ILRI - International Livestock Research Institute

Published purpose

CIDA provided funding to establish a Centre of Excellence in Bioscience in Agriculture (called Biosciences eastern and central Africa). Implemented by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Secretariat, BecA supports Eastern and Central African countries to develop and apply bioscience research and expertise to produce technologies that help farmers to raise their productivity and income, and to increase their market opportunities. It provides a focal point for the African scientific community to address agricultural, health and environmental-related problems of the highest priority for alleviating poverty and promoting development. A second component of the project provides funding to the NEPAD Secretariat to support the establishment of three other networks of Centres of Excellence in North Africa (NABNet), West Africa (WABNet), and Southern Africa (SANBio), within the framework of the African Biosciences Initiative. The definition phase of the project, with an allocation of $4.5 million, was completed in 2007.