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FARA's Networking Support Functions

FARA has developed five Networking Support Functions that correspond to the Results that FARA envisions to achieve. These functions inter-relate in the same way as the Results, to satisfy FARA’s Mission to support the SROs in strengthening Africa’s capacity for agricultural innovation.  Each of the Networking Support Functions has appropriate outcome-based indicators in their plans.

Each function will have its own operational plan that reflects its role within FARA’s overall Strategic Plan.  These promote the achievement of CAADP’s goals and objectives in a ways that are consistent with FAAP.  The activities undertaken within these functions will comply with the principles of subsidiarity with decisions and actions being taken at the lowest appropriate level.  Each function’s results complement and add value to the results of the other functions to promote agricultural innovation systems that are efficient and effective.

The five networking support functions deemed necessary and sufficient for FARA to be able to deliver the Results of this Strategic Plan, are:

  1. Advocacy and resource mobilisation – to support the SROs and their national agricultural research systems (NARS) in establishing appropriate institutional and organisational arrangements for regional agricultural research and development
    (including conducive research infrastructure and policy and financial environments) .
  2. Access to knowledge and technologies – to empower researchers and end users by providing them with access to information, learning opportunities, and new technologies. This will be achieved through mechanisms for information
    exchange, mechanisms for the exchange of technology-based innovations both within and between sub-regions, and decision-making tools designed to transform information into knowledge that can be used for innovation.
  3. Regional policies and markets – to promote and facilitate policy analyses and market research. This provides policy makers, particularly at the continental ministerial level, with research-based options. It also provides information that will empower Africa’s delegates in nternational trade and environmental treaty negotiations, and improve broadbased inter- and intra-regional markets.   
  4. Capacity strengthening – to ensure that Africa has the human and institutional capacity in public, private and civil society organisations and institutions for agricultural innovation that is needed to ensure the achievement of improved and broad-based agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets. This is essential for the African Vision of a 6% annual growth in agricultural production to be achieved.
  5. Partnerships and strategic alliances – to catalyse and facilitate the establishment of partnerships that bring together the range of expertise and capacity needed to achieve FARA’s Specific Objective. These partnerships will draw on all FARA stakeholders, African and non-African, depending on the task at hand. They will reate a capacity for agricultural innovation which, linked with the other supporting functions, will improve the efficacy and impact of African agricultural research and development.

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Last updated: June 4, 2007