Regional Policy Dialogue on Promoting Access to Regional and International Markets for Agricultural Commodities in Eastern and Southern Africa

24-25 March 2010, Nairobi, Kenya. Regional Policy Dialogue on Promoting Access to Regional and International Markets for Agricultural Commodities in Easter and Southern Africa.

Objective: To increase awareness about policy issues affecting regional and international agricultural trade, promote dialogue among policymakers and key stakeholders on these issues, and to catalyze a consensus-building process toward trade enhancing policies.

Co-organizers of the Dialogue:

• SADC-FANR - www.sadc.int/fanr/
• ASARECA - www.asareca.org/
• CTA -www.cta.int/
• ECDPM - www.ecdpm.org/
• FDA - democracy-africa.org/

Group Photograph

                                                                                  

        Breakout sessions                                

                                                    

                                        

Announcement: Policy Dialogue on Promoting Access to Regional and International Markets for Agricultural Commodities in Africa

18 – 20 February 2010. Nairobi, Kenya. A workshop on Policy Dialogue on Promoting Access to Regional and International Markets for Agricultural Commodities in Africaw will be held.

The workshop is being organized by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) in collaboration with a number of other partners (TBC).

The purpose of the Regional Policy Dialogue in Eastern and Southern Africa is to contribute towards peoples’ awareness about policy issues affecting regional and international agricultural trade, promote dialogue among policymakers and key stakeholders on these issues, and to catalyze a consensus-building process toward trade enhancing policies with a view to building up broad-based support for such policies.

The workshop will provide open space for public discussion on important agricultural trade policy issues such as subsidies, tariff and non-tariff barriers, and food safety and quality assurance.

The specific objectives are to:

• Provide space for public discussion of important trade policy issues with a view to building up broad-based support for such policies.
• Stimulate discussion and dialogue among major stakeholders including policymakers, academics, experts, representatives of regional economic communities, representatives from business community, NGOs and other civil society groups on alternative regional agricultural trade policy issues.
• Advocate for pragmatic regional agricultural trade policies that promote and facilitate access to regional and international markets.
• Identify and agree on policy options to respond to the problems of increased subsidies provided by developed countries as well as address issues of SPS requirements.
• Disseminate the outcomes stemming from the dialogue discussion to a broad spectrum of stakeholders.

Africa Alliance of sub-regional Farmer Organizations (AAFO)

8 – 9 October, 2009. Accra, Ghana. Promoting Inclusiveness of Farmers Organizations in
African Agricultural Research Agenda: a FARA –PAFFO (Pan African Farmers Forum) Collaborative Initiative.

In order to further consolidate the achievement recorded by FOs, FARA convened a 2-day multi-stakeholder consultation that aimed to catalyze the participation of FOs in African ARD. During the meeting, stakeholders identified some of the stumbling blocks to FOs’ participation in ARD. These include weak human and institutional capacity, poor governance, poor linkage and access to research outputs and outcomes, and poor market access and infrastructure.
List of participants (excluding FARA):

1. Dr. Stephen Muchiri, Chief Executive Officer, East African Farmers Federation EAFF, Nairobi
2. Mr. Ewole Gustave, Chargé de Programme, PROPAC, Cameroon
3. Mr. Alangeh Romanus Che, Executive Bureau Member, PROPAC, Cameroon
4. Dr. Ndiogou FALL, President, Réseau des Organisations Paysannes et des Producteurs Agricoles de l’Afrique de l Ouest, ROPPA, Senegal
5. Dr. Mohamadou MAGHA, Coordinator , Réseau des Organisations Paysannes et des Producteurs Agricoles de l Afrique de l Ouest, ROPPA, Burkina-Faso
6. Mr. Motsepe Ramotse Donald Matlala, Vice President, SACAU, South Africa
7. Mr. Benito Odala Eliasi, Capacity Development Advisor, SACAU, South Africa
8. Mr.Mahaman Bader M.Dioula, Regional Coordinator for Africa, IFAP, France
9. Mr. Jacques Bonou, Vice President, IFAP, Benin
10. Dr. Sidi SANYANG , Manager of the Capacity Strengthening and Knowledge Management Programs, CORAF/WECARD, Senegal
11. Mr. Moses Oremo, Programme Assistant, ASARECA, Uganda
12. Mrs. Lydia Sasu, National Women’s Leader , F.O.N.G, Ghana
13. Mr. Max Olupot , Coordinator ASS/ Program Assistant, AFAAS, Uganda
14. Dr. Clesensio Tizikara, ICART project coordinator, SADC-FANR/ICART, Botswana

