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On the occasion of the symposium on the state of agricultural research for development in West and Central Africa, held in Cotonou from July 19 to 21, 2022, CORAF awarded honorary distinctions to the best scientific papers. 

Prior to the symposium, a call for papers was issued to researchers and academics in the sub-region.

All the papers received focused on four (04) priority areas, around which the symposium was structured:

1. Climate-smart agriculture (including crop, livestock, aquaculture, forestry and environmental production): adaptation and mitigation 
2. Transboundary plant pests and diseases
3. Restoring degraded land and managing soil and water fertility
4. Post-harvest management (processing, preservation and marketing)

Following a rigorous selection process based on the evaluation criteria, twenty-five (25) poster papers and eight (08) oral presentations were chosen from over one hundred submissions to be presented at the symposium.

"Following the call for papers, we received over a hundred abstracts, which demonstrates the current dynamism of agricultural research in West and Central Africa," said CORAF's Director of Research and Innovation, Dr Emmanuel NJUKWE.

At the end of all the presentations, Codjo Casimir AITCHEDJI from Benin and Sylvie EPONLE USOH from Cameroon were recognized as having presented the best poster and oral communications, based on the evaluation criteria. 

Codjo Casimir AITCHEDJI's presentation focused on "Analysis of supply chain development: the case of PICS (Purdue Improved Crop Storage) bag distribution for organic grain storage".

As for Sylvie EPONLE USOH, she gave an oral presentation on "Women's participation in land restoration: Evidence beyond checking the gender box to achieve sustainable land management in Cameroon".

Codjo Casimir AITCHEDJI on the right, receiving his award. 
CORAF 2022Sylvie EPONLE USOH, left, receiving her award. 
CORAF 2022

CORAF's Director of Research and Innovation congratulated the two prizewinners on their papers.

The symposium on the state of agricultural research for development in West and Central Africa was held under the theme: "Agricultural technologies & innovations: climate-smart solutions for transforming emergency and post-emergency situations".

It brought together in Benin's economic capital, over a hundred players and stakeholders from the agricultural sector in West and Central Africa. 

Read also: 

• [Video] - Agricultural R&D to meet the challenge of climate change
• Agriculture's new challenges can be overcome with "innovative technologies" - Dr TENKOUANO
• Exploiting synergies to meet the challenges of AR4D in West and Central Africa
• Cotonou to host symposium on AR4D in West and Central Africa