Monday 24 March 2014

Namibia tops the list of the most food insecure population in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Countries in 2013


This information was made known through a presentation to the stream-work of the climate change related discussions at the International Convention Centre, ICC in Durban, KwaZulu Natal in South Africa during the Comprehension for Africa's Agricultural Development Programme Partnership Platform during the 17-22 March 2014.



The platform was an opportuity to review CAADP's last ten years of performance, plan for the next decade and align the process to the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa to accelate the realization of CAADP's Framework outcomes which include increased food production and productivity, access to markets and trade, availability of food and sustainable use of nature resources. At the same time, participants who were mostly high level officials and agricultural scientists, policy makers, investors and farmers had to plan for the climate change adaptation and mitigation alongside the CAADP momentum.


Mr. Masozi Kachale from SADC's' RVAA Programme Management Unit addressing the climate change stream work members at the CAADP PP

According to the Livelihood Information Management Specialist at the Regional Vulnerability Assessment Analysis, RVAA ( SADC),  Masozi Kachale, 11 countries that underwent the assessement, Namibia is the country with most food insecure population as also confirmed in the statistics he shared with the participants. Out of Namibia's about 2.1 million people, over 778 thousand people were categorized to be food insecure, which is more than 37 percent of the total population.  The survey was conducted mainly in rural areas.



During an annual organization meeting, which usually takes place in December, RVAA Programme mandates for the formulation of the national level and regional budgets. It coordinates annual assessment and analysis in member states during April to June, actually starting next month. And it holds the annual disemination forum in July.



Kachale informed the participants that the programme assessed household level food security focusing on food availabilty and access, hazards (prices, droughts and floods) affecting access to different souces of food and income, and monitoring expenditure patterns. It also provides information on early warning, such as the rainfall forcasting and rainfall performance, crop assessment and market assessments and price monitoring. It also monitors regional level crop - with regard to regional food balance sheet, livestock production, regional and prices, population at risk to food security and nutrition trends. It also offers specialised training as part of regional capacity building.



According to Kachale's presentation, SADC established the RVAA Progarmme Management Unit in 2006, The RVAA's mandate is to strengthen national and regional vulnerability analysis systems in order to inform policy formulation, development programmes and emergency interventions that lead to reduction of vulnerabilty in the country. Its objective is to keep abreast and encourage coordinated development in the field of vulnerability and livelihood assessment in the SADC region.

Kachale also shared the RVAA findings on the prevelance of malnutrition among the children of under five years of age in the region including stunting, a sign of chronic food and nutrition insecurity which he said still remained very high.



Factors that contribute to vulnerabilty and food insecure according to Kachale include, poor rainfal patterns, which include delayed on set of planning rains, erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged drought periods which were experience during the past 2-3 years in Namibia, Botswana and some southern part of Zimbabwe.




Other factors include reduced casual labour opportunities and high unemployment, outbreak of livestock diseases such as foot and mouth diseases, high food prices, high prevelence of poverty in the region affecting the population to cope with shocks. And although decreasing, HIV and AIDS prevelence remains high in across the region and the civil strife in the DRC.



The unit has however also provided recommendations as part of the intervention actions - on short, and medium to long term basis.


Short term interventions



Short term interventions continuation



Medium to long term interventions



Short term to long term recommendations continuation



Some of the programme achievements include the establishment of 12 National Vulnerability Centres in 12 member states, development of livelihood maps for 11 member states, baseline assessment done in 9 member states, capacity building strategies being implemented successfully, strengthening or research and innovation in the region by supporting academic institutions, governments, donors and stakeholders making use of the assessment findings to design orogrammes and policy interventions and reduced levels of food insecurity as of result of the availabilty of the information.



RVAA works closely with various tertiary/academic institutions in the region, which include the University of Namibia, UNAM on the GIS and profiling, building spatial data sets. The University of Zimbabwe deals with Climate Change, Harzards VAA: meteorological, disease and pests, fire and wind as well as tsunami. The University of KwaZulu Natal coordinates food and nutrition security and vulnerability, market access and smallholder farming as well as sustainable livelihood options. University of Malawi, Bunda College deals with poverty measurement and VAA, HIV and AIDS, and livelihoods nutrition.Chancellor College works on house hold economy approach and individual household model. The Sokoine University of Agriculture is responsible for the community nutrition assessment. All this information was contained in the powerpoint presentation of Kachale.

Mr. Kachale (in a shirt) speaking to a colleague after his interesitng presentation.

