Live updates from the CONNECT Days in Hanoi
Day 1, January 14th
76 participants coming from 17 countries in Asia-Pacific gathered in Hanoi to share and critically reflect on the major achievements of the EU-funded DeSIRA initiative in the region in support of agrifood system transformation and agroecology transition.
The first day of the DeSIRA Connect Days began by setting the scene for the crucial roles that research, farmer organizations and regional research, extension and education organizations play together in DeSIRA in generating, activating and pooling the new knowledge, skills and capacities needed for agroecological transitions.
“If we do not address the entire research, extension, education and policy environment of agrifood systems, we will not be able to foster the inclusive local innovation that is essential to adapt solutions to each context,” said Dao The Ann, from Vietnamese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS).
“The DeSIRA initiative brings together frontline actors who generate action and interest in agroecology, not only research but also farmers organizations and policy makers”, said Oliver Oliveros from the Agroecology coalition
“Some drivers of agri-food systems change are accelerating, such as private sector investments or the expansion of digital tools and AI, which require even more public action and strong political capacities to put in place innovation programs and national strategies to ensure adequacy with countries’ needs and contributions to improving livelihoods,” said Murat Sartas, APAARI
Day 2, January 15th
Scaling Innovations for Agroecological Transitions: Insights from Day 2 of the DeSIRA Connect Days
The DeSIRA initiative has co-created thousands of technological, organizational, and service innovations through partnerships between researchers, farmers, NGOs, and policymakers. On the second day of the DeSIRA Connect Days (DCD) in Hanoi, participants delved into the critical roles of regional research-extension-education systems and farmer organizations in scaling these innovations within the broader context of agrifood system transformation.
Aurélie Toillier (CIRAD/DeSIRA-LIFT) emphasized:
“Scaling agricultural innovation is both about supporting the widespread use of proven solutions and strengthening country capacities to innovate, set up priority innovation agendas, nurture community-driven innovation niches, facilitate stakeholder alignment, and mobilize resources, thereby saving time and shortening scaling timelines.”
Estelle Biénabe (CIRAD) noted the strong link between agroecological transitions and market transformations:
“Agroecological transitions are also closely linked to market transformations and the promotion of sustainable consumption patterns to ensure food security and improve nutrition.”
Farmer organizations remain at the heart of these efforts, but Luchie Angeles Blanco (AsiaDHRRA) and Mohinesh Reddy (PIFON) highlighted:
“Their capacities still need to be strengthened, particularly in leadership, decision-making, and innovation.”
Supawan Visetnoi (CUSAR, Chulalongkorn University) and Marion Tan (University of the Philippines Diliman & MASIPAG) demonstrated the growing role of universities in closing the skills gap in farmer communities:
“This is becoming increasingly critical as the new paradigm of sustainable agriculture calls for multidisciplinary knowledge, from farming to marketing and food quality. Unique programs gathering rural entrepreneurs, farmers, and postgraduate students inspire the next generation to innovate and address the challenges of agroecological transitions.”
Pierre Ferrand (FAO) underscored FAO’s support:
“FAO makes the most up-to-date knowledge on agroecology accessible through its knowledge hubs, offers online e-learning resources for all, and facilitates networking of universities across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America.”
Day 2 of DCD highlighted the collaborative effort required to scale agricultural innovations and foster sustainable food systems.
Day 3 – January 16th
Day 3 of the DeSIRA CONNECT Days Asia & The Pacific: Exploring Policy, Innovation, and Partnerships for Sustainable Food Systems
One of the conclusions of this third (and last) day was that public sector investment in research and development is declining, while private sector contributions are on the rise. However, the private sector is not yet investing significantly in sustainability transitions.
“This is where policy innovations are critical to establish wholesome, resilient, and fair food systems by introducing novel regulatory frameworks and economic incentives,” said Delgermaa Chuluunbaatar from the Office of Innovation – FAO.
Aggrey Agumya, Director of Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa – FARA, emphasized the importance of collaboration: “Without the private sector on board, innovation scaling for the sustainable intensification of agriculture in Africa will fail.”
DeSIRA’s experiences in the Asia-Pacific region demonstrate the value of embedding multi-stakeholder innovation approaches into regional governance mechanisms, supported by policy actors.
The final day of the DeSIRA CONNECT Days (DCD) spotlighted the critical roles of policy frameworks, regional alliances, innovation governance, and financing in scaling innovations for agroecological transitions. Cross-continental insights enriched the discussions, highlighting impactful approaches.
