancing information and knowledge processes.
Co-Capacity acts as broker to enhance information & knowledge exchange processes.  Exchange capacity can be build through workshops, training, e-learning, moderated networks and communities of practices.  At the same time information dissemination to internal and external audiences can be optimized

> Platforms: Web platform Services
Co-capacity provides the full range of services needed to develop appealing and functional web sites and platforms. These include website design, platform implementation and custom application development. These platforms often adhere to the Web2.0 approach.
See: http://www.co-capacity.org


Al Qaeda on Strike in the UK
Muslim suicide bombers in Britain are set to begin a three-day strike on Monday in a dispute over the number of virgins they are entitled to in the afterlife. Emergency talks with Al Qaeda have so far failed to produce an agreement. The unrest began last Tuesday when Al Qaeda announced that the number of virgins a suicide bomber would receive after his death will be cut by 25% this April from 72 to only 60. The rationale for the cut was the increase in recent years of the number of suicide bombings and a subsequent shortage of virgins in the afterlife.

The suicide bombers' union, the British Organization of Occupational Martyrs (or B.O.O.M.) responded with a statement that this was unacceptable to its members and immediately balloted for strike action.
General Secretary Abdullah Amir told the press, "Our members are literally working themselves to death in the cause of Jihad. We don't ask for much in return; but to be treated like this is like a kick in the teeth".

Speaking from his shed in Tipton in the West Midlands , in which he currently resides, Al Qaeda chief executive Osama bin Laden explained, "We sympathize with our workers concerns; but, Al Qaeda is simply not in a position to meet their demands. They are simply not accepting the realities of modern-day Jihad in a competitive marketplace.

Thanks to Western depravity, there is now a chronic shortage of virgins in the afterlife. It's a straight choice between reducing expenditure and laying people off. I don't like cutting wages but I'd hate to have to tell 3000 of my staff that they won't be able to blow themselves up."

Spokespersons for the union in the North East of England, Ireland, Wales, and the entire Australian continent stated that the strike would not affect their operations, as "There are no virgins in their areas anyway."

Apparently, the drop in the number of suicide bombings has been put down to the emergence of Scottish singing star, Susan Boyle - now that Muslims know what an actual virgin looks like, they are not so keen on going to paradise.


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