The Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa (APPSA) commissioned 25 new Research and Development (R&D) sub-projects on the 17th of March 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The new sub-projects, led by scientists from the Republic of Angola and the Kingdom of Lesotho, are adding on the 18 that are currently ongoing, and all are expected to be completed before the APPSA project closing date (January 2025). The event was attended virtually by the Executive Director of CCARDESA, Professor Cliff Sibusiso Dlamini, Deputy Director of Instituto de Investigação Agronómica (IIA) from Angola, Dr Amílcar Salumbo, Mr Johanna Masia, Acting Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Lesotho, Dr Lefulesele Lebesa, Director of Agricultural Research from Lesotho, World Bank Regional Task Team Leader (TTL), Francisco Obreque, and TTL from Angola, Aniceto Bila.
The commissioning of these R&D sub-projects is a critical milestone for APPSA as they are the last batch, and no additional call for proposals will be issued in the remaining project period. Hence, these sub-projects provide Angola and Lesotho with an opportunity to strengthen their focus on country research priorities with potential spill-over effects across the SADC region.
In his remarks, Prof. Dlamini noted that so far APPSA has made significant strides to achieve its target as from the ongoing R&D sub-projects, 47 improved technologies are currently being promoted (19 in Angola and 28 in Lesotho), reaching 14,458 beneficiaries (10,638 in Angola and 3,820 in Lesotho). About 56% of the total beneficiaries are women. In addition, Prof. Dlamini urged the participating countries to continue working together to achieve the project objectives and targets.
Dr Salumbo commended the efforts of scientists for being able to work with facilitation from CCARDESA to develop the 25 R&D proposals and pledged commitment from the Angolan Government to support them by all means necessary. His sentiments were echoed by Mr Masia and Dr Lebesa from Lesotho. On another note, Mr Masia, shared his commitment as the current Chairperson of the APPSA Regional Steering Committee, which he said is ready to resolve critical bottlenecks to fast-track APPSA implementation.
For the World Bank TTL, Francisco Obreque, the most crucial outcomes of the APPSA project will result from the technologies made available from the R&D sub-projects, which is the core mandate of the entire initiative. He added that these technologies will help to increase productivity and enhance climate resilience within the agricultural sector in the implementing countries.
APPSA is a six-year World Bank funded initiative currently being implemented by Angola and Lesotho with regional coordination by CCARDESA. Under APPSA, Angola is being supported to establish the Regional Center of Leadership on Cassava and Cassava-based farming systems whereas Lesotho is focusing on Horticulture and Horticulture-based farming systems. The APPSA sub-projects fall under 6 specific thematic areas: (1) Crop genetic diversity, breeding and improvement, (2) Postharvest Technologies, (3) Irrigation and Mechanization Technologies; (4) Production Systems and Management Technologies, (5) Dissemination and Technology transfer; and (6) Seed Systems.