Another expert, from the International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI, Regional Programme leader Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security, CCNFS, Dr James Kinyangi also presented the related situation mainly from the Western and Eastern African part of the continent. I could however not obtain his presentation copy at the time of posting this content.

ILRI, Regional Programme leader Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security, CCNFS, Dr James Kinyangi 

The vulnerability situations in the various parts of Africa were critical to proper planning of improved livelihoods of the continental citizenry - and more so to the alignment of the next ten years of CAADP Framework results.

The author of this post was one of the members of the CAADP PP, and values so much the information shared with the participants and as usual, she loves to share what she learnt with especially her colleagues and friends as well as the general public. Again information is power and can assist anyone in making informaed decision, that's why she makes it her duty to empower the followers of this blog and their connctions. Kindly share this information as wide as possible as it might just help improve an African's situation or any human being on the planet as we are all citizens of the globe, indeed for improved quality of life.

Mr. Kachale and the author of this post, Namibia's Ms Menesia Muinjo after a brief interview short after his presentation.

Compiled by Menesia Muinjo - acknowleding the efforts made by Mr.Masozi Kachale - the author of the pressentation on which she based this post content.


Sunday 23 March 2014

Meet the African Food and Agricultural Policy Platform (AFAPP) establishment planning workshop members consisting of high-level policy experts and economists drawn from a wide range of national, regional and international policy institutions, including universities from the African continent and beyond.

My love for information sharing motivated me to work out this post for my followers and especially those who might not have gotten a chance to receive the AFAPP booklet or information on that subject. We have to continue sharing information thereby empowering one another. I was one of the fortunate few from Namibia who had a chance to be part of the AFAPP event and that also inspired me to elighten fellow Namibians and followers of this blog to learn more about AFAPP. More information on this subject can be obtained from FARA's Director of Policy and Advocacy, Dr Emmanuel Tambi at etambi@fara-africa.org or 233 302772823 in Accra, Ghana.

AFFAP as a continental platform seeks to enhance the effectiveness of evidence-based policy support to increase food productivity and agricultural transformation in Africa. It's vision is to be a lead continental platform of influencing policies that contribute to increased food and agricultural productivity in Africa. AFAPP's mission is to promote evidence-based policies that support food and agricultural productivity and competitiveness in Africa. The mission and vision will be accomplished by supporting the development of a robust economic research policy community in Africa, facilitating the engagement of the economic research community with policy makers over economic issues affecting food and agricultural development in Africa and promoting networking among African economic policy research institutions.

According to the document compiled by FARA on AFAPP'S establishment the platform will accomplish its objectives by catalysing the production of high-quality economic policy  research to deliver  emprical evidence for food and agricultural policy formulation and decision-making, connecting economic policy research institutions, policy makers and the science and development community, and communicating economic policy research results and policy options to decision-makers through workshops, seminars and conferences.

It says the founding of AFAPP within FARA's Advocacy and Policy Networking Support Function, NSF marks a significant milestone in FARA's efforts to deliver policy support to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme CAADP. AFAPP will collaborate with the African Union Commission, AUC's Policy Analysis and Knowledge Support, PAKS Programme to the AUC's PAKS programme, but will also complement  and add valu to the work of the African economic policy research institutions by harnessing their collective knowledge, information and skills to support increased food production and agriulctural transformation in Africa.

This situation is fitting in well with the 2013 Global Food Research Report by IFPRI - chapter five which highlighted the concern of poor quality research experienced in some countries based on the research it carried out in 36 countries which found various factors contributing to that. Some of the reasons included the fact that most researchers were above the age of 50% and retiring, while others included recruitment restrictions and poor conditions of services which resulted in high turn over of agricultural scientists at PhD level mainly. As a result, some countries made use of junior scientists or researchers whose work was yet to be of high standard. Through the AFAPP opportunity, a lot can be done to improve the research policy situation in Africa.

 The African Food and Agricultural Policy Platform, AFAPP, was established by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, FARA in collaboration with the Centre for International Agricultural Policy, CIFAP of the university of Minnesota in USA and a panel of senior policy experts and economists drawn from within and oustide Africa.


The lack of critical mass of PhD-qualified scientists poses significant constraints to conducting high quality research and attracting external funding.

 This is one of the crtical findings of the 2013 Global Food Policy Research.To substantiate this finding, the report referred to the fact that "no researchers with PhD and MSc degrees are active in Gunea-Bissau, for example. And in 2011, the National Agricultural Research Institutes in Burundi and the Gambia employed just one and two PhD level scientists respectively.

