Our key achievements can be summarised as follows:

• Set up ICT Infrastructure in NARS
  
• Wide stakeholder participation in agricultural information in ASARECA countries
  
• Skills training in ICM/ICT
  
• Initiating a Post Graduate level training in Agricultural Information and Communication Management (AICM)
  
• ASARECA and RAIN Websites set up
  
• Developed a web based contact directory of individuals & institutions to ease communication and to promote interaction
• among the NARS and partners in the ASARECA region
  
• Strategic partnerships and networking at national, regional and global level
  
• Conducted Baseline Studies
  
• Developed an ASARECA Communication and Knowledge Management Strategy
  
• Forming networking/partnerships among key information organizations in the region and globally
  
• Access to global information resources

What We Plan To Do:

• Strengthening capacity and influencing future targeted training
  
• Launching a Post Graduate level training in AICM with Universities
  
• Catalyzing national agricultural information policies and strategies that should lead to regional policies and strategies
  
• Contribute to National ICT Policy
  
• Work with researchers (referring to ASARECA NPPs) to enhance availability of regional public goods
  
• Motivate (encourage, induce) generation of scientific information
  
• Develop information management metadata, protocols and standards
  
• Set up web portals and platforms
  
• Catalyze networking/partnerships among key information professionals and organizations to promote information sharing
• regionally and globally
  
• Market agricultural information products and services to ensure sustainability
  
• Streamline information and communication management processes and set up appropriate support structures for ASARECA
  
• Research to generate methodological innovations for improved dissemination and uptake

We intend in 2007 to produce a full "highlight" of the achievements of the network that will expound on the summary above.

We are also proud to be associated with ensuring that other ASARECA Networks, Programmes and Projects (NPPs) develop their websites by providing them with technical support. We have also been responsible for supporting our national partners; the (National Agricultural Research Institutes) in the ECA to develop their information resources including their websites. We plan to link our website to our national partners to ensure more visibility and also that good standards are maintained. We will strive to ensure that agricultural information resources and activities in the ECA region are more accessible both locally and globally.

I hope that you find our website useful and we do welcome your comments and any other feedback.

Dorothy Mukhebi
Coordinator
January 2007