IFS eNews No. 6, April 2002
IFS eNews appears quarterly. Ad hoc newsbulletins (fellowship announcements etc) are also sent out to all IFS eNews subscribers. We hope that it is an effective way to inform you about recent developments. Your comments on the contents of IFS eNews are most welcome to info@ifs.se
MESSAGE FROM JACQUES GAILLARD, ACTING DIRECTOR
2002 is a year of transition, consolidation and opportunity for IFS. On 1 January, Thomas Rosswall took up the position of Executive Director of the International Council for Science (ICSU) in Paris and I took on the responsibility as Acting Director of IFS. During his 16 months here, Thomas Rosswall propelled the organisation forward with new initiatives presented in the IFS Medium-Term Strategic Plan. This plan, together with a good deal of concerted effort, will carry the IFS forward for at least the next three years.
Strengthened, broadened or new areas are being incorporated in IFS granting activities, including water resources, social science, global change science and biodiversity. New recruitment brochures and posters were sent to the IFS community to announce these changes, and word has also gone out to strategic newsletters and web sites. This will increase visibility and hopefully increase the number of applications during 2002. A number of proposals presenting new initiatives in global change, social sciences and water resources were also circulated to potential donors during the last few months. We are still awaiting funding decisions from a few major donor countries. Their commitment and contributions will determine IFS activities in 2002 and following years.
The Search Committee will interview candidates for Director during April. We wish to gratefully acknowledge Professor Bruno Messerli, Chairman of the Board and of the Search Committee, for his particularly active involvement in the search process. His encouraging and friendly support to all of us at IFS over the last three months has been invaluable.
The last months were also marked by preparatory meetings for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) to be held in Johannesburg in August. It is increasingly clear that a sustainable future can only be based on knowledge societies in which scientists in partnership with civil society and the private sector play a crucial role. The growing scientific imbalance between OECD countries and the world's poorest nations remains a threat to sustainable development. A major obstacle in these latter countries remains the lack of well-trained scientists with appropriate working conditions and links to the international scientific community. Capacity building must contribute to the growth of such endogenous scientific communities. IFS, in collaboration with its increasingly dense and interactive partnership networks in the North and in the South, will continue to contribute to those efforts.
Jacques Gaillard
Acting Director
contact: jacques.gaillard@ifs.se
Note: The French Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) has extended the secondment of Jacques Gaillard to the IFS Secretariat until 30 June 2003.
IFS GOVERNANCE MEETINGS 2002
The IFS Executive Committee Meeting will be held 25-26 May at the IFS Secretariat in Stockholm. The meetings of the IFS Board of Trustees and its sub-committees, as well as the meeting of the IFS Donors Group shall take place 17-22 October in Sigtuna, Sweden.
IFS DONORS
IFS has received a commitment for USD 25,000 for the year 2001 from one of its Member Organisations in Argentina, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas (CONICET), www.conicet.gov.ar
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France has confirmed its 2002 contribution to IFS in the amount of EUR 228.500 (FRF 1 500 000). IFS is waiting for confirmation of funding for 2002 from Danida, Denmark; NORAD, Norway and Sida SAREC, Sweden. Both Danida and NORAD are undergoing reviews, causing delays in their commitments.
Jacques Gaillard participated in a meeting organised in February 2002 by Dirk Molderez, (Head of the Department for University and Scientific Institutions Cooperation) at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which Steph Fereman (Member of the Cabinet of the Minister), Patrick Sorgeloos (IFS Scientific Adviser) and representatives from several Belgian scientific institutions involved with developing countries also participated. It is hoped that the Belgian contribution, from the Directorate General for International Co-operation (DGIC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be reinstated during 2002 as part of a partnership arrangement involving CIUF and VLIR, the French-speaking and Flemish-speaking Inter-university Councils, respectively.
Following positive discussions with The Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Head of the Division for Research and Communication, an application for funding has been submitted to the Ministry. A decision is expected in June 2002.
IFS VISITS JAPAN
Bruno Messerli and Jacques Gaillard visited Japan in January 2002 for meetings at the United Nations University (UNU), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the Science Council of Japan (SCJ), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Nippon Foundation in Tokyo and the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS). A decision to reinstate the Japanese contribution to the IFS budget is still pending. IFS is taking steps to recruit JSPS, SCJ and JIRCAS as Member Organisations, as well as to recruit Scientific Advisers from Japan, in particular from JIRCAS.
GRANTS AWARDED IN DECEMBER 2001
A total of 346 applications for IFS grants were reviewed by Scientific Advisers
in the autumn meetings: Africa, 134; Latin America and the Caribbean, 77;
Asia and the Pacific, 135. Grants were awarded as follows: Africa, 35; Latin
America and the Caribbean, 24; Asia and the Pacific, 32 - for a total of
91 grants.
