Paris, 9 January 2012


EFITA newsletter / 548 - European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture, Food and the Environment


A New Year Gift
It is in High Definition (HD)… Best enjoyed on full screen… Happy New Year!
See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x91rBzNKvlc


Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development Phase II (PAEPARD II)
Pour la traduction en français cliquez dans la colonne de droite du blog sur « automatic translation » et choisissez votre langue !
- Interview with Agricultural Innovation Facilitators
Interview with (a) GLINX Laurent, General Secretary of the National Platform for Innovation in the Agricultural Sector in Benin (PNISA-Bénin) and (b) David Suale, Country Coordinator of the DFID-UK Research Into Use Sierra Leone Programme.

- Farmers’ organizations and agricultural research for development
CSA organized a workshop in Brussels about: « Farmers’ organizations and agricultural research for development in Africa: roles, complementarity with others stakeholders and partnerships institutionalization ». The workshop report is now available in English and in French. September 27, 2011.

- Agriculture innovation systems: An investment sourcebook
The long-awaited agriculture innovation systems sourcebook is going to be published by the World Bank early in 2012.

- The role of agricultural r&d within the agricultural innovation systems approach
This paper (40 pages) traces the evolution of the innovation systems framework within the agricultural sector in Sub-Saharan Africa.

- Scaling up impact in smallholder agriculture
The eight case studies in this collection (140pp), compiled through a partnership between Practical Action and Oxfam, demonstrate the central importance of bottom up processes in influencing policy and investment decisions.

- Land Rights and the Land Rush: Findings of the Glo...
This report, authored by leading land experts, is the culmination of a three-year research project that brought together forty members and partners of ILC, CIRAD and IIED to examine the characteristics, drivers and impacts and trends of rapidly increasing commercial pressures on land.

- Online forums to further develop the “ICT in Agriculture
The World Bank and the e-Agriculture Community are collaborating in a series of online forums to further develop resources for the recently launched “ICT in Agriculture” Sourcebook

- Nutrition Advocacy Landscape in Europe
This report aims to map the landscape of European actors that are engaged in addressing undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries, and to provide a high-level roadmap for scaling-up advocacy activity around the issue.

- EFARD Steering Committee Meeting
EFARD held it's Steering Committee Meeting 8th December– 9th December 2011

- PAEPARD 5th Management Team Meeting (MTM)
The main objective of the MTM is to validate a common planning for year3 and the related budget of the Project. 6 and 7th December 2011

- Agricultural R&D: investing in Africa’s future
ASTI, together with IFPRI, where ASTI is based, and FARA, convened a conference on agricultural R&D in Africa. 5-Dec-2011 to 7-Dec-2011

- Brussels Briefing: Food price volatility
CTA in partnership with IFPRI, NEPAD, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the European Commission (DG DEVCO), the ACP Secretariat, Concord and various other partners discussed the main challenges in food price volatility 30th November 2011

- PAEPARD Agricultural Innovation Facilitators' Workshop
PAEPARD in collaboration with RUFORUM organised a five-day facilitators' Inception Workshop of the PAEPARD Project which is presently being held at the Imperial Resorts Beach Hotel in Entebbe, Uganda from 28th November to 2nd December 2011
See: http://paepard.blogspot.com
Contact: Francois Stepman
E-mail: fstepman(a)fara-africa.org

Information transmitted by Otto SCHMID
E-mail: otto.schmid(a)fibl.org


Interesting approach to (profitable) open access:
See: http://www.bloomsburyacademic.com/page/Our$0020Business$0020Model/our-business-model

We’re committed to publishing the best scholarship in the social sciences and humanities AND for our content to be as widely accessible as possible.

Our research publications are available online on a Creative Commons non-commercial licence. These are available in html on our site and for purchase as printed books. Some are also available for purchase in a number of ebook formats.

Unlike open-access journals we are not looking for authors (or their research funders) to pay for the publishing process. Yet the debate over whether or not free availability (in whatever eformat) increases or decreases sales rages on, not just in publishing but also in the music and film industries. Pilot projects in academic publishing are beginning to indicate that free content actually promotes sales. We hope that our experiment in making our research-led content available free will generate a sustainable business model that supports research and fosters wide scholarly communications.

Also, very interesting: PLOS expands mission:
http://www.plos.org/plos-expands-mission/
http://www.plos.org/publications/currents/
http://www.plos.org/publications/hubs/
http://article-level-metrics.plos.org/
Contact: Tasos KOUTOUMANOS
E-mail: anastasios.koutoumanos(a)gmail.com


The results for our EFITA sponsored e-Book ICT in Agriculture: Perspectives of Technological Innovation for the past year are now available
The results for 2011 were: 535028 accesses up 72% on 2010's 311287 accesses.
In 2011 there were more than 30 countries accessing our book, on average, more than 50 times a month. Better still 69 countries (from >100 in total) had accessed the e-book, on average, more than once a day.
When initiated in 2006 the highest monthly accessing was in November at 6077 accesses. For comparison the accessing result for November 2011 was 57163.
These results well reflect the issues discussed in our recent EFITA conference in Prague and interest in the current ICT Adoption concerns. With that said the e-book's results might indicate ICT adoption priorities and a measure of support for EFITA'S activities.
See: http://departments.agri.huji.ac.il/economics/gelb-main.html
Contact: Ehud GELB
E-mail: gelb(a)agri.huji.ac.il


The New, New Math (old funny joke)
I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help.
While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried... Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1960s:

1. Teaching Math in 1960s (when I was in school)
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

2. Teaching Math in 1970s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

3. Teaching Math in 1980s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit? Yes or No

4. Teaching Math in 1990s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

5. Teaching Math in 2000s
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20.
What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it's ok).

6. Teaching Math in 2010
Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?

ANSWER: His profit was $375,000 because his logging business is just a front for his pot farm.



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