*CA-CoP* *CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE* *for sustainable production intensification* Dear Subscribers, Please see herebelow a request for support from Arthur Chomba. Please feel free to respond as appropriate. *Amir Kassam * *Moderator* e-mail: [log in to unmask] URL: www.fao.org/ag/ca <http://www.fao.org/ag/ca> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Arthur Chomba <[log in to unmask]> Date: Wed, May 13, 2015 at 4:44 PM Subject: Fw: Votes GIST TECH-I competition To: Amir Kassam <[log in to unmask]>, "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> Dear Sir/Madam, My name is Arthur Chomba Eldred and I am a semi finalist in the GIST TECH-I competition. This is an annual competition for science and technology entrepreneurs sponsored by the U.S. State Department and implemented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Aspiring innovators submit their ideas and startups online in an application consisting of an executive summary and promotional video. Their applications are then reviewed by experts to select the semi finalists. Our start up was one of the 76 semi-finalists picked out of 792 entries reviewed by experts. The next stage is to get voted on by the global voting public in order to determine the finalists who will attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), this year in Kenya. Tech-I winners, selected by experts at the GES, win mini-grants, and receive one-on-one mentorship and training. The idea I submitted was about manufacturing the conservation agriculture (CA) equipment I developed when I was working for GART as a researcher. Our niche technology is a multipurpose ox-drawn no-till planter that can also be used for ripping or strip tillage. We have also prepared a draft training manual for the promotion of CA. These were developed as part of the global and national drive to promote sustainable agriculture to help combat climate change and improve farm productivity. CA is a modern approach towards farming that presents exciting opportunities to reduce labor, reduce costs and improve yields especially when combined with appropriate mechanization. The result is more employment opportunities, less poverty and economic development. So let us together modernize and commercialize small-scale farming by supporting our innovations. We are seeking the help of you or your organization to expose our project and get as many people to vote for us. Please forward this massage to as many people as possible. Details of my application and voting can be done on this website; *gistnetwork.org/tech-i/vote <http://gistnetwork.org/tech-i/vote>.* I have also attached a soft copy of a brochure for the planter and a letter confirming my participation in the competition. Your assistance will be most appreciated. Thanks, Arthur Chomba Eldred Email; [log in to unmask] Phone: +260 968 260 442, +260 974 302032 ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the CA-Cop-L list, click the following link: &*TICKET_URL(CA-Cop-L,SIGNOFF);