Call for expressions of interest Agricultural Biodiversity for Africa

August 19, 2009. The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), in partnership with its four sub-Regional Organizations (CORAF/WECARD, ASARECA SADC-FANR, NASRO), and Bioversity International will be organizing a conference on agricultural biodiversity in Africa, back-to-back with the Africa Science Week and FARA General Assembly to be held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on the 19-24th July 2010

The overall goal of the conference is to increase awareness, raise the appeal and generate support for research and development in relation to agricultural biodiversity for development in Africa. The conference will facilitate the sharing of innovative ideas in areas of agricultural biodiversity conservation and use science, research and development in Africa. It will also provide an opportunity to bring the agricultural biodiversity research community together to exchange experiences and lessons learnt, establish linkages and foster post-conference networking.

Download the Conference Concept Note and Draft Programme

Reference:

Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research 19/08 Revealing the Appeal and Potential of Agricultural Biodiversity for Africa: Status, Trends and Outlook for Future” Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 19-24th July 2010

Participants to the RAILS side event at IAALD

12-13 July 2009. RAILS Side-event at the 2nd IAALD Africa Chapter Conference on the theme ‘Towards Opening Access to Information & Knowledge in the Agricultural Sciences and Technology in Africa’.

Participants:

JANVIER Nkunzebose
Institut Des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU),
Bujumbura Burundi.

Rachel Rege
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Assistant Director, Information Documentation Services Nairobi.Kenya

MAQALIKA MATSEPE
Agricultural Information Services Ministry Of Agriculture And Food Security, Senior Agricultural Information Officer, Lesotho

Mohammed Sannoh

Senior Communications Officer, SLARI, National Agricultural Research Coordinating CouncilFreetown - Liberia
Francois Stepman
Communications Expert

FARA

Jacqueline Nyagahima

ASARECA

Uganda

Paula Pimentel
Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique (IIAM),Researcher - Technology Transfer And Information Systems DirectorateMaputo, Mozambique

Jacky Nnam
Knowledge Sharing Officer

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa.
Accra- Ghana
Keven Nancy Principal OfficerResearch and DevelopmentSeychelles Agricultural Agency Republic of Seychelles

Ifidon Ohiomoba PSTAD OfficerForum for Agric Research in Africa. Ghana

Sostino Mocumbe Communications Officer Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique Maputo, Mozambique

Abdoulaye Aziz BANGOURA
IRAGResponsable Information Scientifique & TechniqueConakry - Guinee

Francine Rasolofonirina
Ministry of Agriculture-Livestock and fisheries -Head, Extension Service and Farmer's Training DepartmentDirectorate of Extension Service and Farmer's Support Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and FisheryAntananarivo - Madagascar

Richard AWAH NCHE
Director, Department of Communication and Documentation,Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD),Yaounde - Republic of Cameroun

Issel Ould Abdatt
Centre national d'élevage et de recherches vétérinaires. CNERV. Directeur General adjoint. Nouakchott Mauritanie

Dady Demby

Forum for Agric Research in Africa. RAILS Program OfficerAccra- Ghana

Hadiza Gabey
INRAN, Chef De La Division Information. Valorisation et Documentation. Niger, Niamey

Justin Chisenga
Information Management SpecialistFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – FAO - Regional Office for AfricaAccra, Ghana

Jocelin Makoko
INERA-Chef deDivision Biométrie & Informatique Président du Comité National de Pilotage (CNP) du Réseau Régional de l'Information Agricole (RAIN ) RD Congo

Claudine Umukazi
Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda (ISAR)

Kigali Rwanda

KONE Yékéminan Anatole
Information/Communication Manager

CORAF/WECARDDakar - Senegal

Myra Wopereis
Forum for Agric Research in Africa. Director, Access to Knowledge and TechnologyAccra- Ghana

Kedro Diomande
Centre national de recherche agronomique, directeur des systemes d'informationAbidjan Cote-d’ Ivoire

Emmanuel Mbembe
Chef de service de la Communication et de la Vulgarisation,
Délégation Générale à la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique/Centre National de Documentation et d’Information Scientifique et Technique ( CNDIST),
Congo-Brazzaville

Frank W Dulle
Sokoine University of Agriculture,P.O.Biox 3158, Chuo kikuu,Morogoro-Tanzania.

Krishan Bheerninck
Regional Information, Communication and Training Officer,Implementation & Coordination of Agricultural Research & Training(ICART) projectFood, Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) DirectorateSADC Secretariat, GaboroneGaborone, Botswana

Goliath Leon Mwale
ZARI Lusaka, Zambia.

Davy Simumba
Zambia Agriculture Research Institute -Mount Makulu Central Research StationChilanga - Zambia

Joel Sam
Deputy Director
CSIR-INSTIAccra-Ghana

AHLAM ISMAIL MUSA
Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC), Central Library,Head Librarian And Manager Agris Resource Centre Of The Sudan,Agricultural Research Corporation (Arc)Sudan

Rafaa Ashamallah Ghobrial
Information Research Assistant Professor Head of Information Services and Systems Documentation and Information Centre National Centre for Research Ministry of Science and TechnologyKhartoum, Sudan

RASOANINDRAINY Andrianjafy
CAETIC-IT & Project Management specialistAdministratorCAETIC DevelopmentAntananarivo, Madagascar

Grace Kamau
Head - InfocentreInternational Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)Nairobi Kenya

RAILS Side-event at the 2nd IAALD Africa Chapter Conference

Launch of the new e-RAILS platform on 13th of July 2009

12-13 July 2009. FARA/RAILS organised a pre-conference workshop on the theme: ‘Opening access to Agricultural Information and Knowledge: sharing the experience of the NARS’ in conjunction with the IAALD-Africa, CIARD, the SADC ICART project and ASARECA and CORAF.

The debates revolved around:

1. Advocacy for increased investments in ICT for AR&D ( infrastructure, content management and networking)
2. Methods for finding synergies and establishing cohesive information systems
3. Using novel Web tools for ARD Information exchange
4. Networking and establishment of Learning Teams
5. The subsidiarity principle: SROs Panel Discussion: Managing RAILS related interventions through sub-regional platforms
6. eRAILS launching
7. Opportunities to further mobilize resources in support of RAILS, developing proposals

ICART regional workshop on Agricultural Information, Communication and Knowledge Management (AICKM)

24-29 May 2009. Gaborone, Botswana. The objectives of the ICART regional workshop meeting were to follow up with representatives from research and extension/information services on their previous exposure to the computer-based communication tools and to discuss, to review the training materials that can be used for capacity building at national level, to discuss a regional AICKM strategy and to work towards a harmonized approach for the organization of national workshops for the development of the national IACKM strategies.

The following countries were represented in this ICART meeting: Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Madagascar did not attend because of the embargo put upon the country by the SADC.

Presentation of the eRAILS Platform. The Platform was presented and a hand on session was organized using the country admin accounts created for each countries. The following actions were performed on the platform by the participants. Access the eRAILS platform, Login to the country account, Create a website, create pages in the web site, create sub pages, upload picture and post information, perform a search at the eRAILS home page. Madagascar eRAILS example was shown to participants.

The eRAILS platform was well appreciated by participants and a number of them planned to use it to disseminate their information. They particularly appreciated the fact that the platform allows institutions that do not have a website to benefit from the platform and easily create their own site while in the same time allowing those who already have their websites to be linked to it and be included in the searches performed from the Platform. The eRAILS feature allowing to perform searches both on the resources hosted within the platform and on the external resources linked to the platform has been considered as a great added value.

There is no better brilliant concept than this eRAILS approach/concept’ dixit representatives from Mauritius.

• The following countries volunteered to be part of the cases to be shown during the RAILS pre-conference event during the IAALD conference in July 2009 in Accra: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe. The following countries also expressed the same willingness earlier on: Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo and Zambia.
• All the SADC countries are to organize national meetings for national for the development of AICKM

First announcement: 5thAfrican Agricultural Science Week and FARA General Assembly

19 –24 July 2010, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The Government of Burkina Faso has graciously offered to host the fifth General Assembly of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa(FARA). The General Assembly (GA)will draw together representatives of FARA's constituents.

FARA constituents are African and non-African institutions involved in African agricultural research and development (ARD) such as the Sub-Regional Organizations (SROs) (ASARECA, CORAF/WECARD, SADC/FANR and NASRO), farmers' and pastoralists' organisations, the agricultural research institutions, universities, NGOs and private enterprises, non-African advanced research institutions (ARIs), the International Agricultural Research Centers (IARCs), international NGOs, policy makers, private sector and Africa's development partners.

Objectives:

• To provide platform for FARA constituents to interact and network
• To review progress and lessons learnt since the 4th General Assembly and set the African regional agenda for agricultural research for development (ARD) over the next 3years.
• To hold a Burkina Faso Agricultural Science day as a highlight of Agricultural Science week, where the host country will show how agricultural innovations are contributing in alleviating poverty, promoting food security and protecting the environment.
• To hold a FARA business meeting to endorse strategic decisions on governance and direction of FARA

Reference:

5thAfrican Agricultural Science Week and FARA General Assembly

SADC Multi-country Agricultural Productivity Programme (MAPP)

11-12 May 2009 Gaborone, Botswana Meeting with International Cooperating Partners (ICP) meeting on SADC MAPP.

The Multi-country Agricultural Productivity Programme (MAPP) was conceived in consultation with NEPAD, FARA and other stakeholders in the African and international community together with the World Bank's Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development (ESSD) Network. The objective of MAPP is to improve agricultural research, technology development and dissemination.

The MAPP vision seeks to improve the development and uptake of agricultural technologies to meet the Millennium Development Goals and in support of Pillar 4 of NEPAD's Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). MAPP is implemented in the Africa Region by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) guided by the Framework for African Agricultural Productivity (FAAP) developed by FARA.

In Southern Africa, MAPP is currently being implemented by the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) directorate within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the programme is referred to as the SADC MAPP.
SADC MAPP has four components:

• Component 1: Scaling-out farmer empowerment and market access
• Component 2: Research and technology generation
• Component 3: Technology dissemination and farmer uptake
• Component 4: Institutional Development and Capacity building

As a sub-regional program, SADC MAPP provides a mechanism through which SADC Member States are able to work together and pool resources to undertake collective action on issues of common interest and to mobilise global knowledge. SADC MAPP establishes a strong sub-regional platform to support and complement the activities of agricultural research and extension programs.

Reference: SADC Multi-country Agricultural Productivity Programme (SADC MAPP)

2009 FARA Secretariat Annual Program Planning and 4th Executive Board meeting

23-28 March. FARA Secretariat Accra. The Annual Program Planning Meeting was divided into 3 sessions i.e. sub-committee meetings, SRO-CSO-FARA retreat and Board Meeting to endorse the Secretariat’s 2009 program.

The subcommittee meetings (23-25 March) were further subdivided into programs, Audit and finance and nominations. It reviewed the previous’ years outputs and expenditures against planned activities and budget, highlighting key challenges and lessons learnt. The 2009 annual workplan was also discussed and presented for approval to the Board.

The SRO-CSO-FARA retreat on 26 March, looked at the activities in the subregional organizations and civil society organizations. Discussions identified areas that require continental interventions and support. It looked into the current challenges and lessons learnt while implementing the regional initiatives and improving accountability, ownership and sustainability.

Solutions and the way forward were proposed for endorsement by the Board. The Board meeting held on 27-28 March reviewed the Secretariat’s 2008 achievements and expenditure against its planned activities and budget. It reviewed and approved the Secretariat 2009 workplan based on the recommendations of the subcommittee meetings and SRO-CSO-FARA retreat.

NEPAD SADC Stakeholders Engagement Workshop

4-5 December 2008. Pretoria, South Africa. Eight SADC countries were involved in the sub-regional process focusing on NEPAD implementation at national level. The workshop which was attended by FARA was supported by the Belgian Government and the process leading up to it was conducted by the NEPAD Secretariat with the support of Southern Africa Trust (SAT).

More than 100 delegates and stakeholder partners from the Southern African Development Community region and beyond were present. The objectives of the two-day workshop were for SADC countries to share their experiences on NEPAD implementation; explore collective mechanisms for regional level engagement for NEPAD implementation, linking it to the national; consolidate lessons learnt from the engagement process based on national experiences and identify practical interventions; and device guidelines for future engagements with national and regional processes and structures on NEPAD implementation.

References:
"SADC regional workshop focuses on NEPAD implementation" NEPAD Dialogue, December 5, 2008
Remarks by Deputy Minister Fatima Hajaig at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) stakeholders' engagement on New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Development Bank of South Africa, Midrand, Gauteng

SADC Agricultural Information Management System

FARA participated at the at the SADC AIMS Consultation meeting - Johannesburg - 25-27 June 2008.

The SADC Secretariat’ Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) Directorate was directed by the SADC Council of Ministers to rationalize in-house the information systems in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of services to the SADC community. These information systems comprise a Geographic Information System (GIS), Numerical data, and Directories, all these being accessed through a Graphical User Interface Managed by a Content Management System.

The overall discussion was on how to incorporate and link the various existing information systems and network into one integrated SADC FANR system called the SADC Agricultural Information Management System (AIMS), and how to get the member States involved in this system.

Reference:

Agricultural Information Management Systems (AIMS)

Meeting of the African Union’s Directorate of Rural Economy and Agriculture (AU-DREA)

Staff of the FAO Regional Office for Eastern Africa and Rome offices; Libya, Tanzania, Kenya, Burkina Faso Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Burundi, South Africa, Tanzania; COMESA, ECOWAS, ECCAS/CEMAC, SADC; ASARECA, CORAF/WECARD, SADC-FANR; Norway, France, Netherland,s, China; ASN, ROPPA, BIOEARN; IFPRI, ICARDA, Bioversity International; AGRA; Consultants from Ivory Coast & Nigeria reviewed and discussed between 19-22 February in Addis Abeba the AU/FAO commissioned consultancy reports on the development of the seed sector in Africa in line with the AU Sirte Summit decisions on functional seed sector for African farmers. Project profiles were developed as follows:

• Strengthening networks and exchange programs for gene banks and variety improvement centers
• Development, adoption and capacity building for variety improvement strategies including through biotechnology applications
• Capacity building for safe handling and release of biotechnology seeds, planting materials and varieties
• Establishment of an African seed development training program
• Strengthening national seed sector through policy interventions
• Improvement of seed marketing and distribution channels in partnership with the private sector
• Development of improved disaster preparedness and response to seed insecurity
• Assistance to improving seed quality to enhance seed trade
• ASBP national seed projects support fund
• Technical assistance for national seed reviews

Related:

Svalbard's Doomsday Vault: The Global Seed Vault Raises Political/Conservation Debate. The swarm of media attention focusing on the opening of the Global Seed Vault in Norway's high Arctic may overshadow an even bigger news story. On 26 February, the Norwegian government pledged to give 0.1% of money spent on commercial seed sales to support Farmers' Rights, and challenged other governments to do the same.

What Are Seed Gene Banks and How Do They Work? The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) maintains and coordinates seed gene banks around the world, encompassing 600000 plant varieties. Its goal is to back up all known varieties of useful plant varieties.