All is set for ASARECA Agriculture Ministerial Conference

As of Monday May 15, a total of 10 out of the 14 ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers has confirmed participation, over 350, delegates from Eastern and Central Africa had registered for the event.

BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT

ENTEBBE, UGANDA: All is set for ASARECA Agriculture Ministerial Conference, which will take place at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Uganda from May 17 to 19, 2023.

Speaking on May 15 at ASARECA Secretariat ASARECA in the airport town of Entebbe, Uganda, ASARECA Executive Director, Dr. Enock Warinda announced that all preparations had advanced and set for the event.

Dr. Warinda had just received a briefing from the AAMC 2023, joint planning Committee, comprising ASARECA Secretariat staff, officials from the Host Ministry (Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF) Uganda, Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Uganda and the National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO) Uganda.

ASARECA Executive Director, Dr. Enock Warinda confident that the AAMC will be held successfully come the Dday

As of Monday May 15, a total of 10 out of the 14 ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers has confirmed participation, over 350, delegates from Eastern and Central Africa had registered for the event.

Dr. Warinda also noted that he was in regular contact with MAAIF-Uganda leadership over the hosting of the event.

Participants

The following ASARECA key stakeholders and partners are expected to participate in the AAMC:

• The Line ministries responsible for Agriculture in ASARECA Member States.
• National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARO, RAB, ISABU, IRAD, ARC, KALRO, TARI, FOFIFA, NARI, EIAR, INERA, MAFS, ICRA, IRA).
• Research Forum leaders (DGs, DDGs and Scientists).
• African Union Commission (AUC).
• RECs (COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, IGAD, SADC).
• ASARECA Board of Directors.
• ASARECA High Level Advisory Panel (HLAP).
• Development Partners (EU, IFAD, USAID, IDRC, Sida, World Bank, BMGF, AfDB, SDC, AICS).
• Ex-Pillar 4 institutions (FARA, AFAAS, CCARDESA, CORAF, NASRO).
• Agricultural extension umbrella bodies.
• Agricultural training and education institutions.
• Farmer associations.
• Associations of processors of agricultural products, service providers and consumers
• Associations of agricultural businesses and related marketing agents.
• Organized women and youth groups working in agriculture.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) involved in AR4D.
• Private sector partners.
• The CGIAR Centers.

Theme of the AAMC

The theme of the AAMC is: Building Resilient Food Systems to Feed Africa for Generations

About the AAMC

The AAMC incorporates the ASARECA General Assembly, the Council of Patron Ministers (CPM) Meeting, and the Scientific Conference.

The CPM: This is the highest governing organ of ASARECA. It comprises Ministers responsible for agricultural research in the Member States. Among other functions, it provides overall guidance on regional collaborative programs; confers the legal authority to the Association as the signatory of its Constitution; endorses the appointment of the Board of Directors; provides guidance to the Board of Directors on strategic matters of importance to address AR4D issues; and supports in advocacy for resource mobilization to finance the Association.

The General Assembly (GA):  This is the second highest organ of ASARECA. It comprises stakeholders from Members States, including the private sector; farmer organizations; civil society organizations; organized extension agencies; and agricultural universities among others. Through its powerful Business Committee, the GA brings together the interests of stakeholders to be deliberated upon.

The Scientific Conference: This is ASARECA’s flagship event and platform for taking stock of the achievements of ASARECA and its partners in the implementation of agricultural transformation initiatives.

The Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) is a sub-regional Inter-Governmental organization of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) of 14 Member States namely: Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Member States have mandated ASARECA to regionally coordinate and convene human, physical, financial and institutional capital to implement Agricultural Research for Development initiatives in Eastern and Central Africa (ECA).

Date Published:  Sunday, 21 May 2023