CoFET-Retreat (Oahu Island) Hawai’i, USA

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The strongest reason why CoFET-Retreat (Oahu ISLAND) Hawaii, USA is justifiable; the problem is “there is NO or there is DIM ACCESS to appropriate technologies and innovations greatly needed by smallholder farmers to avert most of the farm production constraints, consequently restricting them from changing their lives for the better”.

Introduction:

CoFET-Retreat filed as CoFET-Retreat (Oahu iSLAND) Hawai’i, USA in the State of Maryland, USA; is a coffee and (all agricultural and veterinary) science innovations and technologies exchange enterprise, subsidiary to the Africa Coffee Bureau LLC (Parent company). The science exchange infrastructure was inaugurated in Oahu Island on June 13, 2022, during the first CoFET-Retreat coffee science colloquium hosted at the Hawai’i Agricultural Research Center (HARC); to pursue joint research cooperation between AFRICA and Hawai’i. under the banner “CoFET-Retreat a Launch Tower for Coffee Research Collaboration Between Hawai’i and AFRICA”.

Vision:

Hastened inter-institutional collaborative scientific research innovations and technologies generation-output that solve critical farm production constraints for sustainable grower-household incomes and livelihoods improvement in AFRICA and Hawai’i – USA communities.

Mission:

Elite-entrepreneurial hypertonic novel science pool exchange hub for core inter-institutional collaborative scientific research output enhancement and efficient technologies transfer to consumer farmer-grassroots in AFRICA and Hawai’i – USA communities.

Purpose:

The creation of CoFET-Retreat is premised on scientific research cooperation and efficient technologies transfer. CoFET-Retreat is purposed to hasten core inter-institutional collaborative scientific research systems novel science generation output that solves critical farm production constraints, and efficiently decentralize technologies to consumer farmer-grassroots for sustainable household incomes and livelihoods improvement in AFRICA and Hawai’i – USA communities.

 

Background and Rationale of CoFET-Retreat:

CoFET-Retreat Innovation:

CoFET-Retreat is Coffee Farm Experience Tour and Retreat. CoFET-Retreat is customized Farmer Field School (FFS), a concept that was developed in the 1980s in Asia as a platform for farmers to strengthen their knowledge and field management decision skills through a process of hands-on field-based learning (Marjon Fredrix, 2014. Farmer Field Schools and Farmer Empowerment. Int. J. Agr. Ext. Vol. 2[1]. 67-73). The FFS is suggested as an enhancement of group collaboration and exchange of experience, building on local knowledge (indigenous) systems as well as on knowledge generated outside rural communities (Marjon Fredrix, 2014. Farmer Field Schools and Farmer Empowerment. Int. J. Agr. Ext. Vol. 2[1]. 67-73).

 

In the context of CoFET-Retreat, the activity is essential for all farm derivative and income earner users in the world, therefore, a critical “shamba” tool infrastructure for African and the United States to learn from each other, thus, the founding of CoFET-Retreat (Oahu iSLAND) Hawaii, USA.

 

Problem Statement:

With particular reference to coffee, the commodity supply chain depends on smallholder farmers who bulk together as least as 15lbs of green bean to consolidate the much-needed global demand volumes, usually ranging between 153 – 167 million 60kg bags per annum. The collapse of smallholders due to OUTDATED technologies, unsustainable technologies transfer mechanisms, inappropriate and unsustainable policy designs and implementation, should worry everyone.

There are huge lessons learned elsewhere on the importance of willing technology exchange and transfer, joint-activities and collaboration, benchmarking and technical capacity exchange missions on management of such farm production crises. Good example, on fight against vascular wilt (coffee wilt disease) due to Fusarium xylariodes in Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) in Uganda in the 90s and the case for the virulent impact of Black Coffee Twig Borer (BCTB) infestation again in Uganda and neighboring regional Africa nations. Survey data and findings reported BCTB accounting for 8.6% primary branches death on Robusta coffee trees, resulting in estimated green bean yield loss of 8.6%, translating in US$40M annually (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/579968/ A review of the status and progress in management research of the black coffee twig borer, Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff) in Uganda; Impact of the black coffee twig borer and farmer’s coping mechanisms in Uganda: Survey Report 2013). The strength of joint work and well-adequately coordinated efforts, pulling together actors in science, policy design and donor community, FFS and On-farm exchanges, inclusive; have greatly propelled gradually deterioration of the insurgency of the Robusta and Cocoa BCTB Pest infestation in regional AFRICA.

