BecA Hub operates in Nairobi, Kenya and is shared by a wide variety of users. Some come through BecANet from its network of nodes and other participating institutions in eastern and central Africa. Other platform users come via African governments and other African research institutes and universities. Others again have background with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) institutes and their partners in Africa. These include the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)--and its biotechnology program on livestock genetic improvement and health. Also involved are other CGIAR centers, particularly the crops research institutes, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
The main activities are:
- continually facilitate the development and delivery of innovative and valuable research results to the value chain leading to new products and technologies for the resources-poor farmers in Africa,
- continually update its core competencies through access to new biosciences technologies internationally so as to remain technologically relevant,
- implement scientific and financial management systems so as to be accessible and affordable to African scientists and financially sustainable in the long-term,
- form linkages with the value chain to the end users in the research phase so as to develop pathways for product development and dissemination.
The work developed by BecA and its milestones focus in four areas:
- Project output to product development
At least two BecA Hub-hosted projects per year give research results or products that lead to product development, and with this, contribute to improved food in Sub-Saharan Africa influencing 1 million resource-poor farmers. - Number of hosted projects
Thirteen platform-hosted projects in 2009 doubled to 26 in 2014, whereby 50% of the projects are directed or co-directed by African national research institutions and universities (6 in 2009, 13 in 2013). - Number of scientists, technicians, and graduates students at the platform
One hundred and fifty platform scientific users in 2009 will double to 300 by 2014, with 80% African scientists, post graduate scientists or graduate technicians (120 in 2009, 240 in 2014). - Number of African graduate students:
Ten MSc and three PhDs in 2009 will double to 20 MScs and six PhDs in 2013 with four students per year finishing in 2009 and 10 in 2014.