1st Announcement of the 2nd Networking Symposium on innovations in Agricultural Advisory Services
Background:During the last two decades, many Sub-Saharan African countries have gone through the process of structural adjustment as well as other policy reviews and changes aimed at increasing performance of national economies and transforming rural livelihoods. As part of efforts to foster and enhance experience and lesson-sharing on agricultural advisory services (AAS) in the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) region, the NAADS Secretariat in Uganda and the Sub-Saharan Africa Network on Agricultural Advisory Services together with other partners are organising a three-day Networking Symposium on Agricultural Advisory Services in Sub-Saharan Africa, to be held 24-27 September 2006 in Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda. The Symposium will bring together 140 participants from 19 African countries implementing innovative approaches and experiences in agricultural extension delivery. The countries include Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The theme for this second symposium will be 'Enhancing innovations in agricultural advisory service provision with special focus on farmer empowerment and market orientaion'
Objectives: The specific objectives of the Symposium will be to (1) identify for promotion best options to enhance scaling-up and out of agricultural innovations and technology diffusion in the SSA region; (2) explore strategies to improve the quality of AAS provision in SSA with special emphasis on farmer empowerment and market orientation; (3) explore options for improving research-extension-farmer-market linkages in SSA; (4) identify modalities to improve contribution of SSANAAS to wider development goals and targets such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP); and (5) enhance buy-in and participation of SSA countries in Sub-Saharan Africa Network on Agricultural Advisory Services
(SSANAAS).
Who should attend: Four participants (by invitation only) will be expected from each country. The four invitees will be drawn from (1) the public sector, (2) civil societies and (3) private sector and should be individuals actively involved in management of AAS delivery. Invitations will be sent through the public sector body mandated to oversee extension in the countries involved. All other parties interested in attending the Symposium should contact Dr. Silim Nahdy by email (ssanaas2004@yahoo.co.uk)
Funding: Due to the limited resources, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) will only support two participants from each country. The other two nominated participants from each country will be requested to cover air ticket expenses to Entebbe International Airport and the LOC will cover local essential expenses (meals, local transport & accommodation). Please note that LOC is unable to offer health or accident insurance to cover the participants during the course of this Symposium.
Papers:Each country will be expected to prepare and present a paper on the country’s experiences with innovative approaches to AAS. The paper should include:
- Title
- Authors (with relevant addresses)
- History of agricultural advisory services (AAS)
- Country specific innovations in the delivery of AAS
- Farmer organisations in AAS
- Mechanisms for funding and delivery of AAS
- Challenges
- Lessons learnt and emerging best practices
Note: For countries that presented in the last symposium, the format should include progress and updates (if any) since the last symposium.
Format: Up to 7 pages, Times New Roman, Font 12, Single Spacing in MS Word.
Power point presentation: a maximum of 10 slides, Times New Roman, Font 24,
Each presenter will be given a maximum of 10 minutes for presentation.
Authors are requested to send their full papers by 30th August 2006 by e-mail to:
ssanaas2004@yahoo.co.uk with a copy to:
ckiisa@naads.or.ug.
The main language of communication at the Symposium will be English but translation services will be available for French. For further information concerning the symposium, please contact:
Dr. Silim Nahdy
National Agricultural Advisory Services Secretariat(NAADS)
Mukwasi House, Plot 39A Lumumba Avenue,
P.O. Box 25235, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: 256 41 345066/345065
