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Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa |
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Tuesday 7th of September 2010 |
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About UsWhat Is ASARECA?The Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) is a non-political organization of the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) of ten countries: Burundi, D. R. Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. It aims at increasing the efficiency of agricultural research in the region so as to facilitate economic growth, food security and export competitiveness through productive and sustainable agriculture. History/BackgroundThe background to regional collaboration in agricultural research can be traced to the early 1980s when scientists from the national programmes begun working together. To run these networks, regional steering committees were put in place to consider and approve annual work plans. Membership was drawn from the national coordinators for research, as well as the scientists from the international research centres. With time, these early networks evolved and came to be regarded as one way of achieving economies of scale and facilitating technology spill-overs across national boundaries. It was upon this that the idea of a regional association was initiated and built on. ASARECA was established, following the approval of the "Framework for Action for Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa", by a meeting of stakeholders held in Kampala, Uganda, in November 1993. This stakeholders' meeting was attended by leaders of the NARIs and faculties of agricultural research, as well as representatives of development agencies that are active in agricultural research in the region. The Framework for Action was developed by the Special Programme for African Agricultural Research after extensive consultations with NARI leaders. It had three broad objectives: to improve the relevance, quality and cost-effectiveness of agricultural research; to establish and support regional mechanisms to reinforce and improve research collaboration among the National Agricultural Research Systems; and to improve the delivery of new appropriate information and technology. Given the many commodities and factors which each national system had to handle and the need for increased efficiency and effectiveness in utilizing scarce resources, it was agreed that a regional strategy for agricultural research and research-related training be implemented. So, in September 1994, the Memorandum of Agreement that established ASARECA was signed and in October, that same year, the Executive Secretariat became operational and it is based in Entebbe, Uganda. The directors of the National Agricultural Research Institutes in the ten member countries constitute the Board of Directors,(previously the Committee of Directors) which is the highest governing body. The Board provides policy oversight while the Executive Director implements its decisions under the guidance of the Chairman. MissionPromoting economic growth, fighting poverty, reducing hunger and enhancing resources through regional collective action in agricultural research for development, extension and agricultural training and education. Strategic GoalASARECA's primary goal is to facilitate agricultural research in ECA that will promote agriculture oriented towards markets and income generation. Its secondary goal is to serve as the main forum where strategies and ideas for agricultural research and their relationship to agricultural development in the sub-region are conceived and exchanged. Strategic ObjectiveEnhanced sustainable productivity, value added and competitiveness of the regional agricultural system. Strategies/Planned Results
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ASARECA MailTel: 256 41 4320212 | Fax: 256 41 4321126
Email: asareca @asareca.org