ASARECA Agriculture Ministers hold 3rd ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers’ Meeting in Kenya
BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT
NAIROBI, KENYA: Agriculture Line Ministers from 15 ASARECA Member States have held the 3rd ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers (3rd CPM) Meeting in Kenya’s Capital, Nairobi.
The Meeting of the highest Governing Organ of the Association with a clear mandate to provide guidance to ASARECA on regional and national strategic matters in Agricultural Research for Development was held on February 15, at Safari Park Hotel, in Nairobi. The 3rd CPM was convened by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in collaboration ASARECA and Kenya, Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO).
The Council of Patron Ministers comprises the Line Ministers responsible for agricultural research in the 15 ASARECA Member States namely: Republic of Burundi; Republic of Cameroon; Central African Republic; Democratic Republic of the Congo; State of Eritrea; Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Republic of Kenya; Republic of Madagascar; Republic of the Congo; Republic of Rwanda; Federal Republic of Somalia; Republic of South Sudan; Republic of the Sudan; United Republic of Tanzania; Republic of Uganda.
ASARECA last held the Council of Patron Ministers (CPM) Meeting on May 18, 2023 in the Republic of Uganda, which was hosted by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), which was the Chair of the CPM then. Guided by the ASARECA Constitution, Kenya assumed the Chair of the CPM, which is passed on to a hosting Member State on a rotational basis during the Ministers’ Meeting.
Uganda hands over to Kenya
During the 3rd CPM, Uganda’s Minister of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze handed over instruments of power to his Kenyan counterpart Hon. Franklin Mithika Linturi, the Cabinet Secretary State Department for Agriculture and Livestock Development.
The chair of the Council of Patron Ministers is held on a rotational basis, Uganda has been holding the position since 2019 when the CPM was inaugurated. Kenya is the second Member State to take up the mantle.
In an acceptance speech, Hon. Linturi said, “Each Member State has a pool of knowledge to share with the others. The ultimate goal in sharing this knowledge is to ensure that we feed our people. Feeding our people appropriately has a direct benefit on the peoples’ health, which also translates to a reduction of our health budgets.
On his part, the outgoing Chair, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze said, “ASARECA offers a platform for Member States to review each other and get the much-needed value addition to the National Systems.” He called upon ASARECA to support the scaling of noble technologies that have been developed by the National Agricultural Research Systems such as the Aflasafe to Member States.
Theme of the 3rd Council of Patron Ministers
The theme of the 3rd Council of Patron Ministers was: Together Transforming Agriculture for Improved Livelihoods, Sustained Economic Growth, and Inclusive Development in Eastern and Central Africa.
Key issues discussed
During 3rd Council of Patron Ministers, the Ministers discussed how to support ASARECA to exercise its mandate of coordinating efforts by the Member States to Transform Agriculture for Improved Livelihoods, Sustained Economic Growth, and Inclusive Development in Eastern and Central Africa. Specifically, CPM provided a platform through which the Ministers Endorsed ASARECA Priorities and Strategies for the period 2024 – 2028.
The Ministers also reviewed implementation of the Joint Communiqué signed by the 2nd CPM during the ASARECA Agriculture Ministerial Conference in May 2023 regarding sustainable financing of ASARECA; endorsed the Joint Communiqué of the National Agricultural Research Systems on Collaboration between ASARECA and the One CGIAR that was also approved by the 2nd CPM in May 2023 in Munyonyo; engaged with Development Partners to strengthen ASARECA’s coordination and financing of agricultural development in the sub-region; and endorsed establishment of a Regional Innovation Fund and resourcing Regional Priority Programme, including Regional Centres of Excellence coordinated by ASARECA.
The 3rd Council of Patron Ministers was attended by the Line ministers responsible for Agriculture in ASARECA Member States, the President of the ASARECA General Assembly, Directors General of National Agricultural Research Institutes, ASARECA Board of Directors, and Representatives of Development Partners.