African Society for Agricultural Research for Development (ASARD)

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

African Society for Agricultural Research for Development

(ASARD)

Emmanuel Tambi

AR4D NETWORK CONSULTATIVE ROUNDTABLE: Pre-CAADP Partnership Platform Event

Durban, South Africa 17-18 March 2014

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3/17/2014 2Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

FARA and ASARDResponse to demand for collection action in AR4D at continental level– Creation of SROs had demonstrated

value of collective action at sub regional level

– Collective action at continental level was especially needed for:

• Advocacy,

• Partnerships

• Information exchange

• Capacity development

– A voice for Africa in global forums on AR4D (e.g. GFAR & CGIAR)

NASRO

ASARECA

CORAF/WECARD

CCARDESA

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Why collective action is important in AR4D

• 27 of the 48 SSA countries have populations under 10 million– makes it difficult to achieve

economies of scale including in S&T

• Heterogeneity of agro-ecologies within countries and sub regions (spreads thin the AR4D capacity of countries)

"There is power in numbers and there is power in unity."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Why the creation of ASARD

• African agriculture needs a continental AR4D professional body to support its transformation

• FARA needs a Professional Society for Agricultural Research for Development in order to:

– Effectively execute its functions and deliver on its mission

– Effectively operationalize the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa

– Effectively deliver knowledge support to the CAADP country and regional processes

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Aim, Functions and Objectives of ASARD

• Aim of ASARD:– Promote AR4D in order to enhance its contribution to the

transformation of African agriculture

• Functions of ASARD:• Promote and Reward Excellence in AR4D

• Promote AR4D Networking Opportunities

• Facilitate AR4D resource sharing

• Promote Exchange of Information & Knowledge

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• Objectives of ASARD:– Umbrella body of constituent regional and national associations

in AR4D

– Professional forum for regular discourse by members of the FARA Forum

– Source of professional identity for African stakeholders and academics in AR4D

– Knowledge and capacity pool to be tapped upon on demand for strategic visioning and foresight

– Facilitate stakeholder cooperation in AR4D to promote and support agriculture

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• Objectives of ASARD:– Provide guidance to countries wishing to form new professional

societies in agriculture where these do not already exist and to help existing societies to improve the services they are providing

– Define and set standards for AR4D professionals and promote high standards of quality through awards and other forms of recognition

– Support individual researchers through membership services, publications and events and integrating stakeholders in AR4D process

– Provide structure and permanency to the triennial African Agriculture Science Week

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• Objectives of ASARD:– Promote scholarly publications on key areas of AR4D and

enhance individual accessibility to publications through membership subscription

– Publish Journal of African Agricultural Research for Development (JAARD) and Agricultural Research in Africa (AGRARIA)

– Develop broad guidelines for research partnerships amongst South-South, North-South and South-South-North engagements

– Raise public awareness on AR4D

– Promote the visibility and importance of investing in AR4D

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Actions needed to establish ASARD

• FARA Secretariat in collaboration with the sub-regional organizations (SROs) and other Forum members will launch ASARD during the FARA@15 celebrations in November 2014

• Process of establishing ASARD is largely consultative and will include:– Determining governing structure of ASARD

– Stakeholder consultation (face-to-face and e-consultations mediated by existing networks with wide stakeholder subscription e.g. FARA-Net)

– Determining target group, call for professionals willing to join ASARD

– Formulation of strategic statements (i.e. vision, mission and value proposition)

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Actions needed to establish ASARD

– Formulation of ASARD’s Charter – rules and guidelines concerning membership, official duties, meetings, parliamentary authority, subscription and other guiding principles

– Instituting Board of Directors for ASARD

– Recruitment of members

– Developing a website and a communication strategy

– Launching of ASARD and the first editions of JAARD and

AGRARIA journals during the FARA@15 celebrations in November 2014

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

Thank you for the attention

www.fara-africa.org

http://www.fara-africa.org/

Education

African Society for Agricultural Research for Development (ASARD)