You are probably wondering as to how many Agricultural PhD holders in your country are employed or doing research. Indeed, that's how I felt when I came across this interesting piece of reading from one of the documents I collected from the CAADP @10 stock-taking event in Duban, South Africa from 17-21 March 2014.



 This interesting piece of reading wealth is from "Chapter 5 from 2013 Global Food Policy Report, International Food Policy Research Institute, IFPRI". And as someone who loves sharing information with many friends, professionals and general public at large, especially those who did not have a chance to attend the event in Durban or those who might not get an opportunity to obtain the IFPRI report, I decided to work on this post. Information as they say is power and I need to empower fellow world citizens, especially those who need this empowerment.

The title of the reading piece is "increase in researcher quantity but not quality. It is says, Africa, South of the Sahara, SSA needs talented and well trained and highly motivated research staff to generate the high quality research outputs that are necessary to accelerate growth in the agricultural sector. It referred to the fact that during 2000-2011 research capacity increased by roughly 50% to an estimated 14 300 agricultural researchers in full time equivalents (FTEs). It says the participation of women scientists has increased in so many countries, the number of researchers with Doctorates (PhDs) and Masters of Science (MSc) degrees has also risen considerably in absolue numbers though average research qualifications varied across countries. The chapter confirmed that PhD holders in only five of 36 countries for which a complete set of degree level data was available (Botswana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Madagascar adn Senegal) exceeded 40% of the total number of researchers, whereas another 6 countries reported PhD shares of 10% or lower


Based on the findings that some smaller countries, Gunea Bissau for instance did not employ a PhD holder during the research or that Burundi and the Gambia only employed up to two PhD holders at the Agricutural Institutions, these findings highlight the necessity of the regional initiatives focussing on the needs and vulnerabilities of these countries and those facing the same situation but might not have undergone the same research that time.


This issue was among the key points that CAAP Partnership Platform in Duban emphasized and made a deliberate call to african leaders and the private sectors in various countries to invest in the science - innovation and technology - and not to allow the Science for Agriculture in Africa to be outsourced to international partners.



Another key point raised in the IFFRI report is the fact that long term public sectors recruitment restrictions have resulted in ageing pool of researchers in a number of countries. This trend has reportedly left many agencies in these countries highly vulenerable. As many senior staff approach retirement, mid-level researchers who can take on seniority roles and mentor the next generation of junior scientists are often lacking. In additional, low salary levels, poor conditions of service and subpar facilities have led to high staff turnover in some countries although evidence on the exact nature and scope of the turnover is sketchy.



But, to help address this information, the IFPRI report cited ASTI's collected detailed information on the age distribution of researchers by degree for 36 countries. And in 17 countries, then half of the researchers holding PhD degrees were older than 50, where as in 9 countries, the share of PhD holders older than 50 was higher than 70%. This situation is particularly worse in West Africa. This situation particularly highlights the needs to recruit and train the next generation of scientists.

When the author of this post read about this development, she thought about Namibia's Founding Father, Dr Sam Nujoma who has been advocating for young Namibians to study science - and he even use to mention the various fields that the young ones need to enrol for. At the same time, I also thought about Dr Nujoma's word that history must be told and documented so the young generation benefit from it - I was then thinking that aging scientists too need to share their knowledge with the young ones and prepare the upcoming scientists as part of succession planning for the various countries. This situation is however not only prevelent to the science community, it cuts accross the board, even to parastatals where training and development has been dormant over the years, signaling the death of new knowledge development at the institutional level as only individuals who attempt to get out of this situation manage to improve their skills and competencies at their own peril. Just look at the Namibia's situation according to the IFRI report. The share of PhD holders in total number of research % is 13.And the share of PhD holders older than 50 is 61%, the same as that of DRC. What does this tell Namibians, especially in the Science sector focusing on agriculture? The youth must also take up this matter serious as much as the seniors - because it is teamwork.



The good thing however is that fact that the drivers of the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa as the author of this post heard them clearly in Accra last year and in Durban this year are very clear about including young people and women in this process so that they can get a buy -in and subsequently for them to own the process.

Coming back to the IFPRI report, it mentioned that given the high staff turnover, large numbers of retiring reseearchers and various recruitment restrictions, the radio R and D capacity growth over the past decade ahs largely been driven by the recruitment of junior researches, often only having a bachelor's degree, BSc particuarly during 2000-2008.

