Uganda to host the Agriculture Ministerial Conference for the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa

Uganda will host the ASARECA Agriculture Ministerial Conference (AAMC) from May 17 – 18, 2023 in Kampala. The conference which will run under the theme “Building Resilient Food Systems to Feed Africa for Generations” will involve Agriculture Ministers from 14 countries 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 Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) is a not-for-profit sub-regional organization of the National Agriculture Research Systems (NARS) of 14 countries 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. ASARECA is mandated to coordinate and convene human, physical, financial, and institutional capital to implement Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) initiatives in Eastern and Central Africa (ECA).

About ASARECA

The Member States and key stakeholders have mandated ASARECA to perform a higher level convening, coordination, facilitative, partnerships brokerage, communication, advocacy and catalytic roleto maximize economies of scale, reduce duplication and misalignment of resources in the sub-region’s AR4D. In this line of duty, ASARECA has over the last 29 years invested resources to facilitate the implementation of coordinated food systems processes leading to food, nutrition and income security and efficient service delivery in the ECA sub-region. In furtherance of the above mandate, ASARECA carries out the following specific roles:

1. Identifying regional research priorities and opportunities through credible, authentic and participatory strategic visioning processes.
2. Commissioning, brokering and managing strategic research partnerships to address identified regional priorities in the most effective, efficient and synergetic ways.
3. Nurturing pathways for on-time delivery, spill-over and scaling-up of regional agricultural research results to deliver agricultural outcomes and impact.
4. Mobilizing, allocating and managing regional AR4D investments to support generation of regional agricultural research public goods and services.
5. Monitoring and evaluating returns on AR4D investment and packaging lessons and best practices to inform decision-making processes and action.
6. Supporting the formulation and harmonization of policies and regulatory frameworks to create enabling environment for agricultural transformation.
7. Enhancing effective management and exchange of agricultural knowledge, information and learning to NARS and other stakeholders to inform AR4D processes and enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Context for convening the ASARECA Agriculture Ministerial Conference (AAMC)

The ECA sub-region, just like the rest of the world, has faced the unprecedented and debilitating impacts of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the Russia-Ukraine crisis on the existing food systems, processes and livelihoods across the globe, which has economic recession with some Sub-Saharan Africa, economies contracting by over 2.8%. The high morbidity associated with the various waves of the pandemic as well as the national and regional-level restrictions have exerted serious implications on food systems, especially agricultural productivity and food and nutrition security in ECA.  This was further exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, which significantly affected the supply chains for cereal grains, fertiliser, and petroleum to Africa. These twin challenges have become a significant threat to ending extreme poverty and eradicating hunger in Africa, and risks wiping out the modest gains registered in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the Malabo Declaration, and Agenda 2063.

The First ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers’ (CPM) Summit of May 2019 placed emphasis on fostering joint action to address transboundary challenges. It is this spirit that the ASARECA Secretariat is convening the AAMC to deliberate on mechanisms for enhancing the momentum in Building Resilient Food Systems to Feed Africa for Generations. The AAMC is expected to generate consensus, actions and commitments to enhance the momentum in facilitating Resilient Food Systems. This concern and call for action fits well within the ASARECA Strategy and Results Framework and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Ex-Pillar IV (CAADP-XP4) initiative, which is funded by the European Union (EU) and managed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the UN Food Systems Summit.

Theme of the AAMC

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

Sub-themes

This theme is supported by carefully selected sub-themes and these include:

1. Partnerships for inclusive and sustainable agricultural transformation
2. Regional Centres of Excellence for delivery of AR4D services
3. Climate Smart Agriculture innovations for enhanced productivity, resilience, and livelihoods
4. Crop, livestock and aquaculture integration for improved income and food security
5. Integrated water, soil and crop productivity innovations
6. Reaching the last mile—Fast-tracking Knowledge Management and digitization for inclusive agriculture and food systems transformation.
7. Connecting smallholder farmers, especially women and youth to markets: Proven models for stimulating demand for agricultural products and make smallholder farmers richer.
8. Regional trade in agricultural inputs and commodities

Overview of 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 programmes; 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 mobilisation 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 organisations; organised extension agencies; and agricultural universities among others. The GA, through its powerful Business Committee brings together interests of stakeholders to hold at the CPM and GA meeting.

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 agricultural transformation initiatives.

Overall Objective

The overall objective of the AAMC is to facilitate the ASARECA CPM and General Assembly to exercise their oversight functions, review of the Associations performance, discuss mechanisms for building resilient food systems, as well as identify concrete joint actions for implementation.

Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the AAMC are to:

1. Identify mechanisms for leveraging resources to support coordinated implementation joint actions towards building resilient food systems in the sub-region.
2. Approve the admission of new Core Members into the Association and undertake other governance functions including electing office bearers.
3. Highlight achievements under the CAADP-XP4 Programme, raise the visibility of the Programme, and harness multi-stakeholder partnerships to respond to the effects of climate change.
4. Strengthen capacities of multi-stakeholder Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) platforms to scale up proven climate smart Technologies Innovations and Management Practices (TIMPs).
5. Engage policy makers and Research Forum Leaders to review the strategies and research programmes of the Association and identify emerging scientific issues and regional AR4D priorities.
6. Engage the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other key stakeholders to strengthen quality control of agricultural inputs and products for cross border trade

Approach

The AAMC will be a physical meeting that will be held in Kampala, Uganda. However, provisions will be made for participants who would like to participate virtually. The AAMC will be conducted through a combination of presentations, plenary and parallel sessions, side events, and exhibitions. Simultaneous translation will be provided for the English and French languages.

Expected output

The AAMC is expected to generate the following outputs:

1. Mechanisms for leveraging resources to support coordinated implementation of joint actions for building resilient food systems in the sub-region identified.
2. New Core Members admitted into the Association, and new office bearers elected into office.
3. Achievements under the CAADP-XP4 Programme highlighted to raise visibility of the Programme crowd multi-stakeholder partnerships for climate change.
4. Capacities of multi-stakeholder Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) platforms to scale up proven climate smart TIMPs strengthened.
5. Policy makers and Research Forum Leaders engaged with the aim of reviewing research programmes of the Association and identify emerging AR4D scientific issues.
6. Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other key stakeholders engaged with the view to strengthen quality control of agricultural inputs and products for cross border trade.

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.
• 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, CIDA, SIDA, World Bank, BMGF, AfDB).
• Ex-Pillar 4 institutions (FARA, AFAAS, CCARDESSA, 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 organisations (NGO’s) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) involved in AR4D.
• Private sector partners, investors and donors.
• The CGIAR Centres.

Compiled by

Solomon Kalema Musisi

Senior Knowledge Management Officer

Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries

Email: solomon.kalema@agriculture.go.ug