MillNET_i: Millets and Nutritional Enhancement Traits for Iron bioavailability
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Plant Sciences
Abstract
Iron deficiency remains the most prevalent nutritional deficiency worldwide, affecting an estimated 4 to 6 billion people. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the largest nutritional deficiency disorder in the world and one of the five leading causes of global disease burden. At any given moment, more individuals suffer from IDA than any other health problem with a staggering 1.24 billion affected individuals worldwide.
In developing countries, millets are the most common form of cereals, often cultivated by female small holders in semi-arid tropic regions. Their resistance to drought and climate variability, along with nutrient dense characteristics, is attracting an increasing number of small scale farmers and governments in Sub Saharan Africa. While the nutritional value of millets has been identified, there has been limited progress on the creation of functional foods that are readily acceptable to populations. Biofortification of millets is also an emerging area research for enhancing nutritional quality.
The goals of the two-year MillNETi are to tackle the major issue of iron bioavailability (relative to biofortification) by promoting the use and preparation of pearl and finger millets, initially in Ethiopia and The Gambia, but of wider relevance for many semi-arid regions of Africa. The programme has been co-created with colleagues in India, Ethiopia and The Gambia, and a consortium of UK expertise and will undertake fundamental scientific investigations for the GROWTH, PROCESSING and monitoring of iron BIOAVAILABILTY, allied to social science methodologies to disseminate knowledge and improved practices in cultivation and food preparation (EXTENSION) to regional populations. The programme builds on an existing programme of biofortification (ICRISAT), bioavailability testing (MRC- Gambia), and social science studies indicating that rural - urban migration is creating a demand for more nutritious foods such as millets both in The Gambia and Ethiopia.
We will explore the basis of variation in crop iron uptake and availability traits in millets from contrasting regions and cropping practices (GROWTH: NIAB, UCAM, ICRISAT, EIAR). Additional research in Ethiopia on food preparation and processing (PROCESSING: BDU, ICRISAT, UCAM, MRC-Gambia) will be linked with a programme of internationally-validated human nutrition intervention studies (BIOAVAILABILITY: MRC-Gambia, UCAM), analysing plasma bioavailability of iron in healthy adult female representatives from local populations. As well as outreach to improve the nutrition and health of rural communities (EXTENSION (CGE/JeCCDO, BDU, UCAM: CGC, GFS IRC, CAPREX) additional insights from MillNETi on rural-urban linkages will be associated with the practice of food remitting, and potential role in food security, improved nutritional status and marketing opportunities for rural populations. These highly original observations will be of international significance for many populations in Africa and India, where the rural-urban divide represents a complex and interlinked reality of 'stretched' or 'multi-nodal' households.
In developing countries, millets are the most common form of cereals, often cultivated by female small holders in semi-arid tropic regions. Their resistance to drought and climate variability, along with nutrient dense characteristics, is attracting an increasing number of small scale farmers and governments in Sub Saharan Africa. While the nutritional value of millets has been identified, there has been limited progress on the creation of functional foods that are readily acceptable to populations. Biofortification of millets is also an emerging area research for enhancing nutritional quality.
The goals of the two-year MillNETi are to tackle the major issue of iron bioavailability (relative to biofortification) by promoting the use and preparation of pearl and finger millets, initially in Ethiopia and The Gambia, but of wider relevance for many semi-arid regions of Africa. The programme has been co-created with colleagues in India, Ethiopia and The Gambia, and a consortium of UK expertise and will undertake fundamental scientific investigations for the GROWTH, PROCESSING and monitoring of iron BIOAVAILABILTY, allied to social science methodologies to disseminate knowledge and improved practices in cultivation and food preparation (EXTENSION) to regional populations. The programme builds on an existing programme of biofortification (ICRISAT), bioavailability testing (MRC- Gambia), and social science studies indicating that rural - urban migration is creating a demand for more nutritious foods such as millets both in The Gambia and Ethiopia.
We will explore the basis of variation in crop iron uptake and availability traits in millets from contrasting regions and cropping practices (GROWTH: NIAB, UCAM, ICRISAT, EIAR). Additional research in Ethiopia on food preparation and processing (PROCESSING: BDU, ICRISAT, UCAM, MRC-Gambia) will be linked with a programme of internationally-validated human nutrition intervention studies (BIOAVAILABILITY: MRC-Gambia, UCAM), analysing plasma bioavailability of iron in healthy adult female representatives from local populations. As well as outreach to improve the nutrition and health of rural communities (EXTENSION (CGE/JeCCDO, BDU, UCAM: CGC, GFS IRC, CAPREX) additional insights from MillNETi on rural-urban linkages will be associated with the practice of food remitting, and potential role in food security, improved nutritional status and marketing opportunities for rural populations. These highly original observations will be of international significance for many populations in Africa and India, where the rural-urban divide represents a complex and interlinked reality of 'stretched' or 'multi-nodal' households.
Technical Summary
Iron deficiency is a major contributor to ill-health, premature death and lost earnings in developing countries. Studies suggest an odds ratio of nought point eight for maternal mortality for each 1 g/dL increase in mean haemoglobin in late pregnancy. The originality of the scientific programme lies in comparing the BIOFORTIFICATION traits in targeted finger and pearl millet varieties which could alleviate this problem, relative to the BIOAVAILABILTY associated with human digestive recovery from contrasting methods of food preparation.
The first biofortified pearl millet open pollinated variety, Chakti, was developed at ICRISAT, through HarvestPlus with iron and zinc 50% higher than any commonly grown varieties. Work will be undertaken (UCAM, NIAB, ICRISAT) to trial varieties under contrasting cropping systems, and identify the genetic basis to grain biofortification in key lines.
Human nutrition intervention studies of iron uptake by females consuming biofortified millet dietary preparations will monitor and sample plasma specimens from human volunteers, at the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Keneba laboratories. The increase in serum iron following a single meal will be used as a measure of iron absorption and bioavailability.
Women are central to developing sustainable cropping systems, whether directly through farming activities or indirectly via community exchanges during food preparation. The study (led by Centre for Development Studies and NIAB) will explore fermented food use and opportunities for improved nutrition and well-being among rural and peri-urban populations in Ethiopia and the Gambia.The Centre for Global Equality (in partnership with JeCCDO) will facilitate outreach and extension for rural and urban communities in Ethiopia, and via CAPREX in the Gambia. Additional resources targeted for outreach and impact for early career researcher exchanges, engagement via workshops and outreach activities.
The first biofortified pearl millet open pollinated variety, Chakti, was developed at ICRISAT, through HarvestPlus with iron and zinc 50% higher than any commonly grown varieties. Work will be undertaken (UCAM, NIAB, ICRISAT) to trial varieties under contrasting cropping systems, and identify the genetic basis to grain biofortification in key lines.
Human nutrition intervention studies of iron uptake by females consuming biofortified millet dietary preparations will monitor and sample plasma specimens from human volunteers, at the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Keneba laboratories. The increase in serum iron following a single meal will be used as a measure of iron absorption and bioavailability.
Women are central to developing sustainable cropping systems, whether directly through farming activities or indirectly via community exchanges during food preparation. The study (led by Centre for Development Studies and NIAB) will explore fermented food use and opportunities for improved nutrition and well-being among rural and peri-urban populations in Ethiopia and the Gambia.The Centre for Global Equality (in partnership with JeCCDO) will facilitate outreach and extension for rural and urban communities in Ethiopia, and via CAPREX in the Gambia. Additional resources targeted for outreach and impact for early career researcher exchanges, engagement via workshops and outreach activities.
