Monty jones aasw2013 from ouaga to accra

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

Prof. Monty P. Jones

Executive Director, FARA

The Journey from Ouagadougou to Accra:

What we have done

6th Africa Agriculture Science Wee Accra, Ghana 15-20 July 2013

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7/27/2013 2Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

Outline

• Introduction: How we got to Accra

• Progress report on actions taken in response to resolutions of the 5th General Assembly in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

– 13 resolutions

Maputo 2002•Constitution•Executive

Secretary•FARA Strategic

thrusts

Joburg 2007•Strategic Plan

2007-16•MTOP (2008-12)

Accra 2013• SP 2014-18• MTOP 204-18• Science Agenda

Dakar 2003

Refinement of FARA’s strategic thrusts

Ouagadougou 2010

Annual dialogue of Ministers of Agric. and S&T

Entebbe 2005Integration of North Africa

FARA’s Journey to Accra

5th AASW, Ougadougou



5th AASW Theme & Sub themesTheme:African Agricultural Innovation in a Changing Global Environment

Subthemes:

1. Investment in agricultural innovation in the post-financial crisis era

2. Knowledge centres and networks to cope with the challenges of globalization and climate change

3. Resilience of African agricultural trade to domestic and external shocks



1. Investment in agricultural innovation in the post-financial crisis era …1/3

Resolution Achievement Comment

1. Establish platforms to facilitate innovative partnerships with Europe

PAEPARD II implemented

PAEPARD III negotiated

Done

2. Support studies and assessments of trends and impacts of ARD investments

Joint FARA-ASTI workshop in Accra, Dec 2011

Implementation of recommendations on-going

On-going


Resolution Achievement Comment3. Improve access to research, business and market information

• National agricultural information platforms and systems strengthened

• 2 Research-Media dialogues organised

On-going

4. Establish a fund to support coordination of AR&D in Southern Africa

• CCARDESA is now fully functional

• CCARDESA reserve fund established and MDTF is under development

On-going




Resolution Achievement Comment5. Intensify advocacy for more investments in AR&D

• 2 Ministerial dialogues

• Increased awareness of the case of investing in AR&D

On-going



2. Knowledge centres and networks to cope with the challenges of globalization & climate change …

1/3


1. Facilitate integration of agricultural practices, extension, research and policies

• International extension workshop in November 2011

• Integration widened to include business + education (UniBRAIN)

On-going

2. Scale up and out integrated AR4D

Proof-of-IAR4D concept established

Innovation platform concept advocated and increasingly mainstreamed in AR4D

On-going

2. Knowledge centres and networks to cope with the challenges of globalization & climate change …2/3

Resolution Achievement Comment3. Intensify human capital development for ARD

• Capacity development is on top of the AR&D agenda

• Demand-led and across the pyramid

• Institutional arrangements for advancing capacity strengthening

Ongoing

4. Support gender policy audit to improve balanced gender performance

• Strategy for mainstreaming gender in AR&D inclusively developed

• Gender mainstreamed in new FARA SP & MTOP

On-going



2. Knowledge centres and networks to cope with the challenges of globalization & climate change …3/3


5. Support AFAAS to develop its capacity to facilitate agricultural innovations

AFAAS is a fully functional Pan-African organisation

Done



3. Resilience of African agricultural trade to domestic and external shocks …1/2


1. Facilitate strengthening of linkages between stakeholders and networks in agriculture, forestry, bioenergy and food

• Regional dialogue held in Abuja (Oct 2012).

• Actions to advance bioenergy agenda agreed

On-going

2. Integrate actions of CAADP Pillar II and IV in food safety

• Increased attention to issues of food safety alongside nutrition and health

CAADP pillars phased out

3. Resilience of African agricultural trade to domestic and external shocks …2/2


3. Agricultural programs to place more emphasis on:

• Spotting and taking advantage of opportunities

Mind-set change is taking root to embrace balanced analysis of problems + opportunities

On-going

• Engaging the private sector in value chains

Value chain approach now being mainstreamed in AR&D; IAR4D

On-going

• Strengthening capacity for foresight planning

Proposal for African virtual foresight academy promoted for support

On-going



Joint External Review of FARA

1. Combined 2nd EPMR and mid-term review of MTOPFARA has:

– Made many significant achievements in a short time– Has put AR&D firmly on development agenda– Reduced fragmentation among subsectors actors

Challenge: Balancing mandate and stakeholder expectations with funding especially for core and from African sources

Recommendations: Priority areas for the next planning phase.



A reference articulating the science,

technology, extension, innovations and

social learning Africa needs to apply in

order to meet its development goals for

agricultural transformation

The Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa (S3A)



Institutional Arrangements for Developing the S3A

S3A

S3A

CAADP – CGIAR alignment steering committee

Process for developing the Science Agenda

1. Framing and Scoping

2. Developing a Discussion

Paper and an Issues Paper 3. Commissioning

focused studies

4. Deepening the consultation

process

5. Prepare Science Agenda document and submission to

AU process

6. Launch of Science Agenda at July 2014 AU

summit



Concluding Remarks

• Substantial actions initiated to implement resolutions

• Most of the work initiated is on-going

• 5th GA Resolutions were considered when developing the new Strategic Plan & MTOP

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

Thank you for the attention

Technology

Monty jones aasw2013 from ouaga to accra