Guidelines
International Conference on the
Impact of and Adaptation to Climate Change in
Relation to Food Security in Africa
23-25 February 2011 – Hilton Hotel – Nairobi, Kenya
Scope
Climate change is expected to have a high impact on food security. This may specifically affect
African countries, since predictions indicate that the African climate may be subject to more extreme
conditions, and food security is already at risk in large regions of Africa. To identify scientific and
policy options to adapt to a new reality, the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC)
together with the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) will organize the
conference Impact of and Adaptation to Climate Change in Relation to Food Security in Africa. The
conference will be held in Kenya from 23rd to 25th February 2011. The coordination of this conference
is organized by NASAC, which is based in Nairobi.
The conference intends to bring together some of the very best Climate Change scientists to exchange
ideas and experiences on climate change impacts and adaptation in relation to food security in Africa.
Aspects that will be addressed may concern knowledge and research, policy formulation and
implementation, and adaptation strategies that would ensure food security in a changing climate. In
addition, the roles of governmental, public, private and non-governmental sectors and grassroots
actors in ensuring this end may be addressed.
Invitation to participate
All excellent African and Dutch scientists with a strong interest in Climate Change linked to Food
Security are invited to send in an abstract for this conference. A set target is to have - besides
established senior researchers - at least 30% of the conference participants being scientists younger
than 45 years old, who are either exceptional young researchers in their field or young professors at
universities or research institutes. All applicants should have a PhD and preferably have a few years
postdoctoral research experience. Approximately 60 applicants will be selected to make either an oral
presentation or present a poster. Travel- and accommodation costs will be covered for all selected
participants.
Call for abstracts: 31 October 2010 deadline
Abstracts may be submitted to participate in this conference until 31 October 2010 at the very latest.
You may submit an abstract of maximum 800 words. Applications will only be eligible if an updated
curriculum vitae (max. length 4 pages, including date of birth) is included. Women scientists in
particular are encouraged to participate.
Abstracts can be submitted electronically to the NASAC secretariat using the following email address:
climatechangeconf@aasciences.org. Each entry will receive a confirmation of receipt.
To successfully submit an abstract please read the information below keenly.
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Format of the conference
Day 1: After two key note speeches, three sessions will be held of approximately 90 minutes each
(please see the draft agenda below):
I.
Session 1 is on the potential impacts of climate change on food systems and food security;
II.
Session 2 is on the potential climate change adaptation responses on food systems and food
security;
III.
Session 3 is on the possible interventions, strategies and (funding) policies following the
adaptation process on climate change.
If you wish to be a speaker at this conference, you may submit an abstract to give an oral
PowerPoint presentation (15-20 minutes) for any one of the three sessions taking into
consideration the key words for that specific session.
Kindly note that presentations may be technical in nature but must be accessible for non-experts as
well, ensuring that any specific jargon is avoided or otherwise explained. You should bear in mind that
the conference audience has a diverse scientific and non-scientific background.
Each session will have a Chair and a Rapporteur.
The conference language will be English.
Session 2:
Possible climate change
adaptation responses on
food systems and food
security
Summary
Climate change is ongoing and within decades, could dominate all other
stressors threatening the environment and food security with
implications on poverty alleviation, health, and sustainable socioeconomic growth. This session aims to get a better understanding on
how climate change will directly and indirectly influence the food
systems and food security in different regions in Africa.
Key words
Water resource management and conservation; Extreme weather events;
Coastal and Island systems; Desertification; Sea level rise; Climate
change projections; Disruption of food supply systems; Traditional
Farming systems; Migration/displacement; Erosion/environmental
degradation; Deforestation; Loss of biodiversity; Pests and diseases;
Health problems; Land use change/land grabbing; Social-cultural
impacts; Gender issues.
Summary
Nowadays, there have been significant efforts by populations groups to
actively respond to the changing situation to environmental stressors by
using new technologies, introducing new crops and migration. This
session aims to assess different best practices to improve resilience in
relation to food systems and food security.
Session 3:
Interventions, strategies
and (funding) policies
Key words
Resilient production systems (crops, fisheries, livestock);
Migration/displacement; Water use efficiency and rainwater harvesting;
Energy for food production and preservation; Indigenous knowledge and
eco-friendly practices; Income/diversification/livelihoods; Gender
Perspectives; Biotechnology; Early warning systems; Alternative
energy. Integrated management, e.g. arid lands, coastal zones and island
ecosystems.
Summary
African member states, international community as well as stakeholders
such as the private sector, NGO’s and the civil society are involved in
issues related to climate change with direct implications on food systems
Session 1:
Potential impacts of
climate change on food
systems and food security
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and food security. Evidence has been made through investments on
infrastructures, development of new technologies, introduction of new
crops, etc. This session aims to discuss current strategies, policies and
other types of interventions, including funding opportunities, and assess
how all these can improve food systems and food security.
