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Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Sustainable Intensification

Category: June 2016

All of the blog posts from the month of June.

The Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium Launches in Burkina Faso

Posted on by trendall
Local Farmer from Koumbia, Burkina Faso shares his experiences with the ASMC Team.
Local Farmer from Koumbia, Burkina Faso shares his experiences with the ASMC team

The Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium (ASMC) traveled to Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso to launch the Appropriate Scale Mechanization Innovation Hub at the Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso.

Farmers, manufacturers, researchers, students and government officials joined the ASMC for a two-day workshop on mechanization on May 30-31, 2016. The workshop and field visits to local farms allowed the ASMC team to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities of mechanization in Burkina Faso and helped to identify specific interventions to improve the livelihoods of Burkinabe farmers. Continue reading “The Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium Launches in Burkina Faso” →

InterAction’s Food Security Fair

Posted on by Michael Lee
Dr. B. Jan Middendorf and Rep. Lynn Jenkins at the InterAction Innovation Fair

InterAction, an alliance of nongovernmental organizations, serves as a convener, thought leader and voice for the community. The alliance held its first ever innovation fair on June 14, 2016. Twenty universities, companies, nonprofits and other organizations attended the fair to discuss issues in food security. These entities came together to share different strategies for creating lasting change, reducing poverty, and improving food and nutritional security in communities throughout the world. SIIL was one of the 20 organizations present sharing current research efforts on the issue of sustainable intensification. Dr. B. Jan Middendorf, Associate Director of SIIL, represented the Lab at the event and had the opportunity to interact with Rep. Lynn Jenkins (KS). Rep. Jenkins is the co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus.

Click here to learn more about InterAction and the work that they do.

Click here to visit the SIIL website to learn more about our research program.

SIIL Geospatial and Farming Systems Research Consortium to host workshop in Tanzania

Posted on by Molly Webb

The Geospatial and Farming Systems Research Consortium, funded by the Feed the Future Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab and in partnership with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, will host a 5 day hands-on workshop on data science for agricultural development on August 15-19, 2016 in Arusha, Tanzania. All Innovation Lab partners working in Tanzania and the surrounding region are invited to attend.

The workshop will include an introduction to the R software, and using R for data analysis and modeling, with an emphasis on spatial data. Case studies will include the use of climate, soils, crop, and health and remote sensing data. Participants will learn how to integrate various data types and analytical approaches (e.g. machine learning and simulation modeling) into a single work flow. The number of participants is limited, and prospective attendees must complete the event application.

There is no cost for attending the workshop. Lodging and meals will be provided, and travel grants may be available upon request. For more information, please contact Ani Ghosh.

Scholarship offered for students in Bangladesh

Posted on by Michael Lee

For students in Bangladesh, a new opportunity has just been announced. The SIIL-Polder Scholarship was released this month for both M.S. and Ph.D. students in the following research areas: agronomy/water management, human nutrition, socioeconomics/economics, gender in agriculture, and environment. The scholarship is available for students that are enrolled in any university in Bangladesh, are involved in the field of rice science and related systems research and are proficient in English. There is a monthly stipend associated with the position. Interested parties should apply online. After fully completing the required forms, students will be kept up to date with the status of their application. The deadline for application is June 30, 2016. Please consider applying for or sharing this exciting opportunity!

Click here to visit the website where you can find more information on the scholarship as well as directions on how to apply.