Planned Impact
1. The growing population of Ethiopia and the Gambia, in both rural and urban communities, and more generally in semi-arid regions of the Global South. Specifically, female health and wellbeing will be improved by knowledge dissemination and acceptability of more nutritious millet preparations, distributed equitably and future-proofed to meet rising demand under changing societal and environmental conditions.
2. Saving Lives of reproductively active females and improving the health and eventual productivity of subsequent generations: by helping to alleviate the staggering health and mortality statistics associated with iron micronutrient deprivation, and by changing perceptions about the value of diverse food sources and their best means of preparation to maximise iron bioavailability.
3. Farmers and farming communities in Ethiopia and The Gambia: who will be reached through the project's translation and outreach programme, using the extensive networks in place through our collaborating Institutes, Universities and Third Sector Organisations. The work aims particularly to empower female farmers, and drive equal opportunities to take up the new practices that will deliver resilient food production systems that generate markets for millet and hence wealth and opportunities for the agricultural community;
4. Collaborators involved in the GCRF/BBSRC Grow Call TIGR2ESS BB/P027970/1 where a parallel programme is being undertaken in collaboration with ICRISAT and partners throughout India to improve cropping resilience and micronutrient content in millets, with an additional Fellowship programme to be announced which will appoint 16 Postdoctoral researchers to complement and draw on the work being done in MillNETi.
5. Policy-makers involved in taking biofortified orphan crops and improving micronutrient bioavailability: to instigate effective policy for change for the more widespread use of resilient crops such as millets, and recognise the interactions between rural and urban communities, such as food remittance.
6. Academic researchers who can now translate fundamental science of crop improvement and micronutrient biofortification and relate to bioavailability of processed foodstuffs: career opportunities enhanced directly by research opportunities and indirectly by outreach and engagement across the entire programme
7. The wider research communities in the participating Universities and research institutes: through involvement in project, participants have access to their collaborators' wider research networks and groups, for example the University of Cambridge's Global Food Security Interdisciplinary Research Centre (GFS IRC), the Centre for Global Challenges (CGC), and Cambridge Africa programme (CAPREX). By participation of PDRAs and senior academics in research exchanges and workshops, building interdisciplinary research capacity for the future across Africa and the UK;
8. The international fundamental and applied research communities: collaborators will publish results in high-impact journals in a timely fashion using open access, and present research results at international meetings and institutions in order to widely disseminate information
9. Agro-industry and national crop breeding institutes such as NARES and HarvestPlus to share improved germplasm to stimulate markets and rural entrepreneurship.
10. The general public and food security outreach: the project will have wide educational value and represents an opportunity to draw more young people into scientific careers. Cambridge University has regular opportunities to engage with non-academic audiences eg. local interest groups and schools, science showcases, media, through programmes delivered by the Office of External Affairs and Communications, and organised through programmes delivered by the Office of External Affairs and Communications, and organised through GFS IRC, CGC and CAPREX.
2. Saving Lives of reproductively active females and improving the health and eventual productivity of subsequent generations: by helping to alleviate the staggering health and mortality statistics associated with iron micronutrient deprivation, and by changing perceptions about the value of diverse food sources and their best means of preparation to maximise iron bioavailability.
3. Farmers and farming communities in Ethiopia and The Gambia: who will be reached through the project's translation and outreach programme, using the extensive networks in place through our collaborating Institutes, Universities and Third Sector Organisations. The work aims particularly to empower female farmers, and drive equal opportunities to take up the new practices that will deliver resilient food production systems that generate markets for millet and hence wealth and opportunities for the agricultural community;
4. Collaborators involved in the GCRF/BBSRC Grow Call TIGR2ESS BB/P027970/1 where a parallel programme is being undertaken in collaboration with ICRISAT and partners throughout India to improve cropping resilience and micronutrient content in millets, with an additional Fellowship programme to be announced which will appoint 16 Postdoctoral researchers to complement and draw on the work being done in MillNETi.
5. Policy-makers involved in taking biofortified orphan crops and improving micronutrient bioavailability: to instigate effective policy for change for the more widespread use of resilient crops such as millets, and recognise the interactions between rural and urban communities, such as food remittance.
6. Academic researchers who can now translate fundamental science of crop improvement and micronutrient biofortification and relate to bioavailability of processed foodstuffs: career opportunities enhanced directly by research opportunities and indirectly by outreach and engagement across the entire programme
7. The wider research communities in the participating Universities and research institutes: through involvement in project, participants have access to their collaborators' wider research networks and groups, for example the University of Cambridge's Global Food Security Interdisciplinary Research Centre (GFS IRC), the Centre for Global Challenges (CGC), and Cambridge Africa programme (CAPREX). By participation of PDRAs and senior academics in research exchanges and workshops, building interdisciplinary research capacity for the future across Africa and the UK;
8. The international fundamental and applied research communities: collaborators will publish results in high-impact journals in a timely fashion using open access, and present research results at international meetings and institutions in order to widely disseminate information
9. Agro-industry and national crop breeding institutes such as NARES and HarvestPlus to share improved germplasm to stimulate markets and rural entrepreneurship.
10. The general public and food security outreach: the project will have wide educational value and represents an opportunity to draw more young people into scientific careers. Cambridge University has regular opportunities to engage with non-academic audiences eg. local interest groups and schools, science showcases, media, through programmes delivered by the Office of External Affairs and Communications, and organised through programmes delivered by the Office of External Affairs and Communications, and organised through GFS IRC, CGC and CAPREX.
