ACNS WEEKLY, ISSUE #3, DECEMBER 18, 2008

Welcome to the third issue of African Crops and Seed Systems News Service (ACNS) weekly issue. We invite your comments on the articles published in this issue.

Special Feature: Disseminating Information on New Crops in Africa, D.T. Babaleye. The inadequate provision of research, development and market information greatly limits agricultural development in many African countries. At the same, agricultural research and development programs continue to realize less visibility and relevance in providing alternatives to declining farm productivity, incomes and agro-industrial growth. This article examines the role of information in advancing African agricultural and identifies the roles various actors can play to enhance better information access and wider reach. Full article. View profile of D.T. Babaleye.

Research Funding Opportunity: The McKnight Foundation has received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand its Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP). The five-year grant of $26.7 million will allow the CCRP to increase its capacity for grantmaking, research and other types of support in Southern, West, East and Horn of Africa. Full press release. Visit CCRP website

New Website:  African Crop Science Society (ACSS) has recently launched its website http://www.acss.ws. ACSS is a society for investigators, producers, business people and technicians around the world that was established in 1993 with overall goal of promoting crop production and food security in the continent of Africa. Visit website.

Career Opportunity. Generation Challenge Programme is recruiting Subprogramme 3 Leader. Applications for the position  on “Trait Focus for Crop Improvement” focuses on validating and refining molecular breeding systems and with the primary purpose of increasing the efficiency, speed and scope of plant breeding. Application deadline: January 9 2009. Full Announcement

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Previous issue of ACNS Weekly is available at www.africancrops.net/news. For more information and comments, contact Musa N. Omare, Manager, Africancrops.net c/o FORMAT, P.O. Box 79 Village Market 00621, Nairobi, Kenya; Email: africancrops@wananchi.com