ASARECA Ministers’ Chair, Hon. Mithika rallies States to establish Agriculture Innovation Fund
BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT
(L-R) Dr. Denis Onkundi, Mithika’s Technical Advisor; Ms Doris Komen, Commercial Attaché, Kenya High Commission in Uganda, Hon. Mithika Linturi; Mr. Richard Mutwota, First Counsellor, Kenya High Commission in Uganda (immediate right to Dr. Mithika on back row); Dr. Enock Warinda; Dr. Wellington Mulinge of the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) joined by ASARECA Secretariat staff (back row) in Entebbe, Uganda during the event
ENTEBBE, UGANDA: The Cabinet Secretary (Minister) of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Republic of Kenya, Hon. Mithika Linturi, has pledged to work with his colleagues, the Ministers for Agriculture in the Member States to mobilise Governments and Development Partners to establish a Regional Agricultural Innovation Fund to finance regional Priority Mega Projects to be coordinated by ASARECA.
Minister visits Secretariat
Speaking during his first visit to the ASARECA Secretariat in Entebbe, Uganda on April 4, 2024, Hon. Mithika in his capacity as the Chairman of the ASARECA Council of Patron Minsters, thanked researchers from the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) of the 15 ASARECA Member States for developing demand-driven proposals for Regional Mega Prorammes to be implemented jointly by all the 15 ASARECA Member States.
Dr. Enock Warinda (L) and Hon. Mithika Linturi after addressing the media at Protea Hotel, Entebbe on April 4, 2024
Minister endorses Mega Regional Projects
“I wish to inform the Governments of the Member States that I have had fruitful engagement with the Secretariat during which the Secretariat presented to me proposals for four mega regional programmes put together by researchers from the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS). The Programmes are: (i) Promoting Regional Centres of Excellence for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in Eastern and Central Africa; (ii) Biofortification for Healthy, Inclusive and Resilient Food Systems in Eastern and Central Africa; (iii) Scaling Technologies to Reduce Aflatoxin Contamination and Enhance Food Safety in Maize, Groundnut and Cassava Value Chains in Eastern and Central Africa, and; (iv) Fast-tracking Digital Transformation for Agricultural Development in Eastern and Central Africa,” Hon. Mithika told journalists in Entebbe.
Creating an enabling policy environment
He also pledge to emphasize to his colleagues the Agriculture Ministers from the Member States the need for their collective action in creating an enabling policy environment to increase productivity in the agricultural sector, enhance the resilience of food systems, boost access to agricultural technologies, and improve intra and inter-national trade and market access.
Dr. Linthuri was elected the Chairman ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers on February 15, 2024 during the 3rd ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers Meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya. His visit to the Secretariat in Entebbe, on behalf of his colleagues the Ministers in the 15 Member States, was meant to get a first-hand impression of the conduct of ASARECA’s business.
Hon. Mithika Linturi addressing the staff at Protea Hotel, Entebbe on April 4, 2024
“The purpose of my visit is to fully appreciate the programming and operations of the Secretariat, hold discussions with the Secretariat on implementation of priorities of the Governments of the Member States, and familiarize myself with the challenges the Secretariat faces in delivering its mandate,” he said while addressing the staff and press.