Organisations
- University of Cambridge (Lead Research Organisation)
- Leeds Beckett University (Collaboration)
- Rothamsted Research (Collaboration)
- Centre for Global Equality (Collaboration)
- INTERNATIONAL CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE SEMI-ARID TROPICS (Collaboration)
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) (Collaboration)
- National Institute of Agronomy and Botany (NIAB) (Collaboration)
- Bahir Dar University (Collaboration)
- KING'S COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
Publications
| Description | The restrictions in travel, lab access, and community engagement have severely delayed our research plans, but much of the original research programme has now been completed and key findings are being disseminated. However, our Ethiopian partners at Bahir Dar University (BDU) have some interesting results from focus groups which they have run in two rural millet-consuming communities in northern Ethiopia. They have found, to their surprise, that rather than making injera (a fermented pancake and staple food) with teff, which is the normal grain to use, both communities were using either solely millet and maize, or a mix of teff, millet and maize. This is because teff is too expensive for these communities to consume. Despite the non-standard grains being used, the resulting injera still has a desirable taste and mouth feel. The BDU team are now carrying out further lab work to assess the nutritional content of each of these different injera recipes, and quantify how changing the length of fermentation may affect the bioavailability of iron and other micronutrients. Researchers pivoted their approaches and included an additional survey on the impact of the Covid restrictions on dietary intake in The Gambia. We were unable to deliver the in person training that had been envisaged as a joint workshop at the MRC unit, The Gambia for researchers from Bahir Dar University, run by colleagues in King's College London. Instead, we were able to reallocate funds to support the researcher in KCL to provide extended analytical services and prepare video documentation of the tissue culture methodology and processing to assess micronutrient recovery. The study to monitor iron availability by females in The Gambia was delayed but has now taken place. Household surveys were successfully completed in The Gambia and in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia a curriculum for community nutrition workshops was developed on food preparation with a focus on lactating women and babies. A five day Training-of-Trainers capacity building workshop was followed by the training of community members. Finally, and most importantly, we were able to reallocate funds for travel to purchase laboratory equipment and ship this to Ethiopia. This represents a huge advance for our colleagues in Bahir Dar University, who now have a state of the art analytical facility, including resources to undertake tissue culture and prepare samples for micronutrient analysis, as well as undertaking data analysis using workstations. Field studies on the performance of varieties of Millet were also undertaken by our colleagues in ICRISAT. Laboratory studies provided novel insights into the localisation of iron within the developing seed, and will provide the basis for understanding the process by which biofortification occurs. A major new open source app (Gibsonify) was developed by colleagues at the Centre for Global Equality and ICRISAT (in collaboration with our partner programme TIGR2ESS and Dept of Engineering) as a means to survey dietary and nutrient intake by rural communities. Additional GCRF funding became available (£23,000) through the University of Cambridge in December 2022 - March 2023 and this has been used to fund an additional new plate reader to complete the laboratory refurbishment at Bahir Dar University. Funding was also allocated to allow a PostDoctoral researcher to deliver a training course on in vitro analysis of iron biofortification in crop and food residues. This represents a major output which will transform the capability for nutritional analysis for West Africa in general and specifically for Ethiopia. |
| Exploitation Route | The analysis we are doing into the nutritional composition, and iron bioavailability, from different Gambian and Ethiopian millet recipes, has the potential to improve nutrition status widely. We hope to be able to make recommendations, on the basis of our research, as to the most nutritious, and culturally relevant, ways of eating millets in the respectively countries. We are already building links with key stakeholders, such as HarvestPlus and the Gambian National Nutrition Agency, to help ensure the the results of our research are heard by policy makers. Working with community building NGO JeCCDO in Ethiopia, we will also provide trainings for local communities on the benefits of eating millet-based meals, with JeCCDO working with researchers at BDU to develop a novel training based on their research and the existing body of knowledge. Establishing the new laboratory at BDU has also provided a springboard for their research and training capacity. The new laboratory at Bahir Dar University will provide a major facility for West Africa and enhance nutritional analysis for bioavailability and biofortification, and help to tackle the micronutrient imbalance which leads to so many losses of life in expectant mothers and neonatal. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Education,Environment |
| URL | https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/keyprogs/millneti |
| Description | The connections and ideas built through the MillNETi team have led to a number of novel grant applications being submitted. At least 7 grant applications have been submitted from members of the consortium in this submission period, mostly still pending feedback, all of which capitalised on novel connections enabled through the MillNETi programme. The disruption caused by the travel restrictions posed by the pandemic has led to research plans having to be adapted in creative ways, which has led to a number of positive non-academic impacts. In The Gambia, the survey work that was due to be carried out by two British researchers has now been adapted to a telephone survey. In order to facilitate this, a novel process for remotely gathering consent from participants has been developed, which was new to the MRC Unit in The Gambia (MRC G). This remote consent process will now be used to facilitate other remote survey work at the institute. In addition, survey facilitators at MRC G, who are used to gathering demographic and medical data, have been newly trained in the social science research methods required to carry out this more varied survey. Training on how to conduct Caco-2 cell bioavailability analysis was due to take place for both the Gambian and Ethiopian teams in The Gambia in July 2020, with a postdoc from KCL travelling there to run the training. This has had to be replanned with the current travel restrictions, and instead we have shipped key pieces of equipment out to our partners in Ethiopia, to allow them to set up their own biolab. The KCL postdoc has also created extensive video training materials. These resources will enable a much longer term impact than the previous plan, with the Bahir Dar University (Ethiopian) team now being able to run the analysis in their own labs well past the end of the MillNETi project. The video trains will also enable a 'train the trainer' model to upskill current and future staff at both BDU and MRC G. We have been able to leverage connections and contacts from both TIGR2ESS and MillNETi to foster South-South links for knowledge exchange, and potential future projects. This was kickstarted with Hirut Assaye Cherie and Helen Walle from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia, travelling to ICRISAT, India, for the TIGR2ESS General Assembly in January 2020, where they met a number of Indian partners and shared knowledge and ideas for future projects. Inspiration from ICRISAT's entrepreneurial approach to agri-processing contributed to a successfully proposal to establish an agri entrepreneurship facility in BDU's Agricultural Faculty. BDU are particularly interested in developing novel millet products to kickstart entrepreneurial projects, and so they were particularly inspired by the wide range of millet products and entrepreneurial schemes around millets that are developing out of ICRISAT. Through MillNETi, the BDU team subsequently developed recipes for millet cake and cookies and are in the process of sharing these with local baking businesses. There we also met with Rebecca Fairbairn of UKRI India who encouraged further development of these South-South connections. Subsequent meetings between partners, and between the management team and DFID/FCDO India, have continued to set the groundwork for South-South connections between MillNETi and TIGR2ESS partners, and we are hopeful that these will lead to future workshops, entrepreneurial exchanges and project proposals. The Innovation Communities programme run by the Centre for Global Equality in Ethiopia to empower women farmers through establishing and capacity building Self Help Groups in two rural communities has successfully improved the livelihoods and nutrition of 160 women (8 Self Help Groups) and their households. A major two-day workshop programme was organised in September 2021 through an on-line portal co-ordinated by Venue Audo Visual ltd, Cambridge. This included a number of pre-recorded and live presentations to stakeholders, including breakout poster sessions and panel discussions. Subsequent meetings have been held with HarvestPlus to determine follow up actions to develop the use of biofortified millets, their processing to ensure maximum bioavailability, and engagement and training needed in rural communities to disseminate these findings (informed by social science quantitative surveys undertaken during the research). The research was also represented at a major Festival of Millets hosted by the MRC Unit, and made a major contribution to translating our activities via community engagement. Additional GCRF funding became available (£23,000) through the University of Cambridge in December 2022 - March 2023 and this has been used to fund an additional new plate reader to complete the laboratory refurbishment at Bahir Dar University. Funding was also allocated to allow a PostDoctoral researcher to deliver a training course on in vitro analysis of iron biofortification in crop and food residues. This represents a major output which will transform the capability for nutritional analysis for West Africa in general and specifically for Ethiopia. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | Gambian National Task Force on Food Fortification |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | This committee is guiding the implementation of food fortification regulations and standardization in The Gambia. |