“We need to feed 2 billion people by 2050 in the context of an accelerating environmental and climate crisis,” said Lloyd Day, Deputy Director General – IICA. He shared successful Latin American initiatives, including FONTAGRO, PROCESUR, Innovagro, Foragro Company , and the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP) /FAO platform, which are mobilizing research and university collaborations.
Katja Vuori, CEO of AgriCord, underscored the importance of amplifying farmers’ voices in shaping global R&I agendas, though funding remains a challenge.
As Aurélie Toillier highlighted, blended financing strategies are essential for scaling innovations and transitions (for more insights on her thoughts, please see this post (https://lnkd.in/dK6hhrSt)
Discussions included innovative approaches:
– Dr. Saruth (CASIC): Cambodia explores carbon financing to accelerate its agroecological transition.
– Hitomi Rankine (UN Secretariat): Governments should fund grassroots partnerships to de-risk investments in innovation.
The day concluded with a recognition of the European Commission‘s vital support for multi-actor, multi-country R&I programs. The DeSIRA-LIFT facility has been instrumental in fostering collaboration, generating knowledge, and building capacities to accelerate agroecological transitions.
About the CONNECT Days
The DeSIRA CONNECT Days Asia & The Pacific will take place from January 14-16, 2025, in Hanoi, Vietnam, uniting diverse stakeholders to strengthen agricultural innovation systems and drive sustainable practices across the region.
This event serves as a platform to foster collaboration, share insights, and shape policies for long-term impact.
The CONNECT Days aim to achieve two key goals: sharing lessons learned from the implementation of DeSIRA projects and identifying the necessary conditions to sustain and scale their innovation trajectories. The event will highlight the institutional strengthening potential of these projects by connecting research organizations, farmer-led initiatives, and a broader range of stakeholders, including policymakers, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
Key Activities:
- Project Fair: Participating projects will present their results through individual booths, enabling direct interaction and knowledge exchange.
- Thematic Workshops: Collaborative sessions will focus on cross-cutting topics, challenges, and impact generation, providing an opportunity for joint learning and critical reflection on implementation experiences.
- Stakeholder Round Tables: Engaging discussions with policymakers, NGOs, farmer organizations, and private sector representatives will explore strategies to advance agricultural innovations and align them with regional and global agendas.
These activities are interconnected, ensuring an integrated approach to learning and collaboration. The event also seeks to amplify the visibility of participating projects, showcasing their contributions to the agroecological transition, food security, and inclusive economic growth.
DeSIRA CONNECT Days provide a unique opportunity to address shared challenges and identify regional solutions, promoting the scaling of successful models and mechanisms. By facilitating direct interaction among projects and stakeholders, the event bridges the gap between short-term initiatives and systemic, long-term strategies for agricultural development.
This gathering builds on the momentum of previous CONNECT Days held in Bogota, Kigali, and Accra, reinforcing a global Community of Action and Reflection. Insights from Hanoi will contribute to broader discussions on sustainable agriculture and food systems, ensuring DeSIRA projects leave a lasting legacy in the region and beyond.
Recordings of the DeSIRA CONNECT Days
Day 1
Day 2
Day 2
Agenda
Concept Note Way Forward Workshop, Hanoi, January 16th
Press release DeSIRA CONNECT Days, Hanoi, Vietnam
Daily summaries and key takeaways
CONNECT Days in the media
Posters presented by projects
Presentations
Keynote speeches
- How to accompany farmer-led innovation processes. Katja Vuori, CEO Agricord
- Reshaping the contribution of research to agricultural innovation. From dissemination to supporting local innovation at scale. Fergus Sinclair,Professor of Agroforestry, School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, UK. Co-convenor Agroecology Transformative Partnership Platform (TPP), Nairobi, Kenya
- Contributions to innovation scaling and impact through project-based approaches. Challenges and experience in DeSIRA-LIFT. Aurélie Toillier and DeSIRA-LIFT team
- Multistakeholder policy processes for scaling innovations. Dr. Delgermaa Chuluunbaatar. Agricultural Innovation Officer. Office of Innovation, FAO
Other presentations
- Agricultural Innovation in Asia Pacific. Dr. Murat Sartas, Chief Scaling & Impact Officer from APAARI
- Green Resilient Agricultural Productive Ecosystems (GRAPE) Nepal. Bipin Poudel and Krishna B. Malla
- Innovation Partnership in Uzbekistan -experiences and perspectives. Ivan H. Horvat, Lead Technical Specialist, Ulugbek Islamov, project coordinator
- FO4 Programmes’ evaluation and new design
- FO as mechanism for advocacy and innovation
- Metrics slides for DeSira Asia and Pacific