RONGEAD

Participation of RONGEAD in the Vienna Energy Forum 2013 (Vienna, Austria)

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2013-05-28T14:37:00Z

Within the frame of the SEED-Biogas project inTanzania (Lake Victoria) with the support of REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership).

Link to the program Vienna Energy Forum 2013

VOTE FOR THE N'KALO PROJECT !!

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2012-10-22T14:04:00Z

The N'kalô project has been selected as a finalist in the Power of Small : Entrepreneurs Strengthening Local Economies competition : VOTE before 2nd Novembre 2012 !!

The competition "Power of Small" has named 11 finalists with the most innovative strategies that help emerging entrepreneurs and small businesses grow and thrive in underserved communities. All finalists have been invited to the SAP SAPPHIRE NOW Conference in Madrid, Spain from November 13-15, 2012, where four winners will be announced

VOTE FOR THE N'KALO PROJECT !

N'Kalô means "I know" in Dioula (language of West Africa). This project consists in collecting informations on the cashew nut market - at the local and international level - and analyzing them correctly and finally transmitting useful information to cashew nut chain actors in West Africa first formed in order to use this information to merchandize better.

Project Tanzania : building biodigesters

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2012-10-09T14:41:00Z

Training of artisans on building and managing Compact Biogas Plant

On the 9th, 10th and 11th of October, 8 artisans were trained practically during 3 days to strengthen their knowledge on the "Compact Biogas System" technology. These artisans came from different districts of Mwanza region where Compact Biogas Systems have already been built; most of the artisans actually have a CBS.

The training enabled the trainer to tackle in details the theorical aspects of biogas production, construction and use of biodigesters. The major part of the training was, however, devoted to practical sessions.

By group of 2, the artisans had to build a CBS on their own, from A to Z, including the construction of gas cooker and with minimum interventions of the trainers. One of the CBS was then installed on site under the responsibility of the artisans.
A test was also conducted to verify the knowledge of the artisans especially on the understanding of the technology, its aim and its benefits.
After the training, each artisan will have, in order to be fully qualified, to find a client where he will construct and install a CBS. Then the project will be able to ask for his services.
On top of developping a new economic activity, the work of these artisans will increase the rate of construction of biodigesters among the communities of three districts. They will also insure the technical monitoring of the plants during the weeks after construction. Communicate about the technology and identify new clients will also be part of their mission.

Partnership APYN - RONGEAD (Lake Victoria, Tanzania)

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2012-10-05T10:57:00Z

Biogas for womens' groups producing probiotic yogurt in Mwanza and surroundings (Tanzania) - 5th October 2012

RONGEAD has initiated a new partnership with the NGO APYN - African Probiotic Yogurt Network based in Mwanza, Tanzania within the SEED Project - Sustainable Energy for Economic Development. APYN was recently created as a result of many years of work from several organisations in the field of women's right and empowerment as well as community health.

APYN promotes the establishment of probiotic yoghurt community health micro-enterprises that economically empower at risk and/or impoverished women and youth. Probiotic yoghurt aims at improving health and nutrition of the community, especially for people living with HIV/AIDS.

The event took place at Sahwa kitchen, Buhongwa, Mwanza on the 5th of October. Sahwa kitchen is one the women's groups that produces probiotic yogurt and has benefited, last June, from a biodigester (Compact Biogas System) through the SEED project in order to boil milk for yogurt making.

The session started by distributing yogurts to the participants, about 70 persons. Then, Mama Ana gave a brief background introduction explaining the various initiatives about fight for womens' right in Mwanza region. All the involved organisations, then, presented themselves: APYN, RONGEAD as well as EMEDO (another local partner organisation of RONGEAD for the SEED project) which is now our technical reference for biogas in the Lake Victoria area.