Do you know your country's total Agricultural PhD % holders and do you know their age category especially in view of succession planning - or next generation PhD holders' preparation? Have you infact thought about this situation that IFPRI has just outlined? I am sure as a compatriot and caring citizen of your country - you should be concerned for the future especially of science and agricultural development as many of the inhabitants of the world depend on this economy.

However all is not as doom and bleak despite what you just read now because according to the same report, there have also been many positive developments in various countries to address the matter. In an attempt to for instance half the staff turnover some countries have put up new measures including large scale recruitment after years of neglect, the boosting of scientists and support salaries to more competitive levels, increases in retirement age, improved benefit packages and the establishment of performance appraisal systems and promotion opportunities based on merit rather than seniority. And the list of positive developments continues.

The report is packed with interest and must-read information - and I am recommending that you google it and get the full insight package as I was basically teasing you and creating your appetite in this area which directly affect all of us.


IFPRI's flagship report examines the major food policy issues, developments and decisions of 2013. It puts into perspective the year's food policy successes and setbacks and suggests how to advance policies that will improve the food situation for poor people in developing countries. For more information on the 2013 Global Food Policy Report, go to http://www.ifpri.org/gfpr/2013

Saturday 22 March 2014

Dr Irene-Annor Frempong - deserves to be the Ambassador for the Science Agenda For Agriculture in Africa (S3A).

As a follower of this blog, you are probably wondering as to who is Madam Irene-Annor Frempong and why am I saying she is the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa Ambassador?

You are probably wondering as to who I am to declare her the Science Agenda and what qualifies her to be the choice for this distinct honour. Yes, indeed I have no authority and neither any power to do so, but I am just using my own thoughts and hope, that if I had that chance, I will definitely do so. I am also advancing this idea to have Madam Frempong as the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa as its BRAND because of her vision for Africa in this regard. Yes, I know that she will say the agenda was not formulated by an individual and she has infact already acknowledge all those who worked tirelessly to bring the project at the level where it is today - under the umbrella of FARA. But still, I have seen the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa Ambassadorship in her.

FARA's Dr Irene-Annor Frempong. Photo taken from FARA's website.


Well, apart from the fact that she is senior FARA official and a scientist as well as one of the strong women Africa has to offer, I do not know Madam Frempong personaly and neither did I had quality time to discuss this matter with her, but having been a meber of the  Forum For Agricultural Research in Africa, FARA's Community Network Practice on this subject, I have listened to her and saw her passionately articulating the Science Agenda For Agriculture in Africa.

Her Science Agenda For Agriculture in Africa resilience and commitment as well as CONVICTION registered more in my mind during the CAADP Partners Platform - particularly at the streaming work on this subject when she explained why this agenda will transform agriculture on the continent.

During her powerpoint presentation which summarized FARA prepared 73 pages Science For Agriculture in Africa document to the participants of the side event of this agenda, Madam Frempong outlined the various processes that led to the formulation of the agenda. She said a 12 member eminent experts who were selected in their individual capacity and not necessarily institutions were the drivers of the processes with four of them assigned to actual formulation of some aspects of the agenda. Referring to what is known as the Accra Consuses of the Science Agenda - since this project was heavily deliberated on in Accra, Ghana in 2013, Madam Frempong outlined the objectives of the agenda and how it would be aligned to CAADP's framework to realize the envisaged results. There were various dialogues and consultations among experts, regional economic groupings, national chapters with specific emphasis on farmers who are the end users of the research that is carried out to improve farming trends and other stakeholders including partners/investors.

Dr Irene Annor Frempong addressing participants of the Science Agenda For Agriculture in Africa streaming work side event.

Participants were requested to give their input in special guided topics as part of further consultations of the agenda that was being prepared for the next stage of the Joint AU  Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries in April 2014. The final stage - for the purpose of this agenda will be at the AU Summit - for the debate on theme in June/July in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

Some of Group 4 members

Each group consisted of a Facilitator and a Rappoteur. For some reason, Madam Frempong and I ended up in the same group of that discussed the sharing of resources, facilities, personal, knowledge and information at regional level and how that would benefit the science agenda in achieving the set goals. She was the facilitator. Madam Bongiwe Ndjobi, another extra ordinary senior official was the Rappoteur. The team was so enthusiastic, I believe the zeal of Madam Frempong and passion as well as the energy when talking about the science agenda engulfed the team.