For the full list click
here.
WORKSHOPS & CONFERENCES
Food Science and Nutrition Network for Africa (FOSNNA)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was the site of a conference organised by FOSNNA (Food Science and Nutrition Network for Africa) and FONATA (Food and Nutrition Association of Tanzania), 12-14 February 2002. The conference brought together 65 scientists to discuss food science and nutrition developments, training, research, employment challenges and opportunities in Africa. It also provided an opportunity for networking among food scientists and nutritionists in Africa involved in related areas of research, teaching and extension. IFS supports the initiative and had sponsored the participation of nine grantees. Four IFS Advisers took part as well. Nathalie Persson Andrianasitera (IFS Scientific Secretary) presented IFS at the conference. While in Tanzania, she met with representatives of COSTECH, an IFS member organisation, at the University of Dar es Salaam. Discussions included how to improve applications from Sub-Saharan countries and what actions to achieve these improvements, can be undertaken through workshops. An IFS information seminar was also held at the University. Ms Persson Andrianasitera also met with current and former IFS Tanzanian grantees to discuss how to set up an alumni association in Tanzania. For more information, contact: nathalie.persson@ifs.se
Proposal writing in Burkina Faso
The first Sida NATUR workshop, in French, on proposal writing was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in February, 2002 in collaboration with the Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST), Ouagadougou. Twenty-five persons from francophone Africa attended the weeklong course. The main objective of the course was to train participants in writing convincing scientific research proposals at a level permitting them to hold training courses in their own countries. The trainers were Richard Hall (IFS Scientific Secretary), Issa Boro (INERA, Burkina Faso), François Le Tacon (IFS Adviser, France), Kadidia Sanon (IFS grantee, INERA, Burkina Faso). Monica Dahlberg (IFS Assistant) assisted in the organisation of the event.
Elements of two courses used in international training programmes (The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) and the International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR)) were carefully selected. The two perspectives provided a synergy resulting in stimulating debate and discussion. As a result of this course several participants from four countries have approached IFS to request funds to hold their own national courses. For more information, contact: richard.hall@ifs.se
West African Network WANNPRES
The Committee on Science and Technology in Developing Countries (COSTED) arranged through Marian Ewurama Addy (Regional Secretary of COSTED, West and Central Africa) a meeting to establish a Western African Network of Natural Products Research Scientists (WANNPRES), 18-22 February 2002. The meeting was organised and sponsored by IFS and the United Nations University/Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU/INRA).
The Constitution of WANNPRES was adopted and an Executive Committee was elected: Marian Ewurama Addy (Executive Secretary), Alex Nyarko (Secretary) and Dorcas Osei-Safo (Treasurer). Interim country co-ordinators were appointed: Nigeria -Gamaniel Shingu, Cameroon - Bonaventure Ngadjui and Ghana - Mahama Duweijua. UNU/INRA and IFS agreed to serve as Corporate Members on the Governing Council to help nurture WANNPRES. The Chemistry Department of the University of Ghana will provide office space for the secretariat, which should be set up by the end of April 2002.
For further information about the network, including their aims and objectives, please contact Marian Ewurama Addy, P. O. Box LG 448, Legon, Ghana, telephone: +233-21-511380 or +233-20-813-5867, fax: +233-21-512063, email: costed@ghana.com
Trace Element Research in Kenya
The Trace Element Satellite Center of UNESCO (TESCU) held the first regional Conference of Trace Element Research in Africa on March 27-30, 2002 in Nairobi, Kenya. The IFS supported the participation of one of its grantees J Darkwa from South Africa. For more information, contact: cecilia.oman@ifs.se
Chemistry and Pharmacology of Plants Used in African Traditional Medicine
The IOCD international symposium "Chemistry and Pharmacology of Plants used in African Traditional Medicine", attended by some 100 participants from Africa, Europe and the Americas, was held in Bamako, Mali March 6-8, 2002. IFS grantee Drissa Diallo was the local organiser. IFS support enabled four grantees to present papers: Eléonore Yayi, Benin; Eloi Palé, Burkina Faso; Fouad Atmani, Morocco and Bolanle Alake Adeniyi, Nigeria. The Symposium was preceded by a workshop entitled "Quality control of raw plant material and phytopharmaceuticals and the formulation of improved traditional medicines", which was also attended by Dr Yayi and Dr Adeniyi. Eva Rostig (IFS Senior Assistant) represented IFS and gave a presentation of the organisation at the Symposium. Ms Rostig also explored the possibility of starting an Alumni Association in Mali and identifying a Member Organisation for IFS. For more information, contact: eva.rostig@ifs.se
SPECIAL PROGRAMMES
UNU/INRA and IFS Collaborative Programme
The institutional agreement with the United Nations University (UNU) was
renewed in January 2002 for an additional period of three years (2002-2004).
