The world never stands still! This Podcaster contains a number of important news items, as well as some updates on M&E, inoculant production and guidelines for co-authorship of publications.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Kenton Dashiell for all of his hard work to get N2Africa off to a flying start over the past two years, as he moves on to take up a new role at IITA. Kenton will remain with N2Africa as he joins the Steering Committee of N2Africa. Dr Bernard Vanlauwe is also moving to head up Natural Resource Management at IITA, although he will remain based in Nairobi and will continue to be involved in N2Africa in an advisory role and as a member of the Steering Committee.
I also welcome Dr Deborah Bossio to the N2Africa Steering Committee. Deborah just started as Director of TSBF-CIAT based in Nairobi. We wish her all success in her new role.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has commissioned an external review of N2Africa by Dr John Lynam, who is well known within research and development circles in Africa. This review will take place in the coming months and we will update you on its findings in due course. We welcome having someone of John’s calibre to put our work under the spotlight and to critically evaluate our approaches and progress.
The Steering Committee is currently reviewing the organisation of N2Africa and I have asked Alastair Simmons, who has been advising the N2Africa leadership over the past year, to step in to ensure continuity while we search for a replacement for Kenton.
Change always brings some uncertainties, but also opportunities and we need to move ahead. We look forward to your continuing support as N2Africa steps up its activities for the final year and a half of what we hope will be only the first phase in our drive to put nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa.
Ken Giller