| Description | Participation in Strategic Advisory Group Meeting for GCRF |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | Shaping the strategy for use of fundamental research to strengthen capacity for undertaking research relevant in a Development context for many international countries and within the UK |
| URL | https://www.ukri.org/research/global-challenges-research-fund/strategic-advisory-group/ |
| Description | Participation in a scientific discussion on national and international radio science programme |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Impact | Discussion of key topical area for Naked Scientist radio programme Naked_Scientists_Show_18.05.29_chap8-9-1 5:56 0 1 |
| URL | https://www.thenakedscientists.com/ |
| Description | Cambridge-Africa Alborada Research Fund - Awarded to Dr Hirut Assaye, MillNETi collaborator at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia |
| Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2021 |
| End | 06/2022 |
| Description | DFID/NIHR/MRC/Wellcome Joint Global Health Trials - Call 9 |
| Amount | £268,612 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MRT003960/1 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 04/2021 |
| Description | Improving off-grid energy and water access through innovative passive-thermal technologies |
| Amount | £232,568 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 04/2021 |
| Description | Tackling global development challenges through physical sciences research |
| Amount | £938,246 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T02030X/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 04/2022 |
| Description | Travel funding for TIGR2ESS General Assembly - for Hirut Assaye and Helen Walle |
| Amount | £2,496 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Research Councils UK (RCUK) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 01/2020 |
| Description | Wheat decision: to respond or not respond to available nitrogen |
| Amount | £551,317 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/W002248/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2021 |
| End | 09/2024 |
| Title | An Integrated sustainable livelihoods and food system conceptual framework of Drivers (compulsion, incentives, information), Filters and Impact pathways |
| Description | *Added on behalf of Dr Richard Sidebottom and Dr Sarah Dalzell, University of Cambridge* "integrated conceptual framework of Drivers (compulsion, incentives, information), Filters and Impact pathways. Derived from a synthesis of the food systems, food environment, entrepreneurship, agricultural innovation, institutions and livelihoods literature, it seeks to encapsulate the complexity of supply and demand side interlinkages between nutritional outcomes and agricultural production; processing; storage; markets (pricing; distribution; promotion) and consumption (preparation; cooking; education) by encompassing the multiple dimensions of food security and nutrition (availability; accessibility; affordability; desirability; and sustainability). This encourages supply side interventions to look beyond production and recognises that technical interventions to address 'information deficits' on the demand side may improve dietary awareness but may ignore other prevailing binding choice constraints. Moreover, the framework acknowledges the limitations of dichotomous supply or demand side approaches (Maestre et al, 2017) by analysing farmers as consumers of food, not just producers (Lipton, 1989). Most importantly, it examines them as people." |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The development of this framework has enabled researchers from different disciplines to work together more effectively, helping to visualise and facilitate interdisciplinary discussion and thinking. The integration of perspectives has enabled a holistic approach to be adopted for the development of the survey tool thus provides a coherent structure for data collection, analysis and interpretation of data. |
| URL | https://www.eventscribe.com/2020/MNF-CONNECTED/fsPopup.asp?Mode=posterinfo&PosterID=310535 |
| Title | Establishment of a new laboratory to study micronutrient availability at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia |
| Description | Major items of laboratory equipment (tissue culture, CO2 incubator, cell plate reader, workstations) plus reagents and standards were shipped to Ethiopia to help establish a new analytical laboratory |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This is a major development creating independence for academic staff and training of early career researchers in Ethiopia, as well as providing an vital analytical facility to augment their ongoing research on micronutrition in fermented foodstuffs and identification of best practices for preparation to enhance nutritional recovery. |
| Title | Migration, Nutrition and Covid19 Remote Household Survey Questionnaire |
| Description | *Added on behalf of Dr Richard Sidebottom and Dr Sarah Dalzell, University of Cambridge* A research tool designed to collect data remotely (via telephone). The survey provides detailed longitudinal data of the perceptions and realities of food insecurity among rural and urban Gambia households (n=150), providing novel insights of the social and economic impacts of the pandemic and how this relates to multiple dimensions of household food security (food availability and affordability) and malnutrition. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This will be useful for policy makers and donors in the design and targeting of food security remedies both in the short and long-term. Through the development of this tool the team connected with the Ministry of Agriculture in The Gambia and have developed a future pathway for dissemination of evidence arising from MillNETi. |
| URL | https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/news/adapting-and-innovating-addressing-research-challenges-midst-p... |
| Title | Nutrition in Context Household Survey Questionnaire |
| Description | *Added on behalf of Dr Sarah Dalzell and Dr Richard Sidebottom, University of Cambridge* A research tool designed to collect data relating to the conceptual framework developed to be appropriate in both The Gambia and Ethiopia research settings. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | No impact yet as data collection has not yet commenced |
| Title | Remote Consent Process |
| Description | * Added on behalf of Dr Richard Sidebottom and Dr Sarah Dalzell * A protocol to record verbal consent from participants remotely among a mostly illiterate population with limited access to internet. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This has enabled research, specifically the MNC19 survey to be conducted in The Gambia during restrictions as a result of the covid19 pandemic. |
| Title | Survey methods for mapping agricultural production and consumption to understand sustainability challenges |
| Description | Our framework needs to facilitate the answering of our research questions through a clear delineation of: - production methods - trading methods - processing methods The survey methods have been devised by Dr. Sidebottom (production and consumption) and Dr. Dazell (nutrition) |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | the importance of this research tool lies in its ability to link production, trading and processing methods to understand the possibility of upscaling and diversification of millets production in semi-arid regions in Africa. These methods can also be transposed to other semi-arid regions in conjunction with the regional research stations of the ICRISAT. |
| Title | Creation of millets production and consumption data sets for communities in Gambia and Ethiopia |
| Description | This is the first household database of millets production and consumption by community in both field-sites (Gambia and Ethiopia). The data has been collected using the methodology developed Dr. David Clark, that emphasises the importance of participatory methods to understand the livelihoods and lives of communities in low-resource environments. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This will be a valuable starting point (baseline) for subsequent research on millet production, processing and trade in both West and East Africa. |
| Title | Landscape level crop response to fertiliser |
| Description | *Added on behalf of Dr Gizaw Desta, ICRISAT Ethiopia* ICRISAT generated and organized a large set of data on landscape level crop response to fertilizer (NPK and micronutrients) for major cereal crops (sorghum, finger millet, Tef, wheat and maize) in Ethiopia and being developed into a database (an ongoing collaboration work of GeoNutrition and EIA projects). The database is in the process of developing a national fertilizer decision support system - location specific fertilizer targeting. |
| Type Of Material | Data handling & control |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The database is in the process of developing a national fertilizer decision support system - location specific fertilizer targeting. |
| Title | Migration, Nutrition and Covid 19 |
| Description | * Added on behalf of Dr Sarah Dalzell and Dr Richard Sidebottom * Migration, Nutrition and Covid 19 'MNC19' longitudinal data on migration patterns, household food consumption patterns and food sourcing strategies and understanding risks of food security during covid19 pandemic in The Gambia. |
| Type Of Material | Data handling & control |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Will allow researchers to understand the wider impacts of the global pandemic on livelihoods and food security in The Gambia. |
| Description | MillNET_i Collaborators |
| Organisation | Bahir Dar University |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | All Institutions are parties on the MillNETi collaboration agreement |
| Collaborator Contribution | All partners perform research activities as stipulated in the agreement. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MillNET_i Collaborators |
| Organisation | Centre for Global Equality |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Learned Society |
| PI Contribution | All Institutions are parties on the MillNETi collaboration agreement |