Mama Mbogo, the representative of Sahwa kitchen, explained the benefits of producing yogurt as an economic activity for the members of the group as well as the benefits of using biogas for their activity. A member of the community living with HIV testified of the beneficial effects of consuming probiotic yogurt daily.
Esther of APYN detailed how probiotics, consumed in yogurt form, improve the immune response, reduce intestinal disorders, morbidity and death of people living with HIV and reduce the risks of UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) for women. Then Nashon of EMEDO made a demonstration of the use of biogas explaining how it works and its benefits.

Among the assembly, most people came from the surroundings; representatives of organisations such as TAREA (TAnzanian Renewable Energy Association), VI- agroforestry and SIDO (Small Industries Development Organisation) also participated.
Besides raising awareness among the community regarding the benefits of consuming probiotic yogurt and using biogas, many persons showed great interest on biogas technology and interested in acquiring a household system !

WTO Public Forum 2012 - Geneva

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2012-09-24T14:49:00Z

Participation of RONGEAD CH in the WTO Public Forum in Geneva

Every year, the WTO organizes in Geneva a public forum, open to everyone, aiming at discussing the latest issues concerning the multilateral trading system.

It takes place this year from September 24th to 26th and poses the question : "Is multilateralism in crisis?"

RONGEAD CH - very recently created - has participated in one of the workshops entitled "AFRICAN AGRICULTURE : Trade and Africa's Agricultural Policy in 2025 : Possible Ways out of a Debacle" on September 24th from 2 to 4 pm

More...

Abstract

Agriculture is still one of the most important sectors in Africa's trade policy. Besides other raw materials, agriculture commodities continue to be a major source of income for African countries. It provides the greatest amount of employment and of export earnings. Nevertheless, African governments spend less than 10 per cent of their national budgets on the agricultural sector. Donations given to Africa by the international community have increased by around 250 per cent since 1980, while the contribution to the agricultural sector has decreased by 50 per cent. During the same period, poverty levels have remained very high.

The objectives of the session will be :

to present the current major challenges in the African agricultural sector related to its trade policy;
to deepen the understanding of Africa's existing potential in the agricultural sector and link it to trade policy issues;
to present case studies from different African countries (Central and East Africa); and
to delineate an agricultural trade policy in which food security is central.

7th Annual Conference African Cashew Alliance - Cotonou 2012

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2012-09-17T15:08:51Z

Participation of RONGEAD in the 7th Annual Conference of the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) in Cotonou (Benin)

Nile Perch Sector Workshop - Lake Victoria (Tanzania)

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2012-09-17T07:43:00Z

Organization of a regional multi-actors workshop on the "Nile Perch" Sector " - Mwanza, Lake Victoria (Tanzania)

RONGEAD and its partner EMEDO organized a multi-actors regional workshop gathering all the upstream stakeholders of the Nile Perch sector on the 17th of September 2012 at Ukerewe Island (Lake Victoria, Tanzania).

This event follows the first historical international multi-actors workshop of the Nile Perch sector held in Mwanza, Tanzania in April 2012 with representatives of all the stakeholders of the value chain (from fishermen of Lake Victoria to European Nile Perch filets consumers). This second event is an additional step in the setting up of a more sustainable Nile Perch Value Chain and shows the engagement of the stakeholders of the South. The contribution of about sixty actors of the upstream part of the sector in this regional workshop has led to the selection of prioriy actions to be undertaken and therefore making the Declaration of Mwanza more concrete, document developed and signed by all the participants of the International workshop in April 2012.

Numerous fishermen, boat and gears owners, middlemen of the Nile Perch trade, fish processing industries, small-scale fish processers (women), retailer on local markets and actors involved in fish residues processing took part in the event. Representatives of NGO working in the fisheries sector as well as fishermen from other regions and even from Kenya were also present. Governemental authorities (from village to regional level) also participated.

Two main themes were discussed during the workshop :

the explanation of the Declaration of Mwanza followed by 5 round tables to select priorities within the declaration and determine their implementation. Each round table was compound of different categories of actors of the upstream sector. One was dedicated to the authorities. Several themes selected among the numerous items mentioned in the Declaration of Mwanza seemed to make a consensus among the stakeholders: improve price transparency and access to information; fight against corruption in the fisheries sector linked to an efficient fight against illegal fishing; and capacity building of the Beach Management Units.

