ANNUAL REPORT

The year 2008 was a successful year in terms of consolidating the positive changes being made in ASARECA towards realizing the vision of making ASARECA a "regional leader in agricultural research and development for improved livelihoods in eastern and central Africa."

The governance structure of ASARECA was changed to expand the Board of Directors and include members representing various stakeholders; work on the Constitution and Governance Manual progressed well; and changes in the management of research for development were also complete. All the seven programme managers were recruited but three of them would report early in the following year.

Various new organs became functional, and in 2009, these will be further consolidated to enhance effi ciency and eff ectiveness. The ASARECA Mission is " to enhance regional collective action in agricultural research for development, extension, training and education to promote economic growth, fi ght poverty, eradicate hunger and enhance sustainable use of natural resources in eastern and central Africa." This mission refl ects the organisation's commitment to help confront some of the root causes of chronic hunger and poverty in the eastern and central African (ECA) region. ASARECA views improved delivery and impact of scientifi c knowledge, policy options and technologies as powerful instruments to drive the sub-region towards meeting the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) agenda of New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The ten ASARECA member countries have invested and continue to invest in agricultural research, extension and training. While ASARECA mobilises operational finances, the partner National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) provide the infrastructure, human re-sources and even funding to support sustainable implementation of the programme activities that address problems of regional significance. This contribution is much appreciated by ASARECA. Likewise, the support given to ASARECA by the Development Partners adds value to ongoing agricultural development efforts in the subregion, thereby contributing to the realisation of the CAADP objectives. ASARECA continues to receive indispensable financial and technical support from the Development Partners through both the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) and in their individual capacities.

ASARECA would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank all its stakeholders for their continued support in helping the people of the ten countries pursue their dream to realise sustainable economic growth and improved livelihoods.
It is our great pleasure to present the ASARECA Annual Report for 2008 and look forward
to an even higher level of performance as we complete and consolidate the change process
in ASARECA in 2009.

Foreword by Dr. Seyfu Ketema, Executive Director, ASARECA

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1 Comments.

siminzile, joseph commented on 18th December 2009

agricultural research is of paramount important in the development of third world countriies. lets support many organs that lift up agricultire in many ways as research. and the publication or research results must be brought back to farrmers