Madam Bongiwe Njobe, (wearing a black jacket) Group4 Rappoteur 


After various groups worked on their input as per the sub-themes - the stakeholders were asked - throgh their Rappoteurs to share their points with the rest of the bigger group. The outcome was so marvelous - and the drive was amazing as each table wanted to voice its agreed upon recommendations. As if that was not enough, each group was asked to put the overall recommendations in a sentence or two which must be said in less than a minute. All the teams were so excited to do - and group four led by Madam Frempong was extra charged with positive energy of excitement and managed to put across its overall statemnt in less than 30 seconds or 28 seconds to be exact. The idea to cut down on the wording of the recommendations was to prepare the Science Agenda team to find the way to sell the idea to the Ministers and mainly the Head of State to get a buy in - but such a message must be in a language that is easily understood but with realistic impact and hope on the agricultural transformation in Africa.

Dr Irene- Annor Frempong - Group 4 Facilitor in a blue dress. The author of this post, Ms Menesia Muinjo is next to her.

Some of the displayed Science Agenda text in Hall 4A
As explained by Madam Frempong as also as highlighted in the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa green document (2014) on page 11 the S3A is defined as referring to the science, technology, enstension, innovations, policy and social learning Africa needs to apply in order to meet its evolving agricultural development goals. The agenda identifies the key strategic issues that will impact on science and agriculture and presents a suite of high level actions/options for increasing and deepening the contributions of science to the development of agriculture at the local, national, regional and continental levels in Africa. Its purpose is fundamentally about the strategic investments in science, technology and innovation that are needed to contributed effectively to productivity, equitable development and sustainable productive environments. The principal focused on target populations, themes and production environments.

Some of Group 4 members

The theme for the agenda is "Transforming Africa's Agriculture for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods, through harnessing opportunities for incluvise growth and sustainable development. The sub-themes include increased agriculture production, productivity and value addition, functioning agricultural markets at country and regional markets and trade, increased investment fianncing, public and private along the agriculture value chains, towards ending hunger in Africa by 2025 and building resilience and managing risks.
Dr Frempoing and some of her Group 4 members


All these points came out so clearly as Madam Frempong shared them with the participants. Previous participants referred to her as the person who kept on reminding fellow scientists that there was no country to successfully tranformed the agricultural development without applying science. On the other hand, there was a quote that was used now and then both verbally and in the FARA documents and branding that Africa's Agricultural Science was too important to be outsourced to partners, and that african leaders and investors needed to rather invest in this noble efforts and manage this project in-continent.

The pillar thought on which Africa's Science mut be based.

That's why I am saying without having been with Madam Frempong outside FARA platforms, something in me rang a bell that she indeed was the "brand of Africa's Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa". When you see Madam Frempong, you see the Agricultural transformation in Africa - her passion and conviction is so obvious and the influence she continues to impart on many including non-scientists like the author of this post.

Once again, I do not know Madam Frempong personally and neither has she promised me anything or I am not intending to get any favour from her - but once you see and hear her articulating the science agenda, you will definitely get a cue as to why I took this line. You will not need the whole day to get what I am adovacting for - as her commitment for science and agriculture and improved production and farmers' livelihoods is sponteneous.

Add caption

For the information of those following this post, I googled Madam Frempong's professional and academic background and came across this information on FARA's website, that state that Dr Irene Annor-Frempoing is the Director of NSF4, responsible for developing and implementing FARA’s capacity strengthening strategy. A Ghanaian by birth, Dr Annor-Frempong holds a PhD from the University of Bristol, UK, and an MSc in Animal Production Science from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. She worked as a graduate research assistant at the Reckenholz Research Station in Zurich, Switzerland, and as a lecturer at the College of Education, Benue State, Nigeria. In 1988, she joined the Meat Quality Group at the Animal Research Institute in Zeist, the Netherlands. In 1989, she was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast and was later promoted to senior lecturer. In 2004, as head of the Department of Animal Science in 2004, she pioneered development-oriented curricula and facilitated the new post-graduate program in Livestock Systems Management. She developed the first prototype of the local-closed meat kiln in Ghana in collaboration with Food Research Institute. In 2005, she joined the National University of Lesotho as a senior lecturer and was also tasked with coordinating training of research supervisors in the use of the Genstat statistical package. She has supervised numerous undergraduate and postgraduate research work. Dr Frempong is a Technical Committee member of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) and a member of a number of professional bodies. She has authored several refereed papers. After joining FARA in 2008, Dr Annor-Frempong oversaw the development and implementation of Strengthening the Capacity of Agricultural Research and Development for Africa (SCARDA).