| Collaborator Contribution | All partners perform research activities as stipulated in the agreement. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MillNET_i Collaborators |
| Organisation | International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics |
| Country | India |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | All Institutions are parties on the MillNETi collaboration agreement |
| Collaborator Contribution | All partners perform research activities as stipulated in the agreement. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MillNET_i Collaborators |
| Organisation | King's College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | All Institutions are parties on the MillNETi collaboration agreement |
| Collaborator Contribution | All partners perform research activities as stipulated in the agreement. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MillNET_i Collaborators |
| Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | All Institutions are parties on the MillNETi collaboration agreement |
| Collaborator Contribution | All partners perform research activities as stipulated in the agreement. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MillNET_i Collaborators |
| Organisation | National Institute of Agronomy and Botany (NIAB) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | All Institutions are parties on the MillNETi collaboration agreement |
| Collaborator Contribution | All partners perform research activities as stipulated in the agreement. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MillNET_i Collaborators |
| Organisation | Rothamsted Research |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | All Institutions are parties on the MillNETi collaboration agreement |
| Collaborator Contribution | All partners perform research activities as stipulated in the agreement. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Network meeting on sustainable agriculture with the project, Agri-Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship, at Leeds Beckett University. |
| Organisation | Leeds Beckett University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The creation of a Special Interest Group to discuss findings on our respective research projects. The workshop at Leeds Beckett University begins a possibility of further technology led collaborations to advance sustainable agriculture in India. Dr. Fennell was invited to speak about how her previous UGC-UKIERI grant for a collaborative research initiative, in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University, and the Indian partners were the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and University of Punjab, Chandigarh for 2014-16, led to the broader TIGR2ESS programme. This project focussed on understanding how bottlenecks that limit Internet access for rural agricultural production and community-based tourism can be removed, using the Portolan application and android mobile phones, to collect upstream data and an innovative survey instrument to collect downstream data. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Understanding how food gets from the farm to the shop and our plates is an integral part of global food security. However, agri-business is not seen as an attractive sector for entrepreneurship. The collaborators at Leeds Beckett University, provided information on their research In India, where despite developmental policies aimed at providing employment to millions of unemployed rural youth, the core problem remains of surplus agricultural labour and closure of traditional village industries. In the UK, with farming seen as one of the least entrepreneurial sectors, there is increasing attention on high-tech agriculture so farmers can seize opportunities and compete with larger firms. Their project is to make valuable new contributions to the practice of agri-food innovation and enterprise development by conducting a comparative analysis of India and the UK. This project is funded by UKIERI (British Council and UGC India) |
| Impact | Creation of a Special Interest Group on Sustainable Agriculture in India, which goes across engineering, science and social sciences. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Wanjiku Gichohi (ICRISAT-Malawi) collaboration with Prof Nigel Unwin (UoC) |
| Organisation | International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics |
| Department | International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Kenya |
| Country | Kenya |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | *Submitted on behalf of Dr Gichohi* 'The research team assisted in identifying a potential research grant MRC/DFID and applied for this with myself as the lead. I was crucial in study design and thinking through how to advance the work from work package 3 and 4 to have greater impact at a societal level.' |
| Collaborator Contribution | *Submitted on behalf of Dr Gichohi* 'Prof Unwin was instrumental in refining possible next steps.' |
| Impact | *Submitted on behalf of Dr Gichohi* 'Connections with a wider research team in Ethiopia (Ethiopian Public Health Institute) and Tanzania (Sokoine University of Agriculture) to advance the MillNeti work in future' |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Title | GIBSONIFY: Nutrition Assessment App |
| Description | GIBSONIFY is an open-source dietary surveying APP designed to enhance digital data collection on diets for evidence-based decision making. Currently there is limited evidence on quantitative dietary intake data to support evidence-based decision making. The project provides a user-friendly interface to collect information about local recipes and nutrient intake, replicating the tested 24h-recall methodology. The 24-hour dietary recall method (adapted from Gibson and Ferguson, 2008) is a robust methodology to evaluate the adequacy of macro- and micro- nutrient intake in people's diets. The survey approach, always undertaken by a trained data collector, relies on multiple passes to ensure that all information is captured accurately. Currently data is collected using paper forms, which enables surveys to be undertaken in remote areas but makes data processing resource intensive. Our work digitizes the paper forms currently used for dietary interviews to enable more efficient downstream analysis of collected data without compromising surveying accuracy. The UK-India Gibsonify team members include CGE, ICRISAT and University of Cambridge Engineering students. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | As a new tool, impact is yet to be fully realised. The App works on any smartphone, tablet or computer as it uses the Flutter software framework. The App does not need to be connected to the internet, enabling surveys in remote areas. Data is collected locally and is managed using existing data collection protocols. The project is open-source and will be free-to-use. This will facilitate use by researchers across a range for low- and middle-income countries. The project is currently testing the interface with users across India. This will be followed by iterative cycles of trial data collection, feedback and continued development of the App to enable effective processing and management of the data. Gibsonify team members contributed a poster on the project, presenting the app to an audience of over 50 academics, policy representatives and NGO partners from UK and India attending the online TIGR2ESS Summative Workshop Series, January to March 2022. |
| Description | Article: We're learning from the shortcomings of the first Green Revolution |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | *Uploaded on behalf of Shailaja Fennell* Article in The Hindu. Indian newspaper, touch on work of both TIGR2ESS and MillNETi. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/were-learning-from-the-shortcomings-of-the-first-green-rev... |
| Description | Blog post about visit to ICRISAT |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | After joining the TIGR2ESS (sister project) General Assembly at ICRISAT, Hirut and Helen (project partners from Bahir Dar University) wrote a blog about their experience and learnings that was posted on the TIGR2ESS website. The blog was widely publicised on social media and in the newsletters of TIGR2ESS and the Department of Plant Sciences, Uni of Cambridge. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://tigr2ess.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/news/eye-opening-experience-icrisat-thanks-tigr2ess |
| Description | Cambridge Global Food Security Researcher: Shailaja Fennell |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Shailaja Fennell profiled by UoC Global Food Security as part of a series for International Women's Day 2020. Shared via Twitter on 31 March 2020: https://twitter.com/GlobalFood_Camb/status/1244990408784056323 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/news/shailajaf |
| Description | Cambridge-Africa Blog: Missives from MillNETi |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Blog written for the Cambridge-Africa website, characterising the project and our work to date. Was widely shared online. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk/cambridge-africa-updates/missives-from-millneti/ |
| Description | Cambridge-Africa presentation at the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk by Amit Bhasin, Cambridge-Africa. 18th February 2020 @ The Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa. AHRI's research activities cover basic (immunology and molecular biology), epidemiological and translational research and it is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. Amit spoke about Cambridge-Africa and the initiatives they are involved in, including MillNETi, to an audience of 9 research scientists and students. The purpose of the visit was to discuss training needs for bioinformatics as they have a newly established sequencing lab. May offer in the future potential for the first access (with NIADIC) to sequencing facilities in Ethiopia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Climate Change Festival Debate Panel member |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Part of the Cambridge Zero Climate Change Festival, this panel discussion explored the impact that our food systems have on the environment, and the changes we could make to ensure they are resilient and sustainable at national and global levels. Climate change is already affecting global food supplies and yields are falling. COVID-19 has shown us that we need new food systems which can withstand external shocks. The Panel discussed how we can create the conditions for resilient and sustainable systems both nationally and internationally, taking into consideration the needs of the different actors and countries that make up the food supply chain. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/events/fixing-food-systems-resilience-and-sustainability-reality |