Key words
Land reform; Land acquisition; Food related policies; Environmental
and climate change awareness, sustainable development ; Public health,
gender and social policies; Clean Development Mechanisms; REDD;
Policy practices; Funding; Safety nets particularly rural farmers;
Germplasm banks.
Day 2: On the second day of the conference five working groups will convene (separately) to
deliberate on climate change and adaptation to food security under the following topics:
1. Resilient Agro-Ecosystems
2. Coastal and Island Development
3. Land Management and Governance
4. Arid and Semi-arid Lands
5. Human dimensions, migration, health and nutrition
Each working group will convene in a round table set up for four hours (including break). Expected
number of participants for each working group is 15 to 20. All participants of the conference (speakers
and general participants) are expected to participate in one of these working groups sessions.
Throughout all interactions participants are encouraged to look upon the discussion from different
angles, such as social, cultural, technical and financial dimensions, as well as other cross-cutting issues
that may be addressed as appropriate. On a more general level each working group is requested to
address the following themes in the three sessions:
 Impact - What are the impacts on food security related to the topic?
Identify impacts related to your experience and assess the scientific evidence provided related to
the topic. Most importantly: identify gaps and list the most significant impacts.
 Adaptation - What are the priority adaptation measures that are needed in relation to this topic?
Identify best practices, strengths and weaknesses of existing adaptation strategies. Identify
opportunities for new measures in an integrated way, related to the findings presented during
session 2 of the day before.
 Interventions - What interventions are needed from policy makers, decision makers, the scientific
community
and
other
stakeholders
in
relation
to
the
topic?
Identify key short term, medium term and long term recommendations. Specify the resources
needed and consider regional and international collaboration. List priority research projects and
relate to presentations from previous sessions, particularly those of session 3.
Each one of these five working groups shall aim to set up a list of key recommendations (scientific and
policy - related) to be discussed in the superseding Panel Discussion.
The Conference shall conclude with a Panel Discussion (plenary) that will assess the key
recommendations made by the different working groups and consider options for the way ahead for
Africa in relation to Climate Change and Food Security. It is the intention to include two or more
Ministers for the Environment as panellists.
The third day will be an open day to showcase NASAC academies and achievements, as well as
display session for posters and exhibitions on ongoing research on climate change.
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Conference participants
Number of scientific participants: 65 (50 international/15 local) - approximately 10 seats are
available for participants from the Netherlands. All other seats are for African scientists (including
Diaspora - African scientists living and working outside of Africa). High level policy makers will also
be invited. The expected total number of participants (scientific and non-scientific) is likely to be close
to 80. It is hoped that the conference will bring together excellent researchers from all disciplinary
backgrounds, including outstanding early-career scientists. Members of academies in Africa and the
Netherlands are specifically welcome to take part in the conference, but the conference is not limited
to academy members only. All excellent African and Dutch scientists with a strong interest in Climate
Change linked to Food Security are invited to send in an abstract for this conference. Scientists from
other nations (outside of Africa and not from the Netherlands) are welcome to take part in the
conference and submit an abstract, but all travel- and accommodation costs will have to be covered by
these participants themselves. A set target is to have - besides established senior researchers - at least
30% of the conference participants being scientists younger than 45 years old, who are either
exceptional young researchers in their field or young professors at universities or research institutes.
All applicants should be PhD holders and preferably have postdoctoral research experience of several
years.
Selection process
An Organizing Committee (OC) is responsible for the selection process of all conference participants.
The deadline to send in abstracts is 31 October 2010. Abstracts received after this date will not be
considered by the OC. The OC will make a final selection by 30 November 2010 at the latest.
Approximately 12 to 15 applicants will be selected to make oral PowerPoint presentations. The
selected applicants will be requested to send in a full paper (maximum 5000 words) that will be
published in the Conference Proceedings. The submission deadline for the full paper is 10 th January
2011. Approximately 50 applicants will be given the possibility to prepare a poster presentation or to
take part as a general participant, which includes active contribution to one of the parallel working
groups.
Travel, accommodation and fees
Travel- and accommodation costs will be covered for all selected scientific participants (please note
that conference participants from nations outside of Africa and the Netherlands will have to cover their
own expenses). Taking part in the conference is free of charge for all invited participants (no
conference fee). There are no fees available for the preparations of abstracts or papers. All local
arrangements for the conference are handled by the NASAC secretariat based in Nairobi, Kenya. The
likely location for the conference and accommodation will be the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi.
Technical support
All conference participants will giving oral PowerPoint presentations will receive technical support for
use during the conference (laptop, beamer and microphone).
Organization of the event
The conference is hosted by two academies: The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the Kenya
National Academy of Sciences (KNAS). Both academies are responsible for the organization of the
conference in close cooperation with the NASAC secretariat. All communication is channelled
through NASAC (email: climatechangeconf@aasciences.org).
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