You get more information from www.fara-africa.org









NAMIBIA and three other countries boast the best Agricultural Technical Vocational Education and Training ATVET in Africa.

Namibia, Benin, Ethiopia and Sira Leone, were singled out as the countries with the best Agriculatural Technical Vocational Education and Training, ATVET in Africa. The occassion was the historic progress review of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, CAADP @ 10 in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, KZN, South Africa.

New Partnership for Africa's Development Programme, NEPAD's Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training  ATVET, Advisor, Abraham Sarfo who shared the said countries best lessons through a powerpoint address to CAADP@10's Roundtable Community of Practice organized by the Forum For Agricultural Research in Africa, FARA at the Hilton Hotel said there was a lot to learn from the four countries.
Mr. Abraham Sarfo, NEPAD's ATVET ADvisor presenting the best lessons to the participants at the Hilton Hotel.


Mr. Abraham Sarfo doing the presentation on ATVET
According to the document which was shared with the participants at the roundtable and which Sarfo also highlighted, titled "Review of Agriculatural Technical Vocational Education and Training, ATVET in Africa 2013, best practices from Benin, Ethiopia, Namibia and Sierra Leone, the best practice often focuses on the ability of a method or practice to consistently show superior resuts. It says the best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means and that is used as a benchmark. Best practice should also be about using approaches thatt not only deliver superior results but also consider sustainability and ongoing development of the approach. This, according to the document must include, consideration of stakeholders - with a win-win outcome, deliver best results, minimize resources and maximize results.

Participants listening attentively to the presentation

Referring to the Namibian case study as a best practice, the scientists, policy makers,  and other experts Network were informed that although ATVET is only in an early stage of development, government is supportive of ATVET and has ambitions to develop a competence based ATVET system based on the comprehensive and flexible Namibian Qualifications Framwork, NQF, implemented by both the Namibian Training Authority, NTA and the Namibian Qualifications Authority, NQA. The best practices document also confirms that a key area of Namibia Development Plan 4 or NDP4 for 2012-2013-2016-2017 is to increase the percentage of candidates that meet the entry requirements for ATVET. Improving the availability of secondary education teaching and learning resources is a crucial factor. Key areas of skills shortages will be identified and targeted for development over the next five years with specific strategies that will also include the increase of provisions for opportunties for TVET. Opportunities and challenging in implementing ATVET programmes are very are very balanced the document stated. It says, GIZ/NPCA programme could start an inititiative that by supporting NPCA in stalling CAADP structures in-country to pave the way for future ATVET cooperation.

Some of the FARA leadership taht organized the CAAP@10 Roundtable Revieew

The information shared with the FARA Community of Practice at the meeting in Durban which took place from 17-21st March 2014 -including the CAADP@10 review learnt that a formal CAAP Working Group was only established in June 2010 but Namibia has not yet met its obligations arising from the CAADP Compact. Although education is deemed to be the key to realizing the Vision 2030, Namibia's Education Sector received the highest  single allocation of 23.6% of the total expenditure in the 2012/14 national budget. But ATVET is only in the early stage of development. However despite this situation, Namibia has in a way already made strides and forms part of the good practices in the area of vocational training, eventhough this particular field is yet to be fully developed.

A page highlighing some of the success factors in Namibia's ATVET Programme

Overall, the best practices Namibia boasts include the inclusion of ATVETin Namibia's Development Plan 4, NDP4, which considers local food production critical to the country's efforts to become self-sufficient and food secure. ATVET is acknowledged as the single most important aspect of human resource development and a critical success factor for economic advancement and increased equality. The focus of agriculture in NDP4 include a large scale development of agri-business and agro-industrial sectors. These two sectors supported by a comprehensive training and education programme are seen as vital determining pathways to agricure-led economic transformation in Namibia. The other best lesson Namibia can share with the rest of the vocational training institutions in Africa include the establishing of vocational training centres. Namibia has five major centres providing non-formal farmer ATVET. The country has also mainstreamed youth in agricultural training at the Mashare Irrigation Training Centre in the Kavango Region, north east of Namibia which started operations in 2008 - and is reported to be providing intensive training in practical and theoretical aspects of irrigated farming. Namibia has also 17 irrigation centres and places great emphasis on the success of the Green Scheme which was born out of the drive to expand irrigation by by investing in irrgation infrastructure. Through irrigation development, the government aims to bring the private sector to remote and under developed areas, thereby building local capacity in terms of production, marketing management and general development.