Therefore, one of the key bottlenecks hindering progress in smallholders is the increasing low vigor of the international intellectual coordination and funding to real key priorities, translating into low vigor generation and development of required technologies and innovations for farmer use. The problem is no or there is dim access to appropriate technologies and innovations greatly needed by smallholder farmers to avert most of the farm production constraints, consequently restricting them from changing their lives for the better. There is usually new knowledge either as UPDATED (improved) sustainable technologies or entirely novel sciences. The other problem, particular to Africa, is the lower grade of science infrastructure and limited funding for research progression. Instituting CoFET-Retreat is postulated to leverage established global scientific infrastructural entities and universities, to foster joint research consultative agenda, technical capacity building, and exchange programs with Africa besides, adequate research funding lobby. CoFET-Retreat model is benchmarked to nurture scientific research and sector development cooperation between Hawai’i – USA communities and AFRICA to ensure agricultural value chain sustainability that translates into relative farmer livelihoods improvement.

 

CoFET-Retreat Theses:

Although farmers are resilient on farm and continue to cope with the tall order of production constraints, more less in isolation, and for many reasons, because of the inappropriate and unsustainable technology transfer mechanisms. The problem is not lack of remedy or necessary science. There usually exists remedial scientific revelations either as novel science, improved (updated) technologies or entirely rare indigenous knowledge that can work properly, responsively disruptive of the counter-reactive pathways of several biotic and abiotic production constraints in agricultural, livestock and fisheries value chains. The missing link is the prompt methods to adequately and timely decentralize the ready much needed science innovations and technologies from core scientific research knowledge generation system centers to end user farmer-grassroots. The CoFET-Retreat hypothesizes to uniquely disrupt some of these chronic challenges hampering prompt delivery of science innovations and technologies to the farming communities. The CoFET-Retreat rationale proliferates the spirit of Norman Borlaug “Take it to the Farmers” (https://www.cimmyt.org/people/bram-govaerts/).

 

CoFET-Retreat innovation is based on three theories hypothesized to regulate technology transfer for sustainable agricultural production; thus, novelty, scarcity and scattered.

  1. Novelty: There exists novel science (brand new technologies) but, it is not rolled-out where it’s necessarily needed for use.
  2. Scarcity: There exists indigenous and scientific knowledge (novel and improved technologies) but, it is deliberately not communicated or, there is lack of appropriate mechanisms to decentralize it to end user farmer-grassroots.
  3. Scattered: There exists indigenous and scientific knowledge but, it is not evenly distributed for access by end user farmer-grassroots.

The problem is; science innovations and technologies dissemination from knowledge generation centers to badly in need end users at farm, and this is the motivation for the creation of CoFET-Retreat (Oahu iSLAND) Hawai’i, USA. The science exchange enterprise is praised to deliver efficient and appropriate innovative technologies of high impact farm production, productivity, and profitability; from core scientific research knowledge generation system centers to consumer smallholder farmer-grassroots in Africa and Hawai’i – USA communities.

CoFET-Retreat Business Model:

CoFET-Retreat is conceptualized in the Africa Coffee Bureau (ACB) business model, encapsulated in the 3rd development element layer of the MOT model, the Niche Traceability Facility https://africacoffeebureau.us/acb-model/.

Niche traceability facility:

This is the central linkage facility galvanizing the 3 other development elements in the MOT-model and houses the ACB entrepreneurship bureau and CoFET-Retreat.

