Overview of FANRPAN By Lindiwe Majele Sibanda

Highlights 1.Background –SADC Background –Establishment & Objectives 2.Mission 3.Operational Structure –Institutional Framework –Organisational Structure –Research Process 4.Current Work –Current Studies/Programs –Projects’ Timeframe 5.The Proposal –Rationale and Objectives –Outputs

FANRPAN Background

SADC Background SADC region (200 million people) face food insecurity challenges. Agriculture is the prime driver of economic development across SADC. Agricultural investments by governments have remained low.

SADC Background (ctnd) Agricultural yields for crops and livestock have been level or declining. Food aid and imports have almost doubled in the last 10 years. HIV/AIDS pandemic, natural disasters (droughts, floods) and civil conflicts have compromised region’s efforts to ensure food security.

Establishment & Objectives Against this background, SADC Ministers of Agriculture recommended the formation of FANRPAN in 1994 to: –Promote appropriate agricultural policies in order to reduce poverty –Increase food security and promote sustainable agricultural development

Establishment & Objectives FANRPAN was formed to: –Promote appropriate agricultural policies in order to reduce poverty –Increase food security and promote sustainable agricultural development –Focus on promoting regional trade and exchange of information across member states –Provide a conducive policy and legal framework, including functional input supply and markets for surplus products

Mission

FANRPAN Mission coordinateinfluencefacilitate national regionalglobalTo coordinate, influence and facilitate policy research, analysis and dialogue at the national, regional and global levels in order to develop the food, agriculture and natural resources sector. networking capacity buildinginformationgenerationThe Mission is achieved through networking, capacity building and information generation for the benefit of the SADC region

Operational Structure

Institutional Framework An autonomous stakeholder-driven policy research analysis and implementation network Regional secretariat based in Harare, Zimbabwe Strategically positioned to deal with policy aspects of food security Represented in 11 of the 13 SADC countries through an inter-sectoral platform designated as a country node

Institutional Framework

FANRPAN Structure

FANRPAN Research Process Country Issues Debated at Country Level Regional Synthesis Cross-cutting Issues Coordination of Regional Research Dissemination of Outputs At Country & Regional Levels Advocacy Through SADC Ministers

Current Work

Current Studies/Programs

Impact of HIV & AIDS on Agriculture & Food Security This is part of a five-year EU funded project The 2 year study is aimed at determining the impact of HIV & AIDS on food security and recommend mitigation and coping strategies for adoption by Ministries of Agriculture in the region

Rural Livelihoods Project in Southern Africa FANRPAN implemented the policy module of the International Institute of Agriculture’s “Improving Rural Livelihoods In Southern Africa Project” The objective of the study was to come up with recommendations on designing policies for unlocking constraints to rural economy diversification The project ended in October 2004

Strengthening Capacity of Farmer Based Organisations The objective was to strengthen the capacity of farmer-based organisations in policy analysis and advocacy in order to enhance their role in policy priority setting and communication for decision making in rural development FANRPAN collaborated with the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)

Biodiversity Policy Issues For Food Security FANRPAN commissioned policy papers on agricultural biotechnology policy issues from 11 SADC countries A regional synthesis paper was produced This study is part of a wider debate on the role of biotechnology in agriculture, the subject of genetically modified food and biosafety

Maize Marketing Study This is a 2 year study being undertaken in collaboration with Michigan State University The objective is for policy makers to implement more effective food policies leading to improved food policies leading to improved household security

Contract Farming This is a study to come up with action plans that can be used to expand the use of contract farming as a mechanism for commercialisation of smallholder agriculture in the SADC region The study is being undertaken in phases over a three year period by teams from country nodes in S. Africa, Malawi & Zambia

CTA Communication & Networking The Centre for Technical Cooperation (CTA) supports FANRPAN’s communication and networking activities The support is for publications, policy dialogue and networking

PROJECTS TIMEFRAME

The Proposal

Rationale & Objectives To strengthen the capacity of the regional secretariat To enable FANRPAN to undertake priority regional policy research studies and advocacy on identified issues To strengthen the capacity of country level policy nodes to conduct policy dialogue session

Rationale & Objectives To strengthen linkages with SADC, NEPAD and AU

Outputs Capacity of the Regional Secretariat Strengthened Capacity of the Country Level Nodes Strengthened Priority Regional Policy Studies and Advocacy on Identified

Outputs (Ctnd) Issues that are Common to All Countries Conducted Through a Systematic Regional Framework Priority National Policy Studies and Advocacy on Identified Issues Conducted Systematically Through the Country Nodes