| Description | Communication of Research Framework in graduate teaching |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The research methodology for undertaking household data collection, and existing secondary data sets were converted into case studies teaching material for the M.Phil courses in Development Studies and Land Economy (course taught by Fennell, Sidebottom and Lichtenstein) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Eat the Right Thing: Are plant-based diets best for us and our planet? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This lively webinar about what sort of diet is best for us and our planet, featured lots of interaction between our six expert panellists and a highly engaged audience of just over 200 people keen to know more. Audience questions ranged from, 'Should people on a plant-based diet take supplements?' to 'Is it better to eat locally sourced animals or overseas plants?' Thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of our panel almost all questions were answered, either on-screen in the webinar's Q&A function, or verbally, as our Chair fielded questions and bowled them out to the appropriate panellists, who covered topics from genetics to crop-rotation in their answers. Over 60% of respondents to our audience survey said that they had either researched one of the topics discussed, following the event, or had made changes to their diet as a result of attending. One audience member summed up the event's effect as follows: 'I'm slowly going plant basedwatching the event literally was a GAMECHANGER for me.' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/events/eat-right-thing-are-plant-based-diets-best-us-and-our-planet |
| Description | FP6 Radio Interview with Dr Shailaja Fennell with Cambridge 105 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Fennell was interviewed by Cambridge 105 Breakfast show on 24th Sep 2019. She spoke about sustainable food, and the GCRF awards for the TIGR2ESS and MillNETi programmes. The interview was linked to a planned public panel discussion as part of Cambridge Festival of Ideas, to be held on 26th Oct (reported separately). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/events/supergrains-super-they-could-be |
| Description | Feature in Bahir Dar University newsletter |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Collaborator Dr Hirut Cherie Assaye (at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia) featured information about the MillNETi project, and a write up of her trip to India with MillNETi, in her departmental newsletter. This was widely publicised across the department. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Food, Heritage and Community, 2nd global conference, Prague, summer 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The central focus of the paper was on the adverse consequences of the orphaning of the group of cereals termed 'millets' collected in the late 1990s for addressing the food needs of the most marginalised groups. Furthermore, as there are a wide range of millets that are grown in semi-arid communities, in both Africa and South Asia, it offers an opportunity to bring women back into the labour market through focussing on a greater production of millets in these communities. This paper contributes to the session through demonstrating that sometimes it is the lack of appreciation or appropriation of food practices, rather than their positive uptake, that can be detrimental to affected cultures. There were a number of discussions on traditional cereals and heritage and the author has since been invited to meetings with organisations working with the Cambridge Heritage Research Centre (such as National Trust and English Heritage, UK) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | GFS blog post: addressing research challenges in the midst of a pandemic |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Blog written by MillNETi programme Manager Joanna Wolstenholme and researcher Richard Sidebottom, about the ways in which our work has been adapted to be able to continue with COVID restrictions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/news/adapting-and-innovating-addressing-research-challenges-midst-p... |
| Description | Health and Fitness demonstrations for local Gambian Schools |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I did a demonstration on healthy eating and prevention of anaemia to children ages 7-18. The demonstration was filmed and broadcast on Gambian TV station (GRTS). 100 pupils attended the event which was held at the Banjul American International school. Other presentations/demonstrations included information on fitness, vaccines and water sanitation and hygiene. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | ICRISAT SmartFoods Initiative |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | *Submitted on behalf of MilNETi colleagues at ICRISAT* ICRISAT: The Smart Food initiative, while not directly funded by Millinet_i is has a well aligned and synergistic goal to accelerate and popularize investments and support for the research and development of value chains for millets. While SF is benefiting from the science created by Millinet-i, Millinet-i benefits from the outreach. Smart Food is a global initiative to advocate for smart foods with an initial primary focus on millets and sorghum. The communications channels and contacts focus are global and social media channels are set up for India, West and Central Africa, East and Southern Africa and Global. Target audiences are downstream including consumers, policy makers, food processors, and other influencers like funders, national systems and researchers. Other audiences include organizations involved in agriculture, nutrition and environmental sustainability. Smart Food communication channels that can be leveraged include: Smart Food news; blog; social media; mass media; website; direct communications with wide contacts; video interviews; Smart Food Ambassadors, and briefs. Significant Smart Food communications over the past 3 years (till 2020) include: - Smart Food was mentioned in over 50 media articles in both international news and National Dailies in 9 countries (India, Kenya, Tanzania, Niger, Nigeria, Taiwan, Myanmar, Malawi and Mali) - Three opinion articles published - The Smart Food YouTube channels have reached over 50,000 video views in 3 years. - The Facebook page for India has engaged over 21,000 followers in 1 year and 7 months. - Developing and tested potentially mass outreach through a concept of Reality Shows for a Cause, eg: Kenya Smart food Reality TV Show in 2017 reached 800,000 viewers in the last episode. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
| URL | https://www.icrisat.org/smartfood/ |
| Description | Innovation Communities Programme Ethiopia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | The Innovation Communities Programme in Ethiopia was founded by Lara Allen (CGE) through the MillNET_i project (PI, Howard Griffiths) in 2019. Two further projects ('APSISSFE' and 'Passive Thermal') joined the Programme in 2020 (see section on further funding). The Programme is a collaboration between Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia, and two civil society organisations: the Centre for Global Equality (CGE), based in Cambridge in the UK, and JeCCDO (Jerusalem Children & Community Development Organization), one of Ethiopia's leading national NGOs. Led by Lara Allen (CGE) the Programme is intended as a long-term intervention that will outlive funding cycles of particular collaborating projects. The aim of the Innovation Communities Programme is to create an enabling environment for Inclusive Innovation: specifically, to enable effective cocreation between researchers and rural end users in Ethiopia. The programme builds the capacity of rural communities to: participate in research; understand the nature of the challenges they face; co-develop appropriate responses to such challenges; gain the capabilities and resources to implement such responses and enhance their wellbeing sustainably into the future . The direct benefits of the Innovation Communities Programme to community participants derive from the establishment of community Self Help Groups (SHGs) by JeCCDO, and the provision of training to enable these groups to run effectively, and empower their members. The specific engagement activities undertaken in 2020 are as follows: In the grain growing region (Dangishta Kebele, Dangila District) • CGE-JeCCDO established 8 new Self Help Groups of 18-20 women in each, a total of 150 women from different households. These women were identified by community leaders as being from impoverished households. (Often this is because they are female headed households). • Four facilitators were recruited and trained to support two groups each. The facilitators are all previously unemployed young women who live within the communities they serve. • The groups have received several trainings on the concept of SHGs, loans and credit management, Communication and Leadership Skills, problem solving & conflict management. In the coffee growing region (Ura Kebele, Zege Peninsula) • 150 women in 8 Self Help Groups previously established by JeCCDO, received refresher trainings in Communication and Leadership Skills, problem solving & conflict management, and formulating business plans. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Janneke Balk visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Hosted visit from Janneke Balk (JIC) to discuss collaboration on Fe research and to understand opportunities for value-addition with her current work on bioavailability. Outcome: shared literature and resources of use in MillNETi project. Open to future discussion of synergies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Keynote Address on Research and Inclusive Innovation in Cambridge and Bahir Dar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Featured the MillNET_i and APSISSFE projects as example of successful international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration a Keynote Address titled "Research and Inclusive Innovation in Cambridge and Bahir Dar: why, what and how?", for the 8th EAI International Conference on Advancements of Science and Technology - ICAST 2020, held in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, on 2nd October, 2020. A number of attendees (particularly STEM postgraduates) approached me to find out more about how to translate their research into spin outs and projects to increase the well being of their communities in Ethiopia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Local Radio Programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | What action do we need to take to save the planet? And, how do we get everyone on board? It's one of the questions at the Festival of Ideas next month - tickets for which were released on Monday. One idea is to change what we eat. Dr Shailaja Fennell, Senior Lecturer in Development Studies, Department of Land Economy, says one option is supergrains. She spoke to Julian & Lucy of Cambridge 105 Radio. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://cambridge105.co.uk/breakfast-24-09-2019/ |
