Research Can Take you Places and Make you Meet Wonderful People
By Prof. Dr. Halimu Shauri
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
[A handshake of 100% support for Atoms4Food project by Baaba Maal in Podor, Senegal ]
In search of solutions to Africa’s challenge of food insecurity, I find myself in Podor, six hours drive from St. Louis in Senegal to launch a large scale farm demonstrations for rice.
This is a huge project under the Atoms4Food; a project co-supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] and Food and Agricultural Organisation [FAO], where I am one of the Project Scientific Consultants [PSCs].
Atoms4Food aims at enhancing food production in Africa through the application of Smart Agricultural Practices involving application of Nuclear Science and Technologies for optimum productivity.
Eleven African countries known for growing rice: Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Cote Del’Voire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, and Kenya assembled rice experts in St. Louis where we joined them for training on the new rice protocol.
Among the trainers were Dr. Zaman from IAEA and two rice experts from Pakistan.
Five Project Scientific Consultants [PSCs] are involved in the implementation of the project.
They focus on soil and water management, crop and animal breeding, insect pest control and socioeconomic impact assessment. You know my role in this configuration.
However, such a huge project needs an excellent entry into the community for buy-in and ownership and hence community influencers are key partners.
The team made sure, the who is who or the protocol, state and community, in Podor was given utmost respect and compliance.
Further, while in Podor, we had a rare moment as researchers when we met a humble and fine gentleman, who invited us to his home.
Look in the picture and identify the icon of African music who gave us 100% support for the Atoms4Food project as the UN ambassador for climate change.
Leave his name in the comment section if you know him please.
By Prof. Dr. Halimu Shauri
Dean &Consultant Sociologist
PWANI UNIVERSITY