The document also refers to the Farmers Support Project- initiated and supported by the implementing agent - Agricultural Banks of Namibia of which 54% is funded by the Federal Republic of Germany while th4 46% is from Agribank. It says the Emerging Commercial Farmers' Support Programme, ECF -SP 2007-2009 was the predecessors of the Farmers' Support Project, FSP, an EU-fundedthrough the 9th EDF and implemented by the Joint Presidency Committee south of the Veterinarian Cordon Fence.

One of the pages highlighting Namibia's successs story

The FSP, implemented by GIZ, was initiated in 2010 and is in operation till 2014. It covers Namibia as a whole and besides newly emerging farmers, it also incorporates communal farmers. Major project activities include mentoring, rangeland management, exerusions, information days, topic related short courses, recording keeping and pre-and post settlemtn support courses. The document also refers to some challenges such as the fact that many farmers do not have sufficient knowledge in agriculture, no sufficient assets, reluctancy to participat ein record keeping and absence of landlords, access to farms, especially in rainy seasons is diffult and huge distance between farmers.

A page from the ATVET document on the four countries with best programmes
It is the author of this post's believe that there are infact a number of programmes that could be addressing these challenges that might not all have been highlighted in the best lessons' package - such as the Millenium Challenge Account - in conjuction with government's efforts to improve farming in rural arears.. the radio programmes that MCA and Meat Corporation of Namibia are sponsorshing on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation Airwaves dedicated to address the farmers' challenges which have call in opportunities which allow farmers to get their responses on any issue in real time. There are tailor made programmes which focuses on the auctions and auction dates - which are part of access to markets to farmers as Meatco visits various farmers to buy livestock from them - and indicate in advance a cost of particular animal will be - and farmers can also buy livestock at the same time.

Four countries highlighted for their best ATVET lessons


This post has not highlighted the best lessons from Benin, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone, but these have also been articulated and followers of this blog can access this NEPAD printed document www.nepad.org. The author would also liketo acknowledge  the authors of the document - AFC Consultants International GmbH who include Dr Friedrich Schulleri (Teamlader, Germany), Dr Theophile Djedjebi, Benin, Dr Ayele Abebe, Ethiopia and Michael Weder from Namibia as well as Victoria Williams from Sierra Leone as I made use of their information by sharing this with this blog followers.

Namibia among the best ATVET performers in Africxa

I like to share information as information is power, that's why I made it a point to write this post as I had the opportunity to be part of the FARA Community of Practice and CAADP Network team that met in Durban this week.

This author of this post, Ms Menesia Muinjo who formed part of the CAADP@10 Review Network







Wednesday 19 March 2014

DURBAN THE PERFECT SETTING FOR THE CAADP @ 10 JOURNEY ASSESSEMENT

Durban, a city of over three milllion inhabitants  far more than Namibia's total population of 2.1 boasts a number of conference facilities, with its International Convention Center standing out as the major appropriate meeting for almost any type of gathering. The city shows of modern and first class accommodation establishments, many along its beaches, and first world type of shopping infrustracture and wealth of tourism. These factors make up a package to attract almost all key world events of any nature and no wonder the city scores countless goals when it comes to bidding as the perfect setting for any gathering.
A view from the 9th floor of one of the accomodation establishments in Durban

In 2002, the African Union Constitutive Act which saw the birth of the AU from the then Organization of Afrian Unity, OAU was launched in Durban SA. This was one of the milestones in the history of the Continental body which attracted Heads of State and Government together with their interntional partners.
In 2011, it hosted the World Conference of Parties meeting, or COP elevent which attracted major players on issues related to environment and climate change.

One of the key accommodation establishments near the International Convention Centre, ICC

This week, the KZN city is hosting one of the key events in the history of Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, FAR which is a technical arm of the AU Commission of rural economy and agricultural Development and the lead Agency of the New Partnership for  Africa's Development NEPAD to implement the fourth pillar of the comprehensive Africa Agriculature Development Programme, CAADP, involving agriculatural research, technology disemination and uptake. FARA has flown in experts in agricultura research to assess CAADP's 10 year journey to determine the success stories and the areas that need renewal as well as chart the way forward for the next decade.

