-Europe Conference on Higher Education Collaboration, 25 October 2019, Brussels „Investing in people, by investing in higher education and skills in Africa“ Enhancing training and research mobility for novel crops breeding in Africa / MoBreed

Project Presentation Project Results

▪ 9 high profile plant breeders (PhD holders) being trained to address current and future challenges related to climate change and agriculture with focus on at least 10 promising underutilized plant species of Africa.

▪ 20 MSc students trained with MoBreed (Mobility for Breeders in strong capacity to increase Africa) is an initiative of five public knowledge and prospects on the universities from three African selected orphan crops used in regions and one university in Africa for food and nutrition Europe to advance knowledge on Project Activities security and the crop production useful crops of Africa and increase and seed industry, scholars’ capacity in addressing Our research focus on neglected and underutilized food security. Partners include the crops in Africa, specifically food crops such as fruits, ▪ Curriculum in five consortium University of Abomey-Calavi in vegetables, legumes, nuts, root and tubers, and cereals. universities harmonized to Benin and Project activities include: integrate research agenda on the in (West Africa), Jimma - training of 9 PhD students in Genomics and Plant use of neglected and University (Eastern Africa), breeding; underutilized crops to increase the University of and the - capacity building of MSc students in plant breeding resilience of food production University of KwaZulu Natal in research; systems. South Africa (Southern Africa) and - curriculum harmonization, intra-Africa mobility Montpellier SupAgro in France. organization for increased integration, learning and Sustainability & Synergies MoBreed is funded by the Intra- sharing; • Attraction various partnerships Africa Program of the Education, - Genotyping by Sequencing of orphan crops including Audiovisual and Culture Executive including with the African Orphan Miracle berry, Spider plant, Bambara groundnut, Consortium and with BecA-ILRI. Agency (EACEA) of the European Fonio, Yam bean, Taro, and Kersting’s groundnut. • Partnership with GENES intra-Africa Commission. program for joint research implementation. • Partnership with the Orange-fleshed sweet potato project of the African Union at the University of Parakou, Benin. • Connection of students and consortium members to the African Plant Breeders Association.

Information

CONTACT INFORMATION: Laboratory of Genetics, Horticulture and Seed Science, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi. Address : P.o.Box: 01 BP 526 Cotonou, Rep. of Benin.

WEBSITE: www.mobreed.com SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Youtube

Training of MoBreed students at the BecA-ILRI on Bioinformatics and hands-on wet laboratory manipulations by the Integrated Genotyping Service and Supports (IGSS) in Nairobi,

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS