BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT
ENTEBBE, UGANDA: ASARECA Interim Executive Director, Dr. Sylvester Dickson Baguma on March 6, 2025 received the Director General (DG) Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU), Dr. Samson Musonerimana at ASARECA Secretariat offices in Entebbe Uganda. The Director General was accompanied by the Director for Research, ISABU, Dr. Micheline Inamahoro, who is also Burundi’s National Focal Person (NFP) for ASARECA.
Dr. Baguma briefed the DG and the Director about the Governance developments, progress in implementation of ASARECA Programmes as well as resource mobilization efforts. He informed them of plans to build the Headquarters building using contributions from Member States.
On their part, the DG and the NFP reiterated ISABU’s commitment to supporting ASARECA’s regional initiatives. Specifically, the DG praised ASARECA capacity strengthening initiatives in the past decades that led to the increase in the number of Masters and PhD researchers in NARIs which were once referred to as weaker NARIs.
The DG and NFP were invited to Entebbe, Uganda for intensive consultations on ISABU and Burundi national priorities in the areas of capacity strengthening, development and dissemination of agricultural technologies and Knowledge Management.
“ASARECA and ISABU at not at liberty regarding knowledge accountability. We are duty bound as leaders in agricultural research for development to take charge of the process of generation of knowledge, processing it, storing, packaging and retaining it for various human development needs, and also disseminating it for wider social impact,” Dr. Baguma emphasized “That is the reason ASARECA has interest in building the capacity of ISABU as a knowledge partner.”
During consultations from March 5 to March 7, 2025, discussions focused on the potential of Knowledge Management and communication in enhancing the conduct of research in ISABU, especially by establishing and deploying infrastructure and systems for seamless coordination between ISABU headquarters and its research institutes dotted countrywide.
The discussions also centered on developing a comprehensive Communication and Knowledge Management Strategy aligned to the ISABU and national vision for Agricultural Development.
“As ISABU, we have come to appreciate the power of Knowledge Management and Communication in driving the science agenda,” Dr. Musonerimana acknowledged.