WorldFish opens regional centre in Zambia

A new office of the WorldFish Centre – one of the 15 global research centres supported by the Consultative group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) – was opened in Lusaka, Zambia on 26 September 2007.

A regional programme on “Fisheries and HIV/AIDS in Africa” was also launched in Lusaka on 26 September.

The guest of honour at both functions was Zambia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Albert Mulonga. The Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD, Prof Firmino Mucavele, was represented by the NEPAD Fisheries Advisor, Dr. Sloans Chimatiro.

The HIV/AIDS program is being funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), and the Ambassador of Sweden to Zambia also attended the function.

In his speech, which was read by Dr. Chimatiro, the NEPAD CEO stressed the need for new partnership in science in support of the NEPAD’s agricultural development agenda.

He further acknowledged the threat of HIV/AIDS to the capacity of Africa to achieve the Goals of NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Developmetn Programme (CAADP).

He called on WorldFish Centre to support the fisheries sector in Africa with research and technology development and the enhanced role of fish in nutrition.

Professor Muvavele also thanked the Government of Sweden for its continuous support for CAADP, and reconfirmed NEPAD’s commitment to collaborate with all partners towards the succceful implementation of the HIV/AIDS programme.

The WorldFish Centre office in Zambia will serve as a regional coordination office for the WorldFish programmes in support of NEPAD Fish, COMESA, SADC and the Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA).

The WorldFish Centre, which is an official technical partner to NEPAD, covers research and capacity building in fisheries and aquaculture. Source : NEPAD

NEPAD and Mozambique agree on a joint action plan on fisheries and aquaculture

NEPAD FISH and NEPAD Science and Technology agreed on a joint fisheries and aquaculture with the Ministry of Fisheries in Mozambique. The program aims at deepen awareness and understanding of opportunities and constraints in the context of NEPAD Fish, SANBio and national policy implementation.

At meeting in Maputo Mozambique on 27-28 August 2007 a number of priorities were agreed upon as requiring joint implementation and follow-up.

These included review of on-going NEPAD Science and Technology programmes to encompass marine fisheries and biodiversity and the need to deepen involvement of the Ministry of Fisheries in regional fisheries and aquaculture development programmes.

Mozambique’s University of Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) requested NEPAD to support a project to establish the Rural Planning and Development College which will be situated in Inhambane.

The goal of this college is to provide students with rural development and entrepreneurial skills. It will deliver its materials predominantly in English in line with the SADC guidelines on education reforms.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Fisheries ; the University of Eduardo Mondlane University ; NEPAD Fish, NEPAD Science and Technology, SANBio, the WorldFish Centre and African Wildlife Foundation. Source : NEPAD

Kenya puts pressure on action to implement its Peer Review programme

A two-day national capacity-building workshop, part of the process of enhancing Kenya’s ability to implement its African Peer Review programme of action, was held in Nairobi on 20-22 September 2007.

Organised by the NEPAD Kenya Secretariat in conjunction with the NEPAD Secretariat, the workshop brought together a broad spectrum of stakeholders from state and non-state institutions.

It afforded the stakeholders a unique opportunity to explore Kenya’s capacity landscape and identify strengths, best practices, successes, constraints and challenges, as well as identify appropriate innovative approaches to addressing them.

The workshop was attended by 60 participants from Kenya ministries of government, NEPAD / APRM strategic partners and civil society. Representatives of Ghana, Madagascar and Uganda were present as part of peer learning and experience sharing.

The key outcomes of the workshop included the in-depth analysis of capacity issues as well as exploring modalities to guide capacity development approaches in Kenya, and how to take their implementation forward.

The workshop identified several systemic challenges and gaps which inhibit the effective implementation of the programme of action as well as effective and efficient service delivery.

These systemic challenges are different in nature – some are structural while others are related to behavioural and systems processes. This reflects the broader understanding of capacity.

The workshop concluded that there is a strong need to overhaul and change the way things are done in the public sector to translate the political will into action and success.

One of the key messages was the need to empower individuals so that they take ownership of the problems and are sufficiently encouraged to come up with innovative and result-oriented interventions aimed at ensuring effective and efficient service delivery and, ultimately, successful implementation of the programme of action.

As a way forward, the workshop suggested a number of possible actions which will be developed by a small task group supporting the NEPAD Kenya Secretariat in a new drive towards implementation of the programme. It was also recommended that a new National APRM Governing Council be constituted to continuously evaluate and monitor the implementation process. Source : NEPAD