Regional Dialogue Develops Roadmap for Improved Access to Market Information for Uptake of Climate Smart Agriculture Innovations
“Farmers need prerequisite market information about their farm produce before they invest in the on-farm production and subsequently head to the markets,” said Dr. Recha. “This will motivate them to take up Climate Smart Technologies and hence boost productivity.”
By Genevieve Apio & John Recha
ARUSHA, TANZANIA: In addition to climate related risks, access to market information is still a major hindrance to cross-border trade in agricultural commodities in Eastern and Central Africa, participants at the “Policy dialogue on enhancing access to market information for cross-border trade in Agricultural commodities”, have been informed.
The dialogue held in Tanzania’s city of Arusha from August 31 to September 1, 2022 targeted key stakeholders from the East African Community (EAC) member states of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The dialogue was convened by ASARECA (https://www.asareca.org/) in collaboration with the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (https://aiccra.cgiar.org/).
Information for decision making
Addressing participants, the Program Officer in charge of policy at ASARECA, Ms. Julian Barungi decried the limited availability of information on markets, market requirements, and commodity prices to enable the private sector and farmers make informed choices for cross border trade.
“There’s a need for well-coordinated provision to market information, which is packed appropriately to suit the needs of farmers and the private sector,” Ms. Barungi noted. “It is for this reason that we have brought together the private sector, farmers and market experts to chat out ways of improving access to market information and ultimately improve the resilience of farmers to climate shocks.”
Participants drawn from ECA
The workshop attracted 39 participants including 29 men and 10 women. The representatives of national and regional farmer groups, the private sector, policymakers, immigration officials, the national bureaus of standards and technocrats from the East African Community (EAC).
The Climate-Smart Agriculture Specialist at the International Livestock Research Institute (https://www.ilri.org/), Dr. John Recha, said the dialogue would help East African farmers attain higher yields and at the same time target higher incomes to address the twin challenges of food, nutrition, and income insecurity.
Dr. John Recha links market information to enhanced adoption of CSA technologies
Decision to invest
“Farmers need prerequisite market information about their farm produce before they invest in the on-farm production and subsequently head to the markets,” said Dr. Recha. “This will motivate them to take up Climate Smart Technologies and hence boost productivity.”
The Chief Executive Officer Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, Mr. Stephen Muchiri, said the development of an agriculture market information system and enactment of policies that enhance the movement of commodities will go a long in improving livelihoods and cause social economic transformation.
The dialogue led to the development of strategies for improved access to market information by the private sector and farmers, and also to the development of a joint action plan for improving availability and access to market information.
The dialogue is in line with component 1 of the AICCRA project and focuses on knowledge generation and sharing for effective service delivery. This AICCRA team produces new knowledge and tools that help African farmers prepare for and manage the impacts of climate variability and change, through better information and advice that offer clear choices and options to become more resilient under a changing climate. Also, the dialogue contributed to activity area 3.4 under the EU-funded CAADP-XP4 Programme, which focuses on strengthening the enabling environment for regional trade, markets, and transboundary movement of commodities.