Tuesday 10 June 2008

The future of Agricultural Advisory Services (AAS) in Sub-Saharan Africa,

Meeting of FARA – AFAAS - Neuchâtel Initiative, Accra, 9 – 11/06/2008.

The general objectives of the meeting were:
  • to identify and prioritize issues, ideas and activities for collaboration
  • to determine thematic scope of the consultation
  • to develop a list of selected AAS stakeholders, key informants, networks and processes (meetings, events) for later consultation activities in different African countries
  • to develop a joint agenda for the consultation process
  • To check the results of the discussions (identified issues and developed ideas) with a broader range of actors from within Ghana.

Interview with Silim NAHDY of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS).


He explains why it is imperative that advisory services get more support. The Neuchâtel Initiative (a group of donors who support extension services in Africa), AFAAS and FARA are joining efforts. This will to collaborate came before the present food crisis but is now even more urgent. The major challenge is to elaborate a common framework for working together in relation to the country chapters.

Interview with Dr. Desire Porquet - Ivory Coast - ANOPACI & ROPPA, Farmers organisation.


He explains why the concept of leadership is important for farmer organisations. The biggest challenge is to face bureaucracy of research institutes and have a close follow up of the farmer to continue to motivate him at the field level.

Participants:

Dr. M. Silim Nahdy, Chair AFAAS ICC/ Executive Director, NAADS-Uganda, Kampala/Uganda
Mr. Max Olupot, Coordination Assistant , African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), Kampala/Uganda
Mr. Stephen Muchiri, CEO, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), Nairobi/Kenya
Mr. Benito Odala Eliasi, Capacity Building Advisor, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), Pretoria/South Africa
Mr. Désiré Porquet, 1er Vice-Président, Réseau des Organisations Paysannes et ROPPA, Abidjan/Côte d’Ivoire
Mr. Guy Gustave Ewole Medjeme, Chargé de Programme, PROPAC, Yaoundé/Cameroon
Prof. Richard Mkandawire, Agricultural Advisor, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Johannesburg/South Africa
Mr. Daniel Roduner, Consultant – Trainer – Facilitator , AGRIDEA , Switzerland
Dr. Agnes Gerold, Consultant, GTZ/Neuchâtel Initiative, Frankfurt/Germany
Ms. Sanne Chipeta, Senior International Adviser, Danish Agricultural Advisory Service (DAAS), Aarhus/Denmark
Mr. Martin Bwalya, Sustainable Land Management Specialist, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Johannesburg/South Africa
Mr. Felix Hammond, Municipal Director of Agriculture, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Accra/Ghana
Mr. John Nortey, Senior Agric. Economist, Ministry of Food and Agriculture – Statistical, Research & Information Directorate (MOFA(SRID)), Tema/Ghana
Mr. Theophilus Osei Owusu, Metropolitan Director, Tema, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Accra/Ghana
Mr. Mawuli Asigbee, Ag Manager, Fairtrade Fruits Project, CARE International (CARE GoG), Accra/Ghana
Mr. Gabriel Owusu, Senior Agricultural Officer, Ministry of Food and Agriculture; Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services (MOFA-DAES), Accra/Ghana
Ms. Lydia Sasu, Executive Director, National Coordinator, Women leader, Development Action Association, Farmers Organisation Network in Ghana, Accra/Ghana
Mrs. Prospera Anku-Okrah, Assistant Agricultural Officer, Ministry of Food and Agriculture – Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services, Accra/Ghana
Mr. Charles Ofori Addo, Development manager, Technoserve, Accra/Ghana
Dr. Emmanuel Dormon, Assistant Director, Ministry of Food and Agriculture – Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services, Accra/Ghana
Nii Quaye-Kumah, Director, Ministry of Food and Agriculture – District Agricultural Development Unit, Dangme West District, Dodowa, Accra/Ghana
Mr. Felix Kenyah, Assistant Director, Ministry of Food and Agriculture , Accra/Ghana
Dr. Jean-Claude Legoupil, French Technical Assistant, FARA, Accra/Ghana
Dr. Aggrey Agumya, SSA CP Programme Officer, FARA, Accra/Ghana
Dr. Wale Adekunle, Director NSF5 and SSA CP Coordinator, FARA, Accra/Ghana
Dr. Gloria Essilfie, SSA CP Resource Person, FARA, Accra/Ghana
Dr. Sidi Sanyang, Director- Regional Policy and Markets, FARA, Accra/Ghana
Mr. Dady Demby, RAILS Programme Officer , FARA, Accra/Ghana


Related:

African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services : blogpost of 15/01/2008
Demand Driven Agricultural Advisory Services : blogpost of 10/01/2008

Outsourcing agricultural advisory services: enhancing rural innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Posted: 16 Jul 2008 03:15 AM CDT
2008/07 - Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) [Bulletin, 380]