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A synthesis of available agronomic datasets and peer-reviewed scientific literature was conducted to: (1) assess the status of micronutrients in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) arable soils, (2) improve the understanding of the relations between soil quality/management and crop nutritional quality and (3) evaluate the potential profitability of application of secondary and micronutrients to key food crops in SSA, namely maize (Zea mays L.), beans (Phaseolus spp. and Vicia faba L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.). We found that there is evidence of widespread but varying micronutrient deficiencies in SSA arable soils and that simultaneous deficiencies of multiple elements (co-occurrence) are prevalent. Zinc (Zn) predominates the list of micronutrients that are deficient in SSA arable soils. Boron (B), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo) and copper (Cu) deficiencies are also common. Micronutrient fertilization/agronomic biofortification increases micronutrient concentrations in edible plant organs, and it was profitable to apply fertilizers containing micronutrient elements in 60-80% of the cases. However, both the plant nutritional quality and profit had large variations. Possible causes of this variation may be differences in crop species and cultivars, fertilizer type and application methods, climate and initial soil conditions, and soil chemistry effects on nutrient availability for crop uptake. Therefore, micronutrient use efficiency can be improved by adapting the rates and types of fertilizers to site-specific soil and management conditions. To make region-wide nutritional changes using agronomic biofortification, major policy interventions are needed.

International audience; The prospects for educational development are excellent in Madagascar, in light of the increasingly favorable, policy environment for the sector. Public spending for education, relative to the gross domestic product declined in the 90s, coinciding with a five-fold rise in the country's interest payment for external debt. As the debt service burden began to ease in the late 90s, public spending on education began to recover, and can be expected to grow. A key challenge however, is to transform the sector's public spending into educational outcomes that would make significant contributions to poverty reduction. The report identifies challenges at all levels of formal education, where a medium term goal is to achieve universal access to basic education, and of reasonable quality, while closely linking expansion of other levels, and types of education and training, to labor market demand. In primary education, challenges remain to raise educational enrollment rates and reduce grade repetition; including the rationalization of teacher allocation, and provision of learning materials. At the secondary level, policy issues should expand enrollment at a moderate pace, focusing on quality improvements. As for vocational and technical education, the provision of training should be rationalized, to reduce costs, aligning training to labor demand; similarly, for higher education

La contamination des eaux superficielles et souterraines par les substances phytosanitaires utilisées en agriculture incite les gestionnaires des ressources aquatiques à mettre en place des politiques de reconquête de la qualité des eaux. L'Agence de l'Eau Loire-Bretagne a développé en compagnie du bureau d'études AQUALIS une méthode qui apporte une aide à la définition de stratégies préventives pour la gestion qualitative des eaux superficielles et souterraines. Celle-ci consiste à réaliser un zonage territorial afin de localiser les secteurs à l'origine d'un risque de pollution. Le zonage est réalisé par croisement, à l'aide d'un Système d'Informations Géographiques, des facteurs qui induisent une sensibilité à la mobilisation et à l'entraînement des molécules phytosanitaires utilisées au champ dans la conduite des cultures. Dans le cas de la gestion des eaux superficielles, les cartes de zonage sont complétées par une approche qui identifie l'emprise des terrains contrôlés par les écrans au ruissellement. Ce second volet permet d'évaluer l'incidence possible sur le transfert par ruissellement des pollutions générées sur les zones à risque. / The contamination of surface and underground water by phytosanitary substances used in farming induces the administrators of aquatic resources to implement policies for restoring the quality of water. In cooperation with the AQUALIS engineering office, the Loire-Bretagne Water Board has developed a method which provides help in determining preventive strategies for the qualitative management of surface and underground water. This consists of setting up a territorial area in order to localize the sectors responsible for a pollution risk. Zoning is carried out using a Geographic Information System, by crossing factors which lead to sensitivity to the mobilization and entrainment of phytosanitary molecules used in crop management. With respect to surface water management, the zoning maps are completed by an approach which identifies the land-area controlled by runoff barriers. This second part enables one to assess the consequences on the runoff transfer of pollution which is generated in risk-prone areas.

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Etude Terroirs d'Anjou ; * INRA, centre de recherches d'Angers. Unité de recherches sur la vigne et le vin Diffusion du document : INRA, centre de recherches d'Angers. Unité de recherches sur la vigne et le vin; National audience