The COMESA Regional Engagement on Post - harvest Losses Management was organized by the FAO, COMESA and the African Union Commission and convened in Lusaka, Zambia 14-16 May, 2013 hosted by the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Hon. Robert Sichinga,MP

The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) and with its Country Node, the Agriculture Research Council (ARC) convened a National Agricultural Youth Policy Dialogue on the 24th of April, 2013 at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, Zimbabwe. The objectives of the dialogue were to disseminate the findings of the study aimed at identifying spaces and opportunities for developing national “youth and agriculture policies” within agricultural policies. The dialogue was also meant to validate the findings of the study on the participation of the youth in agriculture and to make appropriate policy recommendations on how the youth can be supported and incentivized to be actively involved in agricultural and agriculture related activities.

FANRPAN will be hosting its 5th Annual Partners' Meeting on the 30th of May 2013 at the St. Georges Hotel and Conference Centre.

This is an annual flagship event on the FANRPAN calendar that presents an opportunity for organisations and individuals to share current programmes and future plans with existing and prospective partners. The convener of the meeting, Chairman of the FANRPAN Board of Governors, Hon. Sindiso Ngwenya who is also the Secretary-General of COMESA invites partners in the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources sector to attend the meeting.

The goal of the EPCSA programme is to contribute to a substantial increase in food production and improved food security in Africa and to build resilient communities that can withstand the impacts of climate change. The overall programme has three main elements (CSA upscaling, policy analysis and advocacy and knowledge management), which are implemented collaboratively with by the 4 implementing partners. The EPCSA is being implemented by FANRPAN in collaboration with the Conservation Tillage Network (ACT); Eastern Africa Farmers’ Federation (EAFF) and Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), in Southern Africa (Mozambique, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Swaziland).

The purpose of the national dialogues is to strengthen and CAADP country teams and their capacity to engage their national governments on the CAADP agenda. Expected to participate in the meeting are about one hundred (100) relevant stakeholders in the CAADP process. These include Government (Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant sector ministries), farmer organizations, civil society and non-governmental organisations, researchers, the private sector, parliamentarians and the media. In each country, the national CAADP focal person expected to participate and give an update of the national CAADP process.

The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) and the Faculty of Agriculture (University of Mauritius), convened a National Agricultural Youth Policy Dialogue on the 12 April, 2013 at the University of Mauritius, Reduit. The objective of the dialogue was to deliberate on the issues of youth involvement in agricultural policy processes and especially those policies aimed at mainstreaming youth.

Ms. Calisile Thwala, a smallholder farmer and member of the Siyatfutfuka Association from Ekupheleni, Motjane, Swaziland hosted the 2013 field day. The field day, attended by over 50 people, which included representatives from Seed Quality Control Services (SQSC), CANGO, the government extension service, and the Swaziland National Agricultural Union (SNAU). Also present was Mr. Nelson Mavuso, representing the Principal Secretary of Agriculture, Executive Director for CANGO Mr. Emmanuel Dlangamandla, Village Chief, Babe Dlovula and HaSSP Regional Coordinator, Dr Bellah Mpofu.

The conference is being hosted jointly by the Government of Ireland and the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice. Both the World Food Programme and the CGIAR Research Group for Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CGIAR/CCAFS) are conference organising partners. The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) are also supporting the conference.

Smallholder farmers from Likumbi Camp in Kapiri Mposhi District showed off groundnut, and bean seed crops that were produced under the Harmonized Seed Security Project (HaSSP), overseen by the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), with support from the Swiss Development Co-operation (SDC). The four-year pilot project was initiated in 2010 and will run until the end of 2013. The pilot countries are Malawi, Swaziland Zambia and Zimbabwe. Present at the field day were representatives from Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI), Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) and Agricultural Consultative Forum (ACF).

FANRPAN was represented by the Harmonised Seed Security Project (HaSSP) Coordinator at COMESA’s awareness creation workshop on seed trade harmonization regulations for the COMESA region, which was convened from 27-28 March, 2013 in Lusaka, Zambia. A representative of the Ministry of Agriculture in Zambia, a representative of Africa Seed trade Association, as well as the Senior Biotechnology Policy Advisor at COMESA officiated at the workshop. Regional presentations on status of the implementation of harmonized seed regulations were made by ASARECA, FANRPAN, the SADC Seed Centre, as well as SANSOR on behalf of the OECD Seed Schemes.

FANRPAN hosted its annual Node Coordinators Common Visioning workshop on 24 to 28 February 2013 at the Lesotho Sun Hotel in Maseru, Lesotho. The Workshop was attended by FANRPAN Regional Secretariat and FANRPAN Node Coordinators of the 14 of the 16 member countries. The purpose of the workshop was to reflect on FANRPAN’s performance in 2012, align the Network’s vision and goals, and plan its activities for 2013. Participants deliberated on their collective and individual areas of responsibility.

The African Union Commission (AUC) and the NEPAD Agency convened the 9th Comprehensive African Agriculture Development (CAADP) Partnership Platform (PP) from March 25 to 26 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 9th CAADP PP was held in a landmark year for both the AU, which is celebrating 50 years of its existence, and CAADP commemorating 10 years since it was endorsed in 2003.