A FARA delegation, including the Executive Director, Monty Jones went to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, January 14-15, 2009, to attend various meetings.Meeting with the AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture
The Executive Director of FARA gave a brief history of the establishment of FARA in 2002 and the mandate given to it by AU- NEPAD through the signing of an MOU for the coordination and implementation of CAADP Pillar IV which has four thrusts: integrated natural resources management, improvements of germplasm, developing functional markets, and developing appropriate policies.
Meeting with the AU team in the Department of Human Resources Science and Technology (HRST)
The meeting focussed on the African Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy Platform (ABBPP) and Building African Scientific and Institutional Capacity (BASIC) initiatives of FARA that are currently being submitted to the EC through the AU.
Meeting with the Economic Commission for Africa team at the United Nations Office
This meeting was conducted to determine areas of collaboration on Pillar IV activities. The ECA team was updated on FARA activities, the progress made so far and FARA's path to achieving the Pillar IV objectives.
Meeting with the Celestial Humanitarian Foundation International, Inc (CHFI)
The Director of Network Support Function 3 (Regional Policies and Markets) met with a team from CHFI to discuss the work of the foundation and possible collaboration with FARA.
Background: CHFI
The CHFI is a charitable and religious foundation registered in the United States to operate in Africa. Its mission is to eradicate poverty through productive agricultural and social development. CHFI uses a “One Village at a Time” approach modeled after the Korean Saemaul Undong approach.
Related blogpost about Korean Saemaul Undong approach:
Expert Group Meeting on SMART Indicators and Lessons
