Linking Agriculture, Nutrition and Health: Perspectives for Enhanced African and Livestock Researchers Participation

Abstract

In this paper, we present our perspectives of a global annual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week held at Accra, Ghana in June 2018, with the objective of determining the regional, disciplinary and affiliations diversity of researchers and papers presented at the event in order to highlight the need for increased livestock and African-led research initiatives in during future events. Overall, 130 papers made-up of 3 keynotes, 60 orals and 67 posters presentations were made at the event. About 65% of the papers were derived from studies carried out in Africa and followed by the 22% papers on studies done
in Asia. A very high 62.22% (oral) and 63.83% (poster) of these African studies were however presented by researchers affiliated to either Europe, North America or Australian study centers, while 38 and 36% of the oral and poster papers respectively on African issues were presented by researchers affiliated to African study centers. Only 6.30% of the presentations were based on studies carried out in Nigeria, while another 11.81% addressed livestock related issues. There is the need for African and livestock researchers to innovate and foster new interdisciplinary collaborations that will enhance their relevance in the agriculture nutrition and health linkages research nexus.