A step forward has also been reeched in the field of stakeholders' responsabilisation. For each selected themes, each category of actors, especially those present at the workshop (i.e. upstream actors of the chain), assigned to itself engagements to follow regarding the implementation of the priority actions mentionned above.

the second them was about the question "how do we organize ourselves?" at fisherfolk level especially. Several key persons testified of their experience regarding this topic such as Ali Juma, secretary and fundor of KENAFA : the first Kenyan national fisherfolk association created several years ago as well as Jovitha Yuston, treasurer of a network of various self-help groups in the region of Kagera, west side of Lake Victoria. These interventions initiated, among the present assembly, reflection on the importance of being organized at different levels (village, ward, district...) among fisherfolks, upstream actors in order to speak with one voice and to be heard.

Another similar workshop, in the Lake zone, should take place in a few months in order to share the discussions from the stakeholders of the North, to carry on implementing actions towards to the priority themes selected during this 17th of September and to continue the awareness of the stakeholders on the necessity to be organized to be heard.

This multi-actors regional workshop of the South should echo back in the North and the stakeholders of the downstream part of the chain should hold a meeting soon as well with the same aim of improving / increasing the concretisation of the Declaration of Mwanza and the reinforcement of Nile Perch stakeholders' awareness.

Nile Perch Workshop - 19th April - Mwanza (Tanzania)

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2012-08-31T14:29:53Z

RONGEAD organizes the first multi-actors workshop on the Nile Perch Value Chain in Mwanza (Tanzania)

Representatives of the whole value chain: fisher folks, boat owners, fish mongers, agents, fish processing industries, small-scale fish processors, importers, European wholesalers/retailers and European consumers were sitting at the same table to discuss and negotiatethe issues faced by the Nile Perch sector and especially its sustainability. Most of the representatives who participated are members of the Responsible Fishing Alliance (RFA). Local and international NGOs as well as regional and local authorities were part of the workshop. To complete the panel, representatives of international institutions such as the FAO and the WFF (World Forum of Fish harvesters and Fish workers) and academicians also participated in the event.

The main objective of the workshop was to enable all the stakeholders of the sector to get to know each other in order to understand better the situation and the issues faced by one another: whether it was the stakeholders of the "North"realizinghow complex the situationis and how large is the number of actors involved in the upstream part of the chain or whether it was fisherfolks discovering the role of the various stakeholders of the "North". Through this event stakeholders were able to build a common vision of this sector which is experiencing serious difficulties, to be aware of the importance to collaborate and work together.

Then, gathered in round tables, the different stakeholders discussed potential solutions to be implemented at every stakeholder's level with the aim of improving the sustainability of the sector.

The themes of the round tables were :

Price, value-added repartition and trust among actors
Access to capital and equipment
Quality, traceability and certification
Biodiversity and diversification of activities (to reduce pressure on the Nile Perch stock)
To what extent local authorities should participate to improve the sustainability of the ‘Nile Perch' resource?

Video "Why two cashew producers...?"

RONGEAD - Alexandre Nicole — 2012-08-31T12:19:00Z

- Latest news / MIS

Creation of RONGEAD Switzerland

Fanny COUSTALINE — 2012-07-25T13:56:00Z

RONGEAD Switzerland, officially named RONGEAD CH, has been establishd July 25th 2012 further to the constituting General Assembly

This creation reinforces RONGEAD's international position with the headquarters in Lyon (France), an office in Ivory Coast and now RONGEAD CH in Geneva.

RONGEAD CH's ambition is to work on the following subjects : international trade of agricultural products, market access for developing coutries, and therefore to make the link between development projects on the field and global governance on agricultural matters.

Contact : Fanny COUSTALINE

RONGEAD CH
Maison des Associations
Rue des Savoises 15
1205 GENEVE
Tel : +41 (0)22 321 47 77

contact