ASARECA Board of Directors meet a head of the 3rd ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers’

BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT

NAIROBI, KENYA: The ASARECA Board of Directors is meeting in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, ahead of the planned ASARECA Council of Patron Minister Meeting.

Among other things, the Board of Directors is expected to discuss and approve the 2024 Annual Work plan and Budget, approve the 3^rd ASARECA Medium Term Operational Plan. The Board will also review progress in preparations for the ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers Meeting, expected to take place on February 15 at Safari Park in Nairobi, Kenya

The ASARECA Board comprises 15 Directors General of the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs), three representatives of the private sector, higher education, and regional economic communities, and a representative of development partners.

 

According to ASARECA Executive Director, Dr. Enock Warinda, the Directors General of the NARIs are key implementers of Agricultural Research mandates in the Member countries. Their meeting ahead of the ministers is meant synthesise priorities for deliberation and decision-making.

(R) Dr. Enock Warinda (L) Dr. Geoffrey Mkamilo ASARECA Board Chairman 

The Council of Patron Ministers is expected to advance Resolutions of the May 2023 Agriculture Ministerial Conference to pay up arrears in Membership contributions to ASARECA, and commit to finance proposed regional Agricultural Research for Development Projects.

 

The 3^rd ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers meetings is convened by Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Republic of Kenya in collaboration with ASARECA. The ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers (CPM) is the highest Organ of the Association with a clear mandate to provide guidance to ASARECA on regional and national strategic matters in Agricultural Research for Development.

 

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 has assumed the Chair of the CPM, which is passed on to a hosting Member State on a rotational basis during the Ministers’ Meeting.

 

Theme of the 3^rd Council of Patron Ministers

The theme of the 3^rd Council of Patron Ministers is: Together Transforming Agriculture for Improved Livelihoods, Sustained Economic Growth, and Inclusive Development in Eastern and Central Africa.

 

Objectives of the 3^rd Council of Patron Ministers

During 3^rd Council of Patron Ministers, the Ministers will discuss 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 will provide a platform for the Patron Ministers to:

 

• Endorse ASARECA Priorities and Strategies for the period 2024 – 2028.
• Review implementation of the Joint Communiqué signed by the Ministers during the ASARECA Agriculture Ministerial Conference in May 2023, which regards sustainable financing of ASARECA.
• Endorse Joint Communiqué of the National Agricultural Research Systems on Collaboration between ASARECA and the One CGIAR that was signed by all the Directors General of National Agricultural Research Institutions.
• Engage with Agriculture and Rural Development Partner Group and Donors to strengthen ASARECA’s coordination and financing of agricultural development in ECA.
• Endorse establishment and financing of Regional Priority Programmes as well as Regional Centres of Excellence that are managed by Member States and coordinated by ASARECA.

 

Who is expected to attend?

The 3^rd Council of Patron Ministers will be attended by:

• The Line ministers responsible for Agriculture in ASARECA Member States
• The President of the ASARECA General Assembly
• The Directors General of National Agricultural Research Institutes;
• ASARECA Board of Directors
• Representatives of Development Partners.

 

Expected outputs

The 3^rd Council of Patron Ministers and is expected to generate the following outputs:

• Roadmap for enhancing Regional Coordination by ASARECA to facilitate sustainable food and nutrition security in ECA approved.
• Commitment by Patron Ministers to support ASARECA in leveraging resources from Member States through Membership Fees to build back better food systems processes in the sub-region.
• Development Partners lobbied to support ASARECA in coordination of Regional Priority Projects for generation of regional public goods. This includes possibility of supporting Phase 2 of Eastern Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (EAAPP) that was funded by World Bank in 2010-2015. Seven Member States have already expressed interest in this Initiative.
• Joint Communiqué by Eastern and Central Africa Agriculture Ministers on implementable measures and actions for Building Back Better Food Systems Processes in the sub-region.
• Funding of Regional Centres of Excellence, Regional Centres of Leadership, or National Centres of Specialization approved.
• Joint Communiqué of the National Agricultural Research Systems on Collaboration between ASARECA and One CGIAR in ECA endorsed.