On the occasion of the 2012 Conference of the African Chapter of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists (IAALD) the ARDYIS project implemented by CTA will organize a series of activities, including the prize giving ceremony of the YoBloCo Awards and a workshop:

• 20 May: One day consultative meeting on: “Using ICT to strengthen youth opportunities in agriculture and rural areas”;  impacts and lessons learned from the YoBloCo Awards as well as perspectives of participants and partners on ARDYIS activities will be discussed during that workshop;

• 22 May: Presentation of a paper on “Blogging to enhance agriculture: results and findings of the Youth in Agriculture Blog Competition (YoBloCo Awards)”, during the IAALD Conference; (Ken Lohento and Giorgio Bellinzas)
• 22 May: Prize giving ceremony of the  YoBloCo Awards, during the Gala Dinner of the IAALD Conference
• 23 May: Organization of the second meeting of the Advisory Committee of the ARDYIS project.
• 23 May: IAALD Panel Discussion on  e-Agriculture in Africa: Prospects, Challenges and Lessons Learned (Ken Lohento, panelist).

Some of these events are pre or post-conference events and other are part of the official conference activities, in partnership with IAALD Africa 2012 organizers.

About 30 participants will be taking part in ARDYIS specific activities. These include young bloggers from ACP countries (winners and runners-up of YoBloCo Awards, from the individual or institutional category), ARDYIS Project’s Advisory Committee members, representatives of CTA and of other organizations interested in youth, ICT and agriculture.

Participants are nationals of the following countries : Barbados (Caribbean), Belgium (EU), Benin (West Africa), Burkina Faso (West Africa), Cameroon (Central Africa), DR Congo (Central Africa), Fiji (Pacific), Ghana (West Africa), Italy (EU), Kenya (East Africa), Madagascar (East Africa), Mauritius (East Africa), South Africa (Southern Africa), Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean), Uganda (East Africa), United Kingdom (EU) and Zimbabwe (Southern Africa).

Apart from ARDYIS Advisory Committee members’ institutions, organizations present include: Organization of the African Youth (OAY), FAO, ICT4D Jamaica, SangoNet, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), GIC Bellomar, Agribusiness Society of the University of West Indies, Farming and Technology for Africa (FTA), Shiriki Organization, Conseil Régional des Riziculteurs du Mono et du Couffo, Savannah Young Farmers Network (SYFN).

Participants sponsored by CTA (including YoBloCo winners and runners-up) are also sponsored to attend all sessions of the IAALD Africa 2012 Conference. The theme of the conference is “e-Agriculture for Improved Livelihoods and Food Security in Africa”. The conference will draw attendance from professionals and experts involved in the application of information and communication technology (ICT) in the rural domain, with a primary focus on agriculture (e-Agriculture), from both inside and outside Africa.

All these events will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 20 to 23 May 2012. The ARDYIS project was launched two years ago, in May 2010.

More information on the IAALD Africa 2012 Conference : http://www.iaald-africa.org/conferences/2012/