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Food security, climate change and environmental degradation are global challenges that require joint action by multiple organizations. That is why several donors stimulate multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs). What is known about these platforms? Do they achieve what they aim for? Do agriculture- and food-related MSPs contribute to food security, sustainable development and the position of smallholders? Edith van Ewijk and Mirjam Ros-Tonen of the University of Amsterdam dived into the literature and found positive results but also important limitations. »

The conference Africa Knows! is the closing activity of the Africa 2020 Year of the Leiden African Studies Assembly and takes place online on December 2-4, 2020. On December 3, F&BKP co-organizes Panel 47 on “Agricultural Tertiary and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) in Africa: integration within the broader Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System”. »

On December 9 and 10, 2020, NWO-WOTRO and the Food & Business Knowledge Platform organise the final Food & Business Research Conference. This conference will enlarge the impact of all research results by bringing together project-level insights and outcomes, in order to identify commonalities and create coherence. »

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is an international, public sector research centre, part of the CGIAR network, based in Hyderbad, India. ICRISAT’s Digital Agriculture programme, which has received considerable support from senior management, is a self-sufficient research programme with a radical approach. In this programme, ICRISAT plays the role of innovation broker, linking farmers with public-private partnerships (PPPs) and tech startups. An interview with by Sarah Cummings with Ram Dhulipala. »

How can technologies like geodata, crowdsourcing intelligence, and machine learning contribute to resilience of food systems and communities during and after shocks like the Covid-19 crisis? This was the central focus of the 8 October CoP meeting that provided feedback to the co-organizers The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, 52impact, and BlackShore. The online meeting took Ethiopia as a case to discuss and exchange with 24 participants. »

Young Expert Programmes (YEP) is looking for Dutch young professionals for five new YEP positions. The current YEP Agrofood vacancies in Laos and Uganda/Rwanda are open for Dutch nationals only. Application for the new YEP positions in batch 22 is open until November 8, 2020. »