The author of this post infront of the International Convention Centre where CAAP PP is taking place

And the various accommodation establishments and even key venue managers know how to make their guests feel at home by giving them the unique hospitality experience. The author of this post can testify to that because on Monday, 17th March 2014, was was suprised by the accommodation establishment restaurant staff with a "happy birthday song - plus a gift in the form of a cake which is the perfect token for such days. Again such gestures just add to the visting experience package and entices one to call again, not only for historic meetings, but also in one's private capacity.
A suprise gesture in the form of a birth day well wishing - song and cake to one of the visitors at the accommodation establishments, just making the visiting experience memorable.


Back to the continental historic event, history continues to unfold especially for the author of this post as she attended the launch of the AU as a reporter  covering it for the Namibian national television and radio audiences then. Today, she is forming part of FARA's community of Practice on Agriculatural Research and Development that is taking stock of what was achieved during the past ten years and what must be planned for the future.

She was also part of the launch of CAADP in Maputo Mozambique in 2003 and reported on the heads of state and government's decision to allocate 10% of the national budgets to agriculture. Again, today, she is part of the team that is looking at the progress made in view of that decision and aligning the future CAADP framework - with the recently crafted Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa.

She attended the Science Week in Accra, Ghana in 2013 which today is dubbed as the Accra Consuses which formed part of the foundation of what is being discussed during the CAADP PP....

Therefore the authors return to Durban brings to mind so many thoughts and awakens a number of historic continental and global memories that forms the package of Africa's development, mainly the Agricularal Research part.

So, next time you hear the City of Durban, you are likely to hear the history unfolding in terms of events that could be lined up for your attention. 

FARA LAUNCHES AN INTEGRATED RESEARCH FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROOF OF CONCEPT

As part of the CAAP Partnership Platform or CAADP PP which took place from 17-18 March 2014 in Durban, South Africa, FARA launched the Integrated Agriculture Research four Development, or IAR4D proof of concept in the form of a booklet.


The proof of concept IAR4D booklet which was launched in Durban, SA on 18th March 2014

The proof of concept is an innovative approach developed by FARA to enhance the impact of research. It is designed to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional agricultural research and development approaches. One of FARA's Scientists that authorized the proof of concept document, Professor Wale Adekunle who is the Director of Partnership, DPA in a brief face to face interview with him at the International Convention Centrer in Durban, SA said the book was meant to change the way research was conducted. He said, previously, researchers in the form of a consult will do the research and given the findings to an extension officer who will then take up the outcome with the end users who were not involved in the research process. But, with the proof of concept, the research process demands the inclusion of the the farmers/ensurers/consumers from the word go as they are the ones who know the research needs better.

One of FARA's Directors and Co-author of the IAR4D proof of concept, Prof Wale Adekunle holding the booklet

In the acknowledgement Chapter of the proof of concept, it is stated that the IAR4D forms the basis for Sub-Saharan Africa's Challenge Programme, SSA CP limted geographically to a particular region of the world. It says the focus of the SSA CP is to facilitate substantially great impact from agriculatural research for development ARD leading to improved rural livelihood, increased food security and sustainable natural resources management throughout Sub-Sahara Africa.

FARA's Prof Wale Adekunle, Co-Auhtor of the proof of concept

The booklet was launched on Tuesday evening (18th March 2014) by Dr Jean Ping, the former AU Commission Chairperson who is now the Chairman of FARA's  recently constituted High Level Advocacy Panel. CAADP PP participants who attended the launch hosted together with the cocktail for the guests were given the copies of the book and could them signed by some of the authors that were presents and Dr Ping.The booklet details the full concept and how it can benefit the targeted groups - the end users of the research. The booklet will contribute to the much needed data and mehodologies on the integrated agricultural research for development on the continent.

FARA's Prof Wale Adekunle signing the proof of concept copy for Namibia' Broadcasting Corporation's Menesia Muinjo after she briefly interviewed him on why it was necessary to write the booklet.

FARA stands for Forum of Agricultural Research in Africa. It is a technical arm of the African Union Commission, AUC on rural economy and agricultura development and the lead agency of the  AU's New Partnership for Africa's Development, NEPAD to implemnt th fourth pillar of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme CAADP, involving agricultural research, technology and uptake.


 FARA's vision is to reduce povrty in Africa as a result of sustainable broad-based agricultural growth and improved livelihoods, particulary of smallholder and passtoral enterprises. Its mission is to create broad-based improvements in agricultural productivity, competittiveness and markets by supporting Africa's sub-regional organizations, SRO's in strengthening capacity for agricultural innovations.