The First Session of the EWABELT General Assembly, held on September 24 at Spazio Cairoli, Milan, was opened by the project coordinator Prof. Giovanna Seddaiu (University of Sassari), who illustrated the key pillars of the Project, as well as the technologies implemented, calling for expanding collaboration in the future by sharing knowledge and data on agricultural innovations.
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Digital agriculture, innovation, and the valorization of traditional knowledge are closely linked to women's empowerment and the role of gender in agriculture. We are working on gender-sensitive agricultural practices, promoting self-declaration to enhance and reinforce these approaches.
We are implementing these practices by collaborating with farmers, and we have developed Farmer Field Research Units. So far, we have established 38 of these units, with the idea that any action, solution, practice, or technology we promote should be informed by traditional knowledge, making it meaningful for the farmers. It's also crucial to ensure that farmers are aware of and recognize these practices to increase adoption. These research units are co-learning spaces where research, innovation, demonstration, education, and capacity building all take place.
Another key pillar is the promotion and study of neglected and underutilized species (NUS). Examples include Fonio, Cassava, Fraffra potato, Enset, Teff, and Coccinia abyssinica. These species are essential to us, and we are conducting morphological, genomic, and ecophysiological analyses to valorize the traditional knowledge surrounding them, some of which have been almost entirely lost. We aim to innovate and improve their cropping management and performance.
The connection between NUS and gender-sensitive agriculture is critical because, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the seed systems for these species are largely informal, with women leading most of these systems. Therefore, promoting NUS requires empowering women, who play a key role in these agricultural processes.
We are also focusing on traditional water harvesting practices, such as stone bunds in Ghana, Zai pits in Burkina Faso, and Chololo pits in Tanzania. We are applying a strong research approach to monitor and innovate these practices, aiming to improve their effectiveness.
Another important area is the use of biopesticides. We've had excellent results using Cassia nigricans and neem seed oil extracts in Burkina Faso and Ghana to reduce crop losses. For example, in Burkina Faso, the success of Cassia nigricans has led to its scaling at the farm level within the Ewa Belt project.
We also have the PlantHead diagnostic network, an ICT-based digital innovation system that integrates artificial intelligence. It provides farmers with diagnostics of plant diseases and suggests solutions, many of which are based on traditional knowledge, such as the use of biopesticides.
Another core focus of the EwaBelt project is agri-livestock integration, particularly in cotton-based farming systems in Burkina Faso. This integration, a traditional practice in Sub-Saharan Africa, can be improved to reduce the environmental impact. For instance, we have experimented with integrating sorghum stalks and cottonseed cake into animal feed, significantly increasing the average weight of livestock.
Finally, we are working on an indicator-based sustainable intensification framework. We assess the impact of the solutions we promote across several domains: crop productivity, economic, environmental, social, and human. Our goal is to develop a sustainable intensification indicator using a fuzzy-logic approach for five groups of technologies: NUS, organic fertilization, biopesticides, traditional water harvesting practices, and Aflasafe (used to reduce aflatoxin contamination).
The integration of indigenous knowledge with scientific research is crucial to us. We are committed to environmental education, particularly for youth and women, and aim to strengthen local farmers' capacities through training programs. Cross-sectoral collaboration is vital to ensure a holistic approach to sustainable intensification.
Looking ahead, we are eager to expand collaborations. We seek to widen the application of Plant Head in other African farming systems and scale some of the Ewa Belt solutions, such as the use of NUS and biopesticides. We are also interested in sharing knowledge and data on agricultural innovations and organizing dissemination events through international and national networks.
Next year, we will hold the final EwaBelt Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, around July. If anyone is interested in participating, it would be a great opportunity for collaboration. Thank you for your attention.
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