 

Justification for niche traceability facility in respect to CoFET-Retreat:

The most important problem hampering prosperity in smallholders across grower communities and continents is the need for sustainable science innovations and technology exchange transfer mechanisms to defeat urgent and recurring production constraints like invasive species (pests and diseases), and the ruin of climate change. Thus, the requirement for sustainable science innovations dissemination, and decentralization to farmer-grassroots best-bet, is the CoFET-Retreat innovation as conceptualized in the ACB business model (MOT Model). The endgame of CoFET-Retreat is to propel farm production, productivity, and profitability to realize uplifting of standards of living conditions of the farming families especially those entangled in the 150 – 400 coffee tree plot-farm model that is so synonymous with AFRICA. The postulation above informs the underlying rationale for CoFET-Retreat installation.

The minimum viable problem being addressed under CoFET-Retreat is 2-fold:

  • Technology transfer:

In the 1980s, a concept of Farmer Field School (FFS) was first developed in Asia as a platform for farmers to strengthen their knowledge and field management decision skills through a process of hands-on field-based learning
(Marjon Fredrix, 2014. Farmer Field Schools and Farmer Empowerment. Int. J. Agr. Ext. Vol. 2[1]. 67-73).

CoFET-Retreat (Oahu Island) Hawai’i, USA innovation is envisioned in the aspirations and restoration of the FFS.

In the context of CoFET (Coffee Farm Experience Tour), the activity is essential for African stakeholders and their counterparts in Hawai’i to learn from each other, therefore, the founding of CoFET-Retreat (Oahu Island) Hawai’i, USA is logical and justifiable. The science exchange enterprise will spearhead skilling, knowledge sharing and learning experience right on the farm.

The process will hasten the core international institutional collaborative scientific research systems in novel science generation output that solves critical farm production constraints, and efficiently decentralize technologies to consumer farmer-grassroots for sustainable household incomes and livelihoods improvement in AFRICA and Hawai’i – USA communities.

 

  • Cooperation and joint research collaborative agenda (JCRA) between Hawai’i – AFRICA:

To hasten core inter-institutional collaborative scientific research systems, University of Hawai’i and wider United States institutions inclusive, for novel science generation output that solves critical farm production constraints, and efficiently decentralize technologies to consumer farmer-grassroots for sustainable household incomes and livelihoods improvement in AFRICA and Hawai’i – USA communities.

 

Proposition:

Disruptive:

  • Hawai’i – AFRICA cooperation is justifiable “If we want to solve the global challenges of our time, we need global solidarity and, a partnership-based cooperation between industrialized and developing countries” (https://www.unido.org/news/19th-session-unido-general-conference-new-leader-organization-primed-build-better-future), personal communication of Gerd Müller, Director General of UNIDO. CoFET-Retreat nurturing a collaborative scientific research agender between Hawai’i – AFRICA to hasten generation of technologies of joint purpose in coffee commodity production sustainability is of essence.
  • There is need for Hawai’i and Africa to work together to enhance joint technical backstopping, to end CLR together, to pursue exchange programs and technology transfer together for the benefit of the farming communities in both geographical boundaries.
  • CoFET-Retreat is going to heighten diplomatic ties, and business relations between Hawai’i and Africa. Research institutions, universities and other development entity ties are postulated to flourish unprecedentedly.

Discontinuous:

  • Unknown scientific information and data on coffee research progress between Hawai’i and Africa.
  • Heightened diplomatic ties, and business relations between Hawai’i and Africa. Research institutions, universities and other development entity ties are postulated to flourish unprecedentedly between the two communities.

Defensible: 

  • CoFET-Retreat concept is unique, innovative and IP. Enshrined in the ACB Business model, the MOT-model.
  • Scientific information and data on coffee. ▪ Scientific corporation, diplomatic, and business relations between Hawai’i and Africa.

Participating Institutions at the Inauguration of the CoFET-Retreat in June 2022 at Hawai’i Agricultural Research Center (HARC) in Oahu Island, USA:

  1. Hawaii Agricultural Research Centre (HARC).
  2. University of Hawaii (UH).
  3. Hawai’i Department of Agriculture (HDoA)
  4. Coffee Research Institute, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Kenya.
  5. Sugar Research Institute, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Kenya.
  6. National Coffee Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Uganda.
  7. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center,
  8. CoFET-Retreat (Oahu Island) Hawai’i, USA