1. Mr. Martin Eweg Presentation
African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services
Overview of AFAAS and AAS Country Forum
Mr. Martin Eweg
Presentation
Ministry of Agriculture , Madagascar Country Forum Planning Meeting
Madagascar
22 April 2014

2. Outline
NEPAD- CAADP
Challenges in AAS and role of AFAAS
AFAAS – Mission and Vision
How AFAAS strives to achieve its Vision & Mission
Experience
Strategic Plan
Achievements
Country Fora

3. Africa’s Development
“Most African countries cannot significantly reduce poverty, increase per capita incomes, and transform into modern economies without focusing on agricultural development”
(Diao et al The role of development: implications for Sub-Saharan Africa. DSGD Discussion Paper No. 29, IFPRI, Washington).

4. NEPAD- CAADP
NEPAD aims to increase agricultural output by 6% per year by 2015
CAADP is NEPADs framework for agricultural development  
CAADP has set out 4 interdependant pillars to promote interventions that best respond to African Development
Pillar IV: Agricultural research and technology Dissemination and Adoption

5. Challenges Facing Agricultural Advisory Services (AAS) in Africa
Inappropriate funding approaches
Inability to target poverty and gender
Ineffective demand for AAS
Poor Market Orientation
Farmers who are not empowered
Widening scope of AAS
Inappropriate AAS delivery approaches
Unsupportive Policies
Environmental degradation and climate change
Low organisational & Institutional Capacities ?!

6. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
No continent-wide framework for supporting institutional development of AAS
Lack of mechanisms to develop synergies in AAS between countries
Information exchange not adequate
Low capacity of AAS to address current challenges and future opportunities

7. Some Lessons learned
Extension has been influenced by state’s main policies
Public extension has suffered from lack of extension agents at grassroots acting solely on providing or facilitating information / innovation
Public extension in the ministry is viewed by production-oriented departments as a divided extension system in each organization rather than a unified organization
Agriculture and public extension has suffered from financial deficiencies.
Limited linkage of extension, research and other actors of innovation system

8. AFAAS VISION AND MISSION
African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Service
Vision: Agricultural Advisory Services that effectively and efficiently contribute to sustained productivity, profitability and growth of African agriculture for poverty reduction
 Mission: Promote lesson learning and add value to initiatives in agricultural advisory services through sharing of information and increased professional interaction

9. AFAAS strives to achieve its Vision & Mission by
serving as a platform for debate and the exchange of experiences on critical issues affecting AAS;
 commissioning studies on topical issues in AAS;
 formulating a data base on best practices;
 organizing seminars and symposia for the purposes of sharing experiences and lessons;

10. AFAAS strives to achieve its Vision & Mission by;
enhancing professional development and growth of AAS providers;
promoting capacity strengthening;
 influencing policies and programs favorable to agricultural advisory services;
lobbying for and coordinating donor efforts and input into agricultural advisory services

11. Experience (cont): Sustained Demand
Sub-Saharan African Network on Agricultural Advisory Services (SSANAAS),
First networking Symposium and General Assembly
Kampala, 2004 (7 countries)
Second Symposium & General Assembly
Kampala, 2006 (14 countries)
Third Symposium & General Assembly
Accra, 2011 (36 countries)
Strategic Plan
Constitution
African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS)

12. AFAAS Strategic Plan (2011-2016)

13. Achievements 1. Engagement with CAADP
Strategy for AAS engagement in CAADP embedded in the strategic plan for CAADP Pillar IV developed jointly with FARA
Developed capacity of eight AAS experts who shall backstop the CAADP process from an AAS perspective
Guidelines for AAS to engage with country CAADP

14. Achievements (cont:) 2. Information and Knowledge Management
Three Symposia organised;
A website, and a virtual social networking platform;
A conceptual framework for lesson learning developed;
A guide for Piloting Market Oriented AAS;
Study on targeting Women Advisory Service Providers in Capacity Development Programmes;
Study on how issues of Climate Change are being addressed in AAS

15. Achievements (cont:) 3. Country Fora
Guidelines on how to engage with AAS stakeholder in a country to bring about the emergence of CF that are aligned with CAADP.
Country Fora established in seven countries (Benin, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda)
Six countries in the process of developing their own Strategic Plans aligned with that of AFAAS

16. Achievements (cont.) 4. Partnerships
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FARA and AFAAS signed in June 2008
Partnership with CORAF, ASARECA to be established at sub regional level
GFRAS – Advocacy and Inter-continental networking
ICRA – Country Fora
NRI – Climate change
National Systems e.g. NAADS, MoA Malawi; national AAS capacity strengthening

17. AAS AAS Strategic partners …….. Public sector Farmer Organisation
Research Systems and Institutions
Professional Associations
Agricultural Training Institutions
AAS
Financial Services
Agri-business
Social Services
Public sector

18. Who are the Stakeholders in AAS
AAS providers and agencies
Ministries of agriculture (and related ministries)
Farmer organizations and commodity associations
Civil society groups
Private agribusiness firms providing AAS
Agricultural research institutions
Agricultural extension education institutions
End users (farmers, pastoralists, agro-pastoralists and agribusinesses)
Professional associations
Mass media organizations involved in dissemination of agricultural information
Microfinance institutions and banks
Development partners
Policy makers 

19. CF establishment Process
The process of engaging with AAS stakeholders in a country to facilitate the emergence of a CF is expected as follows:
Interest expressed from AAS stakeholders in the country to engage with AFAAS
Sensitisation and awareness raising
Assessment of status of organisational and institutional status of AAS stakeholders

20. CF establishment Process
Identification of existing entity for country forum or setting up a new entity if this does not exist
Facilitation of the process of establishing a country forum
Facilitation of a CF to develop a strategic plan
Validation of the CF strategic plan with national stakeholders
Facilitation of a CF that has a strategic plan to develop an operational plan

21. Suggested –Interim Steering committee
Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Secretary General
Treasurer / Finance Secretary
Publicity and Mobilization
Academia
Ministry of Agriculture – Policy development
Public extension – directorate of extension
Farmer Organisations
NGOS
Private Sector
EX Officio - DPs, etc

22. Elements for successful CF
Constituency
Champions
Knowledge Base
Supportive environment
Institution (Incubator)
Institutions (Brooder)
Independent Organisation

23. Thank you for
Your kind attention

24. For more information contact :
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