A total contribution of USD 240,000 is to be paid by UNU to IFS for the continuation
of the UNU/INRA and IFS collaborative programme in Africa. For more information,
contact: jacques.gaillard@ifs.se
Details of the UNU/INRA and IFS
Collaborative Programme.
Carolina MacGillavry PhD Fellowship Programme
The Carolina MacGillavry PhD fellowship programme enables scholars from
14 countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region
to obtain a fellowship (sandwich model) to carry out their PhD studies at
several universities and departments in the Netherlands. The programme was
established in 1997 in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Academy of
Arts (KNAW). In order to improve programme outcomes, the Dutch Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, which financially contributes to the programme, has initiated
an external evaluation. On 11 March Wim van Viersen and Teresa Mom, the members
of the evaluation team, and Henk van den Heuvel from KNAW, visited IFS. Their
findings will be reported in the next eNews. For more information, contact: richard.fuchs@ifs.se
Details of the Carolina MacGillavry
PhD Fellowship Programme.
RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN
During 2002 there will be a concerted effort to increase the number of applications submitted to IFS. A new recruitment brochure has been mailed to the IFS community. Accompanying it are copies of posters and a text for use in journals, newsletters, or other announcements. Please contact Pirkko Tolamo (IFS Office Assistant) at pirkko.tolamo@ifs.se if you would like to receive this material or Richard Fuchs (IFS Head of Programme) at richard.fuchs@ifs.se if you would like to suggest ways to increase the visibility of IFS programmes.
NEW INITIATIVES
Capacity Building for Global Change Science
Virji Hassan, Deputy Director of the International Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training, START visited IFS in February to discuss progress on a 10-year plan for capacity building for global change science. The plan (see eNews No. 4) is a joint initiative involving IFS, START, and the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). During his visit to Stockholm together with the Director of START, Roland Fuchs, joint meetings were held with Sida SAREC to discuss possible funding of the programme. Funds have already been raised by START for providing support to intensive training institutes. For more information, contact: jacques.gaillard@ifs.se
Strengthening Social Science Capacity for Sustainable Management of Biological Resources
A proposal entitled "Strengthening Social Science Capacity for the Sustainable Management of Biological Resources" has been circulated to potential donors in recent months. This initiative should further strengthen the capacity of developing countries to manage their biological resources by extending IFS support to promising young scientists working with sustainable management issues. The addition of social scientists to IFS networks and proactive IFS support for trans-disciplinary communication should increase the value of the IFS Programme to grantees from all disciplines. In Africa, this initiative will be developed in partnership with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA). For more information, contact: eren.zink@ifs.se
Expanded Research Support for Water Resources
The World Water Forum in The Hague, Netherlands in 2000 was the largest meeting ever of the water community. The Ministerial Meeting that followed issued a strong call for action, highlighting the need for wiser water governance and radically improved leadership. Despite the seriousness of the situation, there is a large gap between the scientific facts underpinning the crisis and the dominant public perceptions. Moreover, water concerns have a low status in many governance bodies. Areas of great importance are water quantity, water quality, water management and conflict resolution. At its May 2001 meeting, the IFS Board of Trustees agreed to the creation of a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) on Water Resources.
IFS currently supports, and shall expand, research on water quantity, quality, characterisation and treatment, water pollution trace element analyses and other areas of environmental chemistry, as well as the social, political and economic relationships/institutions that influence how water is utilised. It is essential that research proposals are of high scientific quality, relevant to the region where they are performed, and contribute to strengthening capacity for the sustainable management of water resources.
Researchers are invited to submit their applications to IFS using the standard IFS Application Form. For more information, contact: cecilia.oman@ifs.se
IFS Grantees Form National Associations
The creation of IFS grantee associations is advocated in the IFS Medium-Term
Strategic Plan 2002-2004. One such association was established in Cotonou,
Benin in 1995. Discussions have also been held with IFS grantees during recent
visits in Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana and Tanzania. Additional contacts are
also being made in other countries - primarily in Africa - to promote the
establishment of national associations of IFS grantees. A paper discussing
the composition and the role of such associations is available from the IFS
Secretariat. For more information, contact: jacques.gaillard@ifs.se
See also the IFS
Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2002-2004.
