Future Agricultures Consortium

Future Agricultures members were at the 8th CAADP Partnership Platform meeting in Nairobi, 3-4 May 2012.

We have published three new Policy Briefs on pastoralism and technology transfer:

• Pastoralism in the Horn of Africa: diverse livelihood pathways
• From technology transfer to innovation systems: sustaining a Green Revolution in Africa
• High and volatile food prices: Supporting farmers and consumers

Two of these briefings are also available in French:

• L’économie pastorale dans la Corne de l’Afrique: Diverses voies de moyens de subsistance
• Du transfert de technologie jusqu’aux systèmes d’innovation: soutenir une révolution verte en Afrique

Amdissa Teshome, on behalf of Future Agricultures, was invited to this workshop by the NEPAD Planning and Coordination Secretariat (NPCS). This is the first time that FAC has been invited without us contacting the AU/NEPAD/CAADP so it is a progress which we must build on. This is a brief reflection on the workshop objectives and proceedings.

Future Agricultures is very much behind the CAADP agenda. We follow up progress towards the Compact and encourage the three partner countries to actively and effectively engage with the programme. We have encouraged the Government of Ethiopia (through MoARD) to accelerate the CAADP process which led to the Compact signing in August 2009.

Future Agricultures is using the Partnership Platform as a mechanism for informing the CAADP process. The Ethiopia team, on behalf of the Consortium, has attended and contributed to 3 CAADP Partnership Platform meetings so far (2nd in Addis Ababa, 3rd in Seychelles, 4th in Pretoria). It has also attended technical meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture and Land in Addis Ababa.

The highlight of our engagement so far is the Ethiopia CAADP Compact signing event in August 2009. This was triggered by the Green Revolution Conference in May 2008. At the invitation of Future Agricultures, Dr. Abera Deresa, the State Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, attended the conference and realised that African countries and prominent individual such as Kofi Annan are committed to CAADP. Upon returning home, he immediately issued a statement that Ethiopia is committed to CAADP and will accelerate the Compact signing process. Within a year of this statement, Ethiopia passed through all the stages and signed the Compact.

Following the 3rd CAADP review and partnership platform meeting, March 2008, four engagement opportunities for Future Agricultures in the CAADP process were identified.

Engagement Opportunity No. 1: Emphasis on farmer organizations is a potential area for Future Agricultures contribution to CAADP in view of the recent scoping study for the Gates Foundation. CAADP also has shown interest to engage the Gates Foundation with a view to expanding its donor base.

Engagement Opportunity No. 2: Align Future Agricultures thematic areas with CAADP pillars to cross fertilize knowledge and experience. This should include hooking www.future-agricultures.org to ReSAKSS website (and vice versa) to share evidence from Future Agricultures work with the CAADP process (and vice versa).

Engagement Opportunity No. 3: Here is a clear opportunity for Future Agricultures to bring the Ministry up to speed and help it facilitate the round table. We have already established good rapport with the Ministry and have developed consultation techniques that the Ministry has appreciated. COMESA has also indicated they need help to move things in Ethiopia!

Engagement Opportunity No 4: Link up the CAADP focal person and Future Agricultures Malawi country coordinators to share experience. Wherever possible invite CAADP focal persons to Future Agricultures meetings/forums.