| Description | Meeting with DFID India, Cambridge |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Howard Griffiths and Joanna Wolstenholme met with a team from DFID India who were visiting Cambridge on 6th March 2020. We discussed the MillNETi project, and how we were interested to develop South-South connections This matched with the DFID India team's interest in funding Indian entrepreneurial activities to expend into African countries, and so we will follow up in due course to discuss work together. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Meeting with Rebecca Fairbairn of UKRI India at ICRISAT Hyderabad |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | During the TIGR2ESS General Assembly at ICRISAT, Hyderabad, in January 2020, members of the TIGR2ESS and MillNETi teams met with Rebecca Fairbairn from UKRI India to discuss how the two projects are working together. As well as the PI and management teams from both programmes, we were joined by Dr Gita Yadav and Dr Cameron Petrie (senior academics on TIGR2ESS) as well as Dr Hirut Assaye and Helen Walle (Ethiopian members of the MIllNETi team who were joining the TIGR2ESS General Assembly). From this meeting it became clear that UKRI supported and endorsed our policy of integrating the two programmes and encouraging South-South interactions and learnings. Ms Fairbairn was interested to hear from Hirut and Helen about the work they were doing for MillNETi at Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia, as well as what they had learnt during their week in India. This meeting has encouraged us to pursue and facilitate further South-South linkages between the two programmes as well as between other Indian and African institutions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Member. Gambian National Alliance for Food Fortification. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This is a committee made up of representatives from: The Food and Agriculture Organization, The World Food Programme, UNICEF, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at LSHTM and Gambian National Nutrition Agency. The purpose is to guide and advise on technical issues related to food fortification in The Gambia. Dr Cerami contributes advice and expertise on anaemia, iron deficiency, iron fortification and iron supplementation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Member. USAID Anemia Task Force, USAID Advancing Nutrition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The USAID Anemia Task Force is the primary advisory body for USAID Advancing Nutrition on its micronutrient investments and activities; The Task Force helps to improve what USAID and other institutions consider that: a) anaemia is more than iron-deficiency; b) Look beyond treatment with IFA supplementation and/or iron-fortification of flours; and, c) explore whether anaemia/haemoglobin is to be considered a biomarker or a reflection of its multifactorial aetiology; |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.advancingnutrition.org |
| Description | MillNETi Twitter account |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Twitter account for the MillNETi project, where we post updates of activities from the project, and connect with relevant stakeholders globally. Will encourage engagement with other institutions and research projects, and also give the general public an insight into the research methods which we are using. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020,2021 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/MillNETi |
| Description | MillNETi at NIAB Stand at the Royal Norfolk Show |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | ** Added on behalf of Lydia Smith, NIAB. ** Royal Norfolk show two day event held every year - this featured an item covering the Millneti project in each of the last two years; 2018 and 2019 (though the 2018 may have been just in advance of the project starting). We featured a range of millet products and bags of grain together with actual growing plants. This enabled the participants - which were an equal mix of the general public and farmers - to discuss the needs and outcomes of the project. We were able to discuss growing methods and possible nutritional outcomes with the public and to publicise the work that is funded by the GCRF fund. Outcomes were positive discussion, consideration of different preparation options - a vital component of the nutritional considerations in the project and a wish to learn more about it - which was facilitated by directing people to the project webpage. These events occurred in July and ran for two days. Reaching a mix of the public, farmers, industry, school children (several groups came round) and some researchers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| URL | https://royalnorfolkshow.rnaa.org.uk/ |
| Description | MillNETi video with NIAB |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Joanna Wolstenholme (Programme Manager) and Dr Lydia Smith (researcher at NIAB) filmed a short video about the MillNETi project, in lieu of being able to run tours of the NIAB glassehouses (due to COVID restrictions). This video was featured on the NIAB website, promoted via NIAB and MillNETi social media channels and was exhibited at the virtual REAP conference run by Agri-Tech E. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWLfFTEHyqg |
| Description | MillNet-I presentation at the NNedPro meeting in July 2019 (by Dr. Sarah Dalzell) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | NNedPro annual meeting (a partner organisation on the sister TIGR2ESS project) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Millet Festival at MRC Unit The Gambi |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Aims of the Millete Festival were (1) To familiarise the attendees with the health benefits of millet (2) To share new Gambian, other West African (Nigerian) and Indian recipes that incorporate millet. (3) To spread information about ICRISAT's and United Purpose's work on iron biofortified millets in The Gambia. (4) To make attendees aware of ways in which Gambian small businesses are using millet based products in their small businesses. (5) To Create an enjoyable experience for all participants the following activities were included: (i) Cooking contest which with include savoury and sweet categories (ii) Drama about millet from local high school performers (iii) Music with songs about millet (iv) Eat millet-based foods. The festival was broadcast on national TV and covered by local radio stations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Millet Plants at Innovation Farm |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | ** Added on behalf of Lydia Smith, from NIAB. ** NIAB innovation farm in Cambridge featured millet plants that were introduced to a number of visiting groups over the course of 2019. This will be repeated for more in 2020. Participants were told about the anticipated outcomes of the project in small study groups of approximately 3x 25 participants on each of two open days. An additional set of 4 groups of 30-45 participants from China, Japan, and Spain were also conducted round the demonstration. These events occurred in June 2019. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.niab.com/shop/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=2920 |
| Description | Mind over chatter: How to feed 10 billion people |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Shailaja Fennell was interviewed for this podcast. How and what we eat, and where our food comes from, these everyday choices that we often think very little about, have become increasingly relevant to climate change. With a global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, it is not unreasonable to ask: how are we going to feed all these people... and without causing more damage? In this episode we'll cover everything from how climate change will affect the way we grow and eat food, to the pros and cons of 'non-poo' fertiliser. Sound appetising? Developmental economist, Shailaja Fennell, helped us connect the dots between food and climate change. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://mind-over-chatter.captivate.fm/episode/how-to-feed-10-billion-people |
| Description | New webpage about MillNETi on NIAB website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Gave the NIAB comms team information about the MillNETi project, so that they could make a webpage about the project on their new website. Provides information about our research to a new audience, that otherwise might not come across our research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.niab.com/research/agricultural-crop-research/research-projects/millneti |
| Description | Next Einstein Science Week, Niger public engagement activities. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Next Einstein Africa Science week is a public engagement Abdou Moumoni University Niger, and ICRISAT, Sahel Region (Sadore station) Niger were brought together by the Next Einstein Ambassador, Halimatou Hima Moussa Dioula and Dr. Shailaja Fennell University of Cambridge for a day long engagement on the potential of millet production in ensuring food sustainability in the Sahel region. This was supported by the Next Einstein Initiative undergraduate student team at the University. The following day there was a science extension event in the a local school, College Mariamma, Niamey (the school where Halima has been a scholar when she was a student in Niamey) with demonstration classes and lectures across the school for the entire day, alongside with these undergraduate and graduate volunteers of the Africa Science Week. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/aswniger |