Sub-Regional Programmes in Africa
Maputo, Mozambique was the venue for African Agricultural Research Week and the first General Assembly of the Forum for Agricultural Research (FARA), in March 2002. The announcement by five African countries that a New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) is being established and the formation of FARA focused discussions during the week on the role that these bodies will play in agricultural research and how they can complement each other. Capacity building has been identified as a crosscutting priority by both bodies. In a session during which development and scientific partners responded to the proposals made, Richard Fuchs stressed the importance of capacity building and of the recruitment of more agricultural researchers. He also held discussions with representatives of the Sub-Regional Organisations (ASARECA, CORAF and SACCAR) and other regional bodies on the role that IFS can play in these efforts.
The first FARA General Assembly saw the ratified constitution and elected
governance and executive organs. Monty Jones (currently at WARDA) will be
the first Executive Secretary.
More information on FARA: http://www.cgiar.org/fara.htm
Mozambican Agricultural Research Development Day also took place during the week. The main event was a seminar officiated by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, at which lessons on institutional reforms in Africa were shared. IFS grantee Mohamed Harun gave a presentation on the Mozambican agricultural research experience.
Richard Fuchs gave an information seminar to prospective applicants in Maputo, and also met with grantees there and in Pretoria, South Africa. For more information, contact: richard.fuchs@ifs.se
SUPPORTING SERVICES
Free Access to International Research Information
Attention all IFS friends and colleagues who are members of universities and research institutes in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. You are encouraged to read the website of the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), at http://www.inasp.info/peri/index.html. It describes the Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI), which will eventually provide free access to thousands of international journals and databases. For more information, contact Carol Priestley at inasp@inasp.info
Changes in Routines for Handling Payments to Grantees
As of 1 April 2002, IFS will no longer arrange payment transfers for literature purchases or membership fees on behalf of IFS grantees. Applicants may continue to include these items in their proposal budgets, but must arrange for payment on their own.
A REVITALISED ROLE FOR IFS MEMBER ORGANISATIONS
Today, the Member Organisations (MOs) of IFS (126 in 82 countries) constitute a unique contact network for IFS, providing very important links to both donors and recipient countries. A report entitled "IFS Member Organisations: revisiting and revitalising their role" has been prepared in English and French and is available on the IFS web site. Printed copies can also be obtained from IFS. MOs can, in particular, play a greater role in the recruitment of applicants, follow-up activities and impact assessment, co-organisation of workshops, training courses and in promoting the establishment of national fora of IFS grantees, promoting the creation of associations of IFS grantees and fund raising activities. For more information, contact: jacques.gaillard@ifs.se
The report: IFS Member Organisations:
revisiting and revitalising their role
The report in French: Les
Organisations Membres de lĠIFS: pour une re-dynamisation de leur rôle
WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, JOHANNESBURG
IFS has been involved in a series of meetings held to plan for the World Summit on Sustainable Development that will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the end of August, 2002.
Thomas Rosswall, Executive Director of ICSU and former Director of IFS, released a statement at a plenary session of the United Nations in New York on 29 January 2002 on behalf of the Science and Technology Community. In his statement, Professor Rosswall pointed out the critical role of science capacity building for developing sustainable societies and for fighting the growing "scientific divide" between richer and poorer nations. He also stressed that ICSU, TWAS, IFS and UNESCO have taken initiatives for new capacity-building initiatives focussed on the least developed countries.
Richard Fuchs represented IFS at a three-day workshop on "Science and Technology for Sustainability - Harnessing Institutional Synergies" in Trieste, Italy, in February 2002. The meeting was organised by TWAS with support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The workshop helped distil - from practical experience around the world - how scientific and technological knowledge could be more effectively harnessed in promoting a transition towards sustainability. More information on this subject can be found at http://sustainabilityscience.org
Meetings were held in Stockholm and in Paris during March 2002 between Thomas Rosswall and Jacques Gaillard to plan a report on Science Education and Science Capacity Building for Sustainable Development, which will be jointly prepared by ICSU, IFS and TWAS. This report is part of an ICSU series on Science for Sustainable Development for the WSSD. For more information, contact: jacques.gaillard@ifs.se
START LAUNCHES AWARD PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS
To recognise the achievement of outstanding young scientists from developing countries in Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Mediterranean, the International Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training (START) is asking for nominations for a new award programme. Award decisions will be based on peer-reviewed journal papers published by young scientists that deal with some aspect of global change research that is being conducted on a regional level, or which has a strong regional focus. Applicants must be under 40 at the time of the submission deadline, 30 June 2002. More information can be found at www.start.org
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Vijaya Kumar, a former IFS grantee, was elected Chairman of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development last May for the Sixth Session (2001-2003). The Commission is one of the twelve functional Commissions of ECOSOC and advises the UN General Assembly through ECOSOC on the problems of Science and Technology for developing countries.
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