FP7 Africa Call 2010

FP7 Africa Call 2010

Background

A global promise to ease hunger for millions has been undermined by financial turmoil and climate change. Meanwhile, fears about global water and food security continue to grow, as does public concern for the health of populations in developing countries.

In this context, the publication of the Africa call from the 7th Research Framework Programme represents a great opportunity for strengthening Africa's base in research areas addressing these complex issues.

The EU-AFRICA Strategic Partnership has paved the way to this call, implemented jointly by the Themes: 'Health', 'Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology' and 'Environment (including climate change)', which will fund projects aimed at enhancing African socio-economic development and capacity building.

An Info Day for this call will be held on 18 September 2010.

Where?

Conference Centre "Albert Borchette"
Rue Froissart 36, Brussels
(Metro Station SCHUMAN)

Who is this day for?

The Info Day is for everyone interested in the research opportunities offered by the Call FP7-AFRICA-2010. That means researchers and research institutions, universities, industry, small and medium size enterprises, civil society organizations, other non-state actors, and National Contact Points. Participants from African international cooperation partner countries (ICPC) are particularly welcome.

Registration is open

You must register to participate. Registrations will be accepted on a 'first come first served basis'. Please note that we may have to limit the number of representatives from each organisation, if the event is oversubscribed. Please, register before 14 September 2009 by filling in the online registration form.

On line registration:
http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=AFRICAInfoday&lang=en

Flash presentations

The Info Day offers participants the possibility of giving a '2-3 minutes flash' (3 slides max) presentation. This should be a presentation related to a project idea, to competence in the specific field or to interest in starting or joining a consortium. Presentations will be uploaded on the Conference website for public access. Please, indicate in the registration form if you want to give a short presentation of your project ideas during a brokerage session.

Presentations must be sent by 14th September 2009 to:
RTD-AFRICA-2010-CALL@ec.europa.eu

The Africa Call at a glance

The call is structured around two major areas:

• Water and Food Security
• Better Health for Africa

It has a holistic approach involving various scientific and technological research fields, such as food, agriculture, health, land and water resources, including their interaction with climate change and integrating broader socio-economic factors such as migration and resettlement, urbanisation, health care systems and programme interventions.

Research activities are intended to strengthen local capacities. Achieving the expected impact means that the involvement of local stakeholders and regional actors is of paramount importance.

Funded projects will provide innovative management, governance tools and technologies suitable for the relevant authorities and stakeholders, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security and enhance public health. Further expected benefits are related to academic training and the setting up of health research networks, efficient water management and the protection of natural ecosystems in Africa.

Publication

The call will be published on CORDIS the 30th July 2009:
www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cd/index.cfm

What will happen on the day

The Info Day will be opened by the European Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik and a representative from the African Union.

The morning session will continue with an overview of EU-AFRICA Strategic Partnership in the research field and ongoing activities in support of Africa carried out by DG RTD highlighting the rationale of the call, modalities for its implementation, and presentations of the different topics. A general discussion with all Commission services involved will follow.

In the afternoon session, the research topics of each Theme will be further discussed in two parallel sessions: "Water and Food Security" and "Better Health for Africa" .

The second part of the afternoon will be dedicated to a brokerage session with flash presentations from participants and to networking.

Website

http://circa.ec.europa.eu/Public/irc/rtd/rtdafr2010call/library

Indicative programme

9:00 Registration and Coffee
Centre Albert Borchette, Ground floor

10:00 Opening

JANEZ POTOČNIK
European Commissioner for Science and Research

10:15 The 'Africa - EU Strategic Partnership'
Representative from the African Union Commission

10:30 European Research with Africa: overview of ongoing activities and future prospects
Mary MINCH
Director International Cooperation - DG RTD
Maive RUTE
Director Biotechnologies, Agriculture and Food - DG RTD
Ruxandra DRAGHIA-AKLI
Director Health - DG RTD
Manuela SOARES
Director Environment - DG RTD

11:30 The Africa call: context, content and modalities of its implementation
Andrea Tilche
Head of Unit Environment Directorate, DG RTD

12:00 Open discussion

12:30 Lunch Break

13:30-17:30 Brokerage sessions
Background information to the various topics, flash presentations, discussions and open networking between participants in two parallel sessions:

• Water and Food Security
• Better Health for Africa

Acknowledgement

Reproduced with the permission of the European Commission.