North Africa Digital Climate Advisory Services Training

to Support Climate Resilience for Smallholder Agriculture

Co-hosted by the African Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Global Center on Adaptation, with the participation of the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank, this two-day hybrid learning event will bring together the North Africa Digital Climate Advisory Services community of practice

Event description

This training event brings together public and private key changemakers from the North African region who have the capacity to scale up Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) in their countries.

The Training of Trainers format aims at informing and strengthening the capacity of selected public and private actors to share knowledge, best practices and experiences, as well as explore the latest innovation and approaches that can promote the adoption of DCAS in their countries.

The seminar will take place over two days in a hybrid format to allow the participation of a larger audience. Arabic, English and French interpretation will be available.  

Overview

DAY 1

• What is DCAS?
  Sketching tools to do advisory and extension work digitally
• How is DCAS used
  in smallholders linkages with their ecosystem?

DAY 2

• How can DCAS be enabled
  and do better for smallholder farmers?
• Tailoring DCAS
  business models according to the local context

Agenda

Day 1: 4th March

What is DCAS? Sketching the Tools to do Advisory and Extension Work Digitally
Moderated by Fadi Abdelradi, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo

9:00-9:30 Official Opening
Welcome notes from the co-hosts

• Dr. Saad Moussa, Head of External Relations and Chairman of Central Administration of Plant Quarantine, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of Egypt
• Dr. Bruce M. Campbell, Senior Advisor, Food Security and Wellbeing, GCA
• Ms. Zainab Awad, Country Programme Officer, Egypt, IFAD
• Ms. Svetlana Edmeades, Lead Agriculture Economist MENA Region, World Bank

9:30-10:15 Update on DCAS Digital Tools to Improve Advisory and Extension
Introduction to digital climate advisory services tools and contents and progress to date

• Dr. Ajit Govind, Senior Climatologist Systems Modeler, acting Head Geo Agro, Icarda (CGIAR)

Q&A

10:15-11:00 GCA, The World Bank and IFAD Overview and Projects in Agricultural Digital Services in North Africa
Development partners’ investment plans and cooperation with public and private actors

• Dr. Bruce M. Campbell, Senior Advisor, Food Security and Rural Wellbeing, GCA
• Ms. Fatma El Zahraa Aglan, Egypt Focal Point for Digital Agriculture, World Bank
• Mr. Nadhem Mtimet, Senior Regional Technical Specialist, IFAD

Q&A

11:00-12:00 Public Sector Case Studies of Agencies Integrating DCAS in their Extension Services

• Dr. Tarik Benabdelouahab, Principal Research Scientist, INRA, Morocco
• Dr. Mohamed El-Kersh, Digital Coordinator, Ministry of Agriculture & Land Reclamation, Egypt

BREAK: 12:00-12:30

12:30-15:30 How is DCAS used in smallholders’ linkages with their ecosystem? How to scale up and engage the private sector and investments?
Interactive session with group discussion and presentation of case studies of companies’ integrating DCAS in their operations and private agritech from North Africa

Case studies of agribusiness companies

• Dr. Naglaa Ahmed, Project Manager, Sekem
• Eng. Hesham Radwan, CEO, Danone
• Mr. Tamer Mostafa, Agriculture Operations Manager, Olam Egypt
• Eng. Magdy Elsobky, Country Manager Egypt & Middle East, Agricultural Solutions, BASF Egypt and Dr. Inji Zaki, Sustainability & Digitalization Manager, Agricultural Solutions, BASF Egypt
• Ms. Wendy Smith, Agriculture and Public-Private Partnerships Lead, AXA Emerging Customers

Q&A

Case studies of agritech companies and emerging eco-systems

• Mr. Mousine Lakhdissi, Director AgriData, Morocco
• Mrs. Dorra Fiani, President, Knowledge Economy Foundation/Bashaier Platform
• Eng. Hassan El Badawy, Senior Digital Specialist, GIZ
• Mr. Yehia Houri, Chief Program Officer, Flat6Labs, Egypt

Group discussions on opportunities and barriers for DCAS implementation

Day 2: 5th March

How can DCAS be enabled and do better for smallholders?
Moderated by Fadi Abdelradi, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo

9:00-10:45 Engaging smallholders in the co-development of DCAS Programs

• Dr. Sayed Khalifa, Head of Agricultural Professions Syndicate, Egypt
• Dr. Mohamed Fahim, Head of Climate Change Information Center, ARC, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Egypt
• Ms. Rem Ferchichi, Director UMNAGRI North Africa Farmers Organization
• Ms. Valentina Sommacal, Rural Institutions and Services Expert (FAO-RNE)/AFRAS Secretariat
• Event participants from North African farmers’ organizations and NGOs/CSOs

10:45-11:45 Successful advances in Digital Applications
Case studies of leading digital service providers offering bundled services and alternative low-digital connectivity solutions

• Mr. Youssef Tawfick, Manager, Products and Solutions, Mastercard Egypt
• Mr. Ashraf Gouda, Microsoft Technology Strategist, Microsoft Egypt

Q&A

BREAK: 11:45-12:15

12:15-14:30 Tailoring DCAS Business Models to the Local Context
How to design a sustainable business model: subsidies, sponsored, subscriptions? DCAS business model canvas: mapping exercise and interactive session

• Moderated by: Dr. Brian Muroyiwa, Head, Department of Agricultural Economics & Extension, NUL Lesotho

14:30-15:30 Prospects of DCAS Applications in North Africa
Group discussions on the innovations required to enable DCAS supply chain: regulations, technologies, infrastructure, business linkages, customized finance, knowledge management

Moderated by:

• Dr. Faissal Sehbaoui, Director AgriEdge, subsidiary Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco
• Mrs. Dorra Fiani, President Knowledge Economy Foundation/Bashaier Platform, Egypt