| Description | Nick Fradgley visit to Ethiopia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | University of Cambridge Global Food Security Initiative Early Career travel funding awarded to Nick Fradgley to visit collaborator (Tilahun Amede at ICRISAT) and possible value-adding partners at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. Visit to field trials and discussion with PhD students to understand future training requirements (October 2019). Information used to assist in the co-design of MillNETi project experiments. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | OUtreach engagement with school pupils and raising aspirations for university applications |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Presentations at host university as well as visits to individual schools to raise awareness of educational opportunities and introduce framework for research support informing teaching and learning |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| Description | Online Workshop with External Partners |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Online workshop for the MillNETi team and invited external partners. Opportunity for team to present to key representatives from HarvestPlus, ICRISAT SmartFoods, United Purpose and fellow research project GeoNutrition. Allowed us to strengthen links with these organisations and discuss ways of working together more. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Oxford Brookes seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited seminar at Oxford Brookes University "Bridging the gap - resources and applied research underpinning crop improvement" (28/11/19) including a full day of discussions on opportunities for collaboration. Including potential plans for value-added collaboration on grain imaging for micronutrients (MillNETi) and root system architecture (CINTRIN) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Participation in conference associated with art and science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Particpation in various discussions on food security, health and nutrition; also invited speaker for international symposium on pineapple (Power, Promise, Politics: The Pineapple from Columbus to Del Monte) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| URL | http://www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/28582 |
| Description | Participation in science discussions for national and international radio |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Regular particpant in panel discussions and also contributor to informed scientific debate about specific items (Podcasts) on food security and plant science issues |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| URL | https://www.thenakedscientists.com/ |
| Description | Sarah Stolarz BBC world service, Food chain podcast producer interviewed Dr. Sarah Dalzell |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The producer was exploring exploring ideas to put together a new podcast series on how society's view of food has been influenced by nutrition science. Will likely lead to a formal interview which she will use in the podcast but that will be a future meeting. Dr. Dalzell was able to share about MillNETi and what we are doing in FP3 trying to understand the broader context of millet production, processing consumption. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Summary presentation at Department of Plant Sciences Away Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Joanna Wolstenholme (Programme Manager) presented a summary of the MillNETi research activities at th Department of Plant Sciences (University of Cambridge) Away Day. The audience was approximately 80 postgraduates, postdocs and academics. The talk resulted in greater awareness of the research project within the department, and discussions with colleagues. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Summative workshop programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Summative workshops which captured and shared key outputs from the programme with external parties (e.g.Harvest Plus); poster presentations were subsequently stared in the TIGR2ESS workshops in 2022 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/keyprogs/millneti |
| Description | Supergrains: Are they super as they could be? Festival of Ideas Event, Cambridge |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Are you trying to eat more 'super grains', like quinoa and millet? Have you considered the impact of your dietary decisions on the Global South? Join us for a panel discussion on the knotty issue of food sustainability - looking at how changes in what we eat affects our health, global and local economies, and the natural world. The shift towards healthier grains is happening globally, and there are many far reaching repercussions from these shifts. How do we ensure that these dietary changes are truly equitable - does everyone see them as supergrains or is there a stigma against eating 'hungry rice'? What additional growing and processing facilities may be needed, and how does demand effect the price landscape? Our cross-disciplinary panel (Dr. Shailaja Fennell, Dr. Richard Sidebottom, Dr. Sarah Dalzell from MillNet_i and Professor K. Narayanan of TIGr2ESS) pulled together examples from their research in India, Ethiopia, The Gambia and Senegal, showing how shifting diets affect and are affected by different processing systems, social trends and economic constraints. Millet and quinoa have made it to the UK, but what other healthy grains may be about to appear on our shelves, and what is growing in popularity elsewhere in the world? There were 50 members in the audience, both academics, undergraduate, postgraduate and post-doctoral scholars, as well as local community members. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/events/supergrains-super-they-could-be |
| Description | Supergrains: As super as they could be? Panel discussion at the Festival of Ideas |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 70 members of the general public attended a panel discussion given by Dr Sarah Dalzell, Dr Shailaja Fennell and Dr Richard Sidebottom, chaired by Prof K Narayan (from EIT Bombay). The discussion was focused around the sustainability and health impacts of 'supergrains' and whole foods, partially inspired by work done on the MillNETi and TIGR2ESS projects. Positive verbal feedback was given from members of the public, and the talk also acted as a catalyst for re-engaging potential research partners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/events/supergrains-super-they-could-be |
| Description | TIGR2ESS and MillNETi Video for the virtual Festival of Plants |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The management team for TIGR2ESS and MillNETi put together a video for the virtual 'Festival of Plants' run by Cambridge Botanic Gardens. Due to the pandemic, this had to be online, hence the use of video, but this also meant we were able to reach an international audience, much wider than an in person event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/festival-of-plants-2020/festival-of-plants-day-1-plant-science/plant-s... |
| Description | Talk by Cambridge-Africa at National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center (NAHDIC), Addis Ababa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk by Amit Bhasin, Cambridge-Africa. 19th Feb 2020 @ National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center (NAHDIC) - national referral and reference laboratory for animal health. 8 staff in attendance being a mix of researchers and students. Amit presented about Cambridge-Africa and the initiatives they are involved in, including MillNETi. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | The Case for Millets |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | *Added on behalf on Shailaja Fennell* A talk to a student society at UoC about millets, including research on both MillNETi and TIGR2ESS. Generated lots of interest amongst students. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/events/370363700920890/ |
| Description | Through the laboratory keyhole |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A series of films supported by the Annual Food Agenda of EIT Food were used to highlight fundamental activities in a range of laboratories |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Varsity Switchboard podcast on Veganuary, February 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Switchboard speaks to Galia Shomron, the Vice President of the Cambridge University Vegan Society; Dr Shailaja Fennell, one of the members of the Cambridge Forum for Sustainability and the Environment; and Jess Molyneux, a participant in Veganuary 2020. We discuss the activities of the Cambridge University Vegan Society, the sustainability and benefits of going vegan, the feasibility of vegan lifestyles in developing countries, and the issues surrounding the current state of global agriculture. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://player.fm/series/switchboard-2409728/ep-19-veganuary |
| Description | Visit to Ethiopia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Visit to Ethiopia to meet MillNETi project partner Tilahun Amede (ICRISAT) and to meet his team members and colleagues. Discussion of context for the project, including major production challenges for millets. Outcome: planning of project experiments and identification of areas for future collaboration and priorities for staff training and development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Workshops and panel discussions on orphan crops and improved nutrition and health |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A series of panel discussions were hosted through the Department of Plant sciences and Global Food Security IRC at the University of Cambridge; external panel members contributed to three separate discussions, chaired by Prof Howard Griffiths |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
| Description | YouTube interview for SmartFoods India |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Programme Manager Joanna Wolstenholme was asked to do a piece to camera explaining MillNETi's research for SmartFoods India - an initiative of ICRISAT (http://www.icrisat.org/smartfood/). This has been posted on the 'smartfood global' YouTube channel, and promoted in their (and our) social media. Cross promotion via another organisation has allowed us to reach new audiences and gain new followers. SmartFood aims to promote the growth and consumption of millets (as they meet their criteria of being 'Good for you - the planet - the farmer'), and so their team were interested to hear about our research and would like to help us promote our end results. We met with them whilst at ICRISAT, and this may lead to further collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhDiynU8NgE&feature=emb_title |