Embrapa’s International Action
focus on MKTPlace
02 to 28 February 2014
Missions
• Eastern Africa:
– 02 to 15 February, 4 countries:
• Ethiopia – Addis Abeba; Tanzania – Dar es Salaam; Kenya – Nairobi;
Uganda – Entebbe e Kampala.
• Western Africa:
– 15 to 28 February, 4 countries:
• Ghana – Accra; Nigeria – Abuja; Benin – Cotonou e Mali – Bamako.
Mission objective and scope
• Scope: special Project – “Strengthening of Embrapa's
Internationalization”;
• Objective: raise information, opinions and
perceptions of R&D, gov. and IDA institutions in
scientific exchange and technical cooperation with
Embrapa.
! – It was neither an individual evaluation of the
projects, nor a collection of demands for future
cooperation projects.
Activities
• 53 meetings, 6 per country approximately
• 22 individual interviews from 30 MKTPlace
projects
MKTPlace Projects
Introduction of Napier Grass elite lines
for stunt resistance
ILRI, Ethiopia
MKTPlace – Species identification of root-knot nematodes NARS IITA Tanzania
MKTPlace - Application of DNA-markers for development of drought
tolerant potato germplasm – KARI - Kenya
Activity: Embrapa Model system for
drought tolerance study
Activity: Construction of hydroponic
system for drought tolerance study
Activity: DNA Extraction from potato
leaves
MKTPlace Projects
Utilization of Hydraulic Ram Pumps
for promoting small scale irrigation
NARO - Uganda
MKTPlace Projects
Enhancing rice and maize production by small-holders using
bacteria-plant extract biopesticide
Université des sciences, des techniques et
des technologies de Bamako - Mali
Some personal views
• “Marketplace develops projects that fill gaps
of major problems.”
• “Small projects are really effective”;
• “It is a partnership more than resources only”
Highlights
• In general, achievement of the expected results
• Scientific quality and Embrapa's experience;
• Partnership with Embrapa makes it easier to obtain
funds from other organisms/institutions/agencies;
• Peer to peer cooperation;
• Networking  closing the gap between african
research institutions and Embrapa; and
• Brazilian technology is adaptable to local realities.
Points for Improvement
• Language barrier;
• Delay to send genetic material;
• Little dissemination the project knowledge is just
among the researchers and the team at the
institution;
• Difficulty to find Brazilian partners through the
MKTPlace website;
• Project duration is too short;
• Complex pre-proposal selection process
Suggestions
• A final workshop to articulate and facilitate the
elaboration of new projects;
• Associate field visits with the Fora and increase staff
visits;
• Improve communication of the results within
institutions in the countries;
• Improve the 'matchmaking' mechanism;
• Provide documents in other languages, including
african ones  automatic translation software
Thank you!
Maya Takagi
Researcher
Secretariat for International Affairs
maya.takagi@embrapa.br
Adriana Bueno
International Cooperation Analyst
Secretariat for International Affairs
adriana.bueno@embrapa.br