Overview of FANRPAN

By Lindiwe Majele SibandaLinds@ecoweb.co.zw

Lmsibanda@mweb.co.za

Highlights

1. Background– SADC – FANRPAN Establishment & Objectives

2. Mission

3. Operational Structure– Institutional Framework– Organisational Structure– Research Process

4. Current Work– Current Studies/Programs– Projects’ Timeframe

5. Key Strategies for Capacity Strengthening

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 (ctd)

• 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 SADC’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 YEAR 2001 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

• To coordinatecoordinate, influenceinfluence and facilitatefacilitate policy research, analysis and dialogue at the nationalnational, regionalregional and globalglobal levels in order to develop the food, agriculture and natural resources sector.

• The Mission is achieved through networkingnetworking, capacity buildingcapacity building and informationinformation generation 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 ProcessCountry Issues

Debated at CountryLevel

Regional SynthesisCross-cutting Issues

Coordination ofRegional Research

Dissemination of Outputs

At Country & Regional Levels

Advocacy ThroughSADC 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 • Aim: 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 IITA’s “Improving Rural Livelihoods In Southern Africa Project”

• Funded by USAID RCSA• Objective: Recommendations on designing

policies for unlocking constraints to rural economy diversification

• The project ended in October 2004

Profiling of SADC Farmer Based Organisations

• Objectives1. Strengthen the capacity of FOs in policy analysis and

advocacy

2. Develop a database of FOs (Commodity Associations, Farmer Unions & Cooperatives)

3. Develop communication strategy for SACAU

• FANRPAN collaborates with the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)

Biotechnology Policy Issues For Food Security

• FANRPAN reviewed policies on agricultural biotechnology in 11 SADC countries & produced a regional synthesis paper

• 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 undertaken in collaboration with Michigan State University

• Objectives:1. Improve functioning of grain markets for small scale

households2. Regionally coordinated strategies for promotion of

regional trade3. Capacity building through mentored support of

FANRPAN network economists by MSU

Contract Farming

• Objectives: 1. Exploit the potential of contract farming as an

institution that can assist to commercialise small scale farmers

2. Develop policies & acton plans that can be used to expand the use of contract farming in SADC

• Definition: arrangements linking small-sale farmers to some type of market as a way of supporting them to become successful independent commercial farmers

CTA Communication & Networking

• Centre for Technical Cooperation (CTA)

• Support is for publications, policy dialogue and networking

• 2005 annual regional policy dialogue: a showcase of FANRPAN research outputs, 4 to 8 October, Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg

Agricultural Policy Harmonisation Project

• Funded by USAID

• Objectives: 1. To build a strong network that is better able

to respond to the policy analysis and research needs of SADC

2. To strengthen the capacity of country level policy nodes to conduct policy dialogue sessions

Scope of FANRPAN Capacity Strengthening Project

Governance

• Full board

• 3 Board meetings each year

Regional Secretariat

• Relocate to Pretoria

• Appoint:– Program Officer– Program Assistant

• Establish:– Monitoring & Evaluation System– Information & Knowledge Management

System

National Nodes

• Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola

• Appoint country program assistants• Revitalise membership• Sign MOUs with host institutions• Coordinate FANR policy research & dialogues• Compile membership directories• Strengthen research partnerships: IFPRI, IITA,

MSU, ISU, ICRISAT, CTA

Harmonisation of Regional Policies

• Agricultural inputs regional policy harmonisation in:– Seed trade– Fertilizer trade– HIV & AIDS policies

Angola Country Node

• Set up new node

• Appoint Program Assistant

• Develop policy research programme

Sustainability Plan

• Come up with – HR Plan– Financial Systems

• Annual audits

PROJECTS TIMEFRAME