6.2. Summary <strong>of</strong> Burkina Faso stakeholder workshop Améliorer l’<strong>identification</strong>, la manutention et la préservation des graines à ‘conservation difficile’: 10 th to 14 th July 2006 - Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Dr. Kate Gold Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew The stakeholder workshop on conservation <strong>of</strong> difficult <strong>seeds</strong> was held from 10 th to 14 th July 2006, at Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. The workshop was opened by <strong>the</strong> Minister <strong>of</strong> Agriculture in <strong>the</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Minister <strong>of</strong> Environment <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Representative <strong>of</strong> FAO in Burkina Faso. The workshop was attended by: ▪ 21 participants from 13 African francophone countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Centrafrique, Cote d`Ivoire, Gabon, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Rw<strong>and</strong>a, Togo) ▪ Representative <strong>of</strong> GRENEWECA / IPGRI (Cotonou, Benin) ▪ Representative <strong>of</strong> IPGRI (Rome, Italy) ▪ Representative <strong>of</strong> FAO (AGPS, Rome, Italy) ▪ NGO representatives from <strong>the</strong> Association <strong>of</strong> Support to Local Initiatives on Rural Development (AIDR) <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Union <strong>of</strong> Seed Producers <strong>of</strong> Burkina ▪ RBG Kew ▪ 26 participants in total The programme followed a similar format to that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> South African workshop, <strong>and</strong> included country presentations, <strong>the</strong> external policy context (FAO), technical background (Kew), <strong>and</strong> presentations from IPGRI, GRENEWECA <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r stakeholders. The Association <strong>of</strong> Support to Local Initiatives on Rural Development (AIDR) <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Union <strong>of</strong> Seed Producers <strong>of</strong> Burkina talked about <strong>the</strong>ir roles, interests, organisation <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir relationship with Research <strong>and</strong> Agricultural departments. They were interested in <strong>the</strong> outcomes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> workshop <strong>and</strong> how <strong>the</strong>ir activities to improve seed production <strong>and</strong> conservation could be facilitated. Field visits to Centre National de Semences Forestières (CNSF) <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Laboratoire du Service National des Semences, allowed participants to see basic seed conservation <strong>and</strong> analysis equipment, <strong>and</strong> exchange with scientists on how <strong>the</strong>y h<strong>and</strong>le <strong>and</strong> assess seed quality. Presentations were followed by focus groups sessions <strong>and</strong> plenary discussions on ‘difficult species’, training <strong>and</strong> information needs, <strong>and</strong> priority equipment needs. Group sessions Participants worked in two groups, to discuss needs related to training, information, basic <strong>and</strong> priority equipment, <strong>and</strong> to establish a preliminary list <strong>of</strong> species that are difficult to store for different institutes. Main recommendations: ▪ Training <strong>of</strong> target groups <strong>of</strong> researchers, technicians <strong>and</strong> seed producers, in techniques <strong>and</strong> methods <strong>of</strong> <strong>h<strong>and</strong>ling</strong> “difficult to store” <strong>seeds</strong> appropriately ▪ Acquisition <strong>of</strong> basic technical equipment for streng<strong>the</strong>ning operational capacities <strong>of</strong> institutes which are in charge <strong>of</strong> seed conservation. ▪ Compilation <strong>and</strong> access to scientific <strong>and</strong> technical information in relation to conservation <strong>and</strong> <strong>h<strong>and</strong>ling</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>seeds</strong> that are difficult to store ▪ Valorisation <strong>and</strong> dissemination <strong>of</strong> available technical information on <strong>seeds</strong> that are difficult to store, to institutes or countries, which are taking part in <strong>the</strong> project, <strong>and</strong> support <strong>of</strong> scientific writing in order to publish new or existing data from grey literature.
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