The French-African research initiative TSARA goes into action

The TSARA initiative aims to stimulate a portfolio of original research, training and innovation projects, co-constructed between African and French institutions, which are both of high quality and focused on impact and training with rural and urban actors, as well as support for public policies.

Since March 2022, 8 thematic groups have been working in the form of webinars, each bringing together up to 60 participants from the 19 members and with potential new partners, to compile an inventory of scientific knowledge and list priorities to be addressed. , in the following topics: soils, waters and forests under the stress of climate change; the agroecological transition of agriculture and breeding; sustainability of food systems; the health of people, animals and landscapes; work and occupation.

A presentation of the work of these 8 thematic groups during the General Assembly allowed to establish the framework of the scientific agenda of TSARA and its action plan 2023-2025, which should be implemented in the first half of 2023, supported by a research portfolio, training and support projects, involving all stakeholders of all or part of African territories. The results of this work should help respond to the main challenges in order to contribute to the sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda globally, in Europe and in Africa.

This 1^time The General Assembly was also the occasion to give governance to the TSARA initiative: an operational secretariat made up of 12 institutions, 10 African and 2 French, representing a great geographical diversity. The presidency will be ensured on the basis of a pair of co-chairing institutes. So in 2023 CIRAD and ARC will assume the co-presidency for one year, followed by INRAE ​​​​and ISRA at the next General Assembly, at the end of 2023. The creation of an associate member status has also been registered, which will allow French or African research and/or higher education organizations to join TSARA.

INRAE, thanks to the Contract of Objectives and Means stipulated with the State in February 2022, is already dedicating new resources dedicated to the projects that will feed the initiative, of which over 400 k€ will be allocated to the incoming and outgoing mobility of scientists, launch projects or foster inter-knowledge in 2022 and 2023 in order to mature large-scale projects with all partners interested in the initiative. All INRAE ​​scientific departments are mobilised: more than a dozen registered or planned transfers and as many initiation and cross-knowledge projects, supported by or in addition to existing structuring partnership agreements.

CIRAD, for its part, has been carrying out research projects in partnership with African research institutions for over 50 years, with, to date, more than a hundred major projects in progress. Furthermore, every year, CIRAD allocates € 300,000 to 14 partnership research and training systems bring together CIRAD and African partners to respond through research, innovation and training to specific development challenges identified together. Finally, around a hundred CIRAD researchers work with or near African institutional partners.

These means will allow TSARA partners to be stronger together to present and win projects at European and international level.