Uganda set to host key agriculture ministerial conference
ASARECA is a sub-regional Intergovernmental Organization of the National Agricultural Research Systems of 14 member countries.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF), in conjunction with the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), and the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) are organizing the ASARECA Agriculture Ministerial Conference (AAMC) in Uganda.
The conference which is the first of its kind in Uganda will enable the Council of Patron Ministers, the General Assembly, the Board of Directors, and the Secretariat to discuss pertinent issues that affect the local farmers.
Fredrick Bwino Kyakulaga, the Kigulu North Member of Parliament, who also doubles as the State Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, stated that some of the issues include ensuring the flow of knowledge and information to farmers to enhance the adoption of innovations that increase agricultural productivity and commercialization.
He said ASARECA, which brings together researchers from 14 member countries to share and promote knowledge and innovations to solve common challenges facing agriculture, has since invested $17.2 million to catalyze agricultural transformation in Uganda.
“The organization has registered achievements in Uganda such as establishing cassava and potato standards for East African Community states hereby promoting value addition and regional trade in quality cassava products.
“Controlling Banana Xanthomonas Wilt in Uganda by promoting proven and cost-effective measures against the disease that threatened to wipe out the banana crop in the districts of Bushenyi, Ntungamo and Mbarara,” he explained.
Kyakulaga added that they have been promoting quality protein maize in Lira and Gulu districts to address acute malnutrition following the Lord’s Resistance Army war, and in addition supporting scientists to fight Cassava Brown Streak Disease that damaged the cassava crop, causing losses to our farmers.
Other Achievements of ASARECA:
- Fighting the striga weed through research efforts leading to the release of four lines of striga-resistant sorghum varieties with mechanical barriers to striga in Sudan, which were also shared with Uganda.
- Coordinating the formation of the Cassava Centre of Excellence at NaCRRI in Uganda.
- Coordinating the generation of research solutions to transboundary diseases like Maize Lethal Necrosis Virus and Fall Army Warm.
To ensure that ASARECA delivers its mandate to member countries, Kyakulaga said governments and interested stakeholders ensured that it is governed through four Constitutional Organs namely: The Council of Patron Ministers, the General Assembly, the Board of Directors, and the Secretariat.
Meanwhile, Enock Warinda, the Executive Director of ASARECA noted that over 300 delegates are expected to participate in the conference, many of whom come from member states.
Member states include Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
He said out of the 300 delegates, 10 of them are ministers, directors and also a platform will be put in place for farmers.
“There will be a lot of exchange and this will be like from tomorrow and it will culminate on Friday when the farmers will be exhibiting all that they have been doing, and one of the huge numbers of them is from Uganda,” he said.
ASARECA is a sub-regional Intergovernmental Organization of the National Agricultural Research Systems of 14 member countries.
It is in these member countries that ASARECA work is implemented. Ideally, this is premised on prior identified priorities agreed upon by ASARECA and the member National Agricultural Research System (NARS).
