L Xingwana on Forum for Agricultural Research Association (Fara) General
Assembly

4 June 2007

Excellencies
Ambassadors
Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Affairs
Director General of the Department of Agriculture
Chief Executive Officer of Agricultural Research Council
Chairperson of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
Programme Director
Ladies and gentlemen

Having listened to the presentation by the chairperson of the Forum for
Agricultural Research Association (Fara), Ms Njabulo Nduli who is also the
Deputy Director General responsible for Agricultural Production in my
department, it is clear that agricultural productivity is increasingly depended
on innovation, generation of new technologies and adaptation of new knowledge
generated from the research and development systems. I will therefore, not
attempt to dwell on the details of Fara, as this has been ably done.

The purpose of today's meeting has been outlined as being to share with you
information on the forthcoming fourth General Assembly of Fara to be hosted
jointly by my Department and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) of South
Africa from Saturday, 10 June 2007 to Saturday, 16 June 2007, in
Johannesburg.

This year being the fourth General Assembly of the Forum, you may well want
to know a bit about the previous assemblies. The Fara General Assembly meets
every two years and it is rotated among the four sub regions of Africa. This
event is inter alia made up of the Forum representatives from all African and
non-African institutions involved in African agricultural research and
development such as the Commissions of the African Union (AU), New Partnership
For Africa's Development (Nepad), agricultural research institutions,
universities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private enterprises
that comprise of the National Agricultural Research Systems (Nars), non-African
advanced research institutions (ARIs) and international agricultural research
centres (IARCs).

The first General Assembly of the Forum was held in Maputo in 2002 where the
Executive Secretary, Dr Monty Jones was appointed and the first Executive
Committee led by Professor Joseph Mukibi from the Eastern and Central African
sub-region was elected. The second General Assembly was hosted by Senegal in
May 2003 and the new Chairperson, Dr Pape Seck, representing West Africa, was
elected. The third Assembly in 2005 led to the election of Ms Nduli
representing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) sub-region.
Given this pattern, SADC will then hand over the chairmanship to Eastern and
Central Africa sub-region during the fourth General Assembly of the Forum next
week, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Programme Director, the main theme of the fourth Fara General Assembly
is 'Promoting the productivity and competitiveness of African agriculture in a
global economy.' This theme is supported by 10 sub-themes which cover various
aspects of the agricultural enterprises and their significance to African
economies.

The objectives of the 4th Fara General Assembly (GA) are as follows:
* To review progress since the third biennial GA in June 2005 and based on the
lessons learnt since then, determine the African regional agenda for
agricultural research for development for the next biennium.
* To concurrently hold an African Agricultural Science Week to exhibit the
contribution of agricultural research in Africa for poverty alleviation, food
security and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity.
* Within the African Agricultural Science Week, to hold a South African
Agricultural Science Day to raise awareness amongst participants and the public
about the important contributions of public and private South African
Agricultural Research and Development Institutions.

During this General Assembly, I will convene a ministerial round table
discussion in keeping with the tradition set at previous General Assemblies.
The suggested theme for the roundtable discussion is "Strengthening African
agricultural innovation systems: up-scaling new approaches to research,
capacity building and end user's access to information and learning." I
therefore invite you all to this event and request you to facilitate the
participation of your Ministers to this event.

The Programme Director, you will recall that in July 2003 the African Union
Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Maputo provided a strong
political support for the implementation of Nepad's Comprehensive Africa
Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). During this session, the Heads of
State and Government made a declaration on Agriculture and Food Security in
Africa, thus agreeing to adopt sound policies for agricultural and rural
development, and committed their governments to allocating at least 10 percent
of national budgetary resources to agriculture and rural development within
five years.

While a great deal of support is being rendered to the agricultural sector,
there is a need to review the inhibiting factors to attaining the recommended
10% budgetary allocation to the agricultural and rural development sector. It
is also necessary to maintain a register of donor supported agricultural and
rural development programmes at the country level to assess their contribution
towards the sector. Today, four years later, we need to evaluate our efforts
and progress towards this commitment, and find innovative approaches to address
the six percent growth target in agricultural production as proposed by
Nepad.

The Programme Director, it is important to remember that CAADP comprises
five pillars which are:

* expansion of the area under sustainable land management and reliable water
control systems
* improvement of rural infrastructure and trade–related capacities for improved
market access
* enhancement of food supply and reduction of hunger
* development of agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption
to sustain long–term productivity growth
* sustainable development of livestock, fisheries and forestry resources.

Fara was therefore, appointed by the Nepad Secretariat to implement pillar
four of the CAADP, namely the development of agricultural research, technology
dissemination and adoption to sustain long–term productivity growth. This makes
Fara a relevant and necessary African Institution, with the agenda and
programmes which are focused to and driven by the African development needs as
identified and defined under Nepad framework for agricultural development.

I also want to end my talk by highlighting the critical importance of
African ownership of development initiatives. The critical philosophy
underpinning the Nepad concept is that of Africa taking leadership and
responsibility for its own development goals, while encouraging partnerships
with the rest of the world, donor community and development partners.

We all agree that the donor and development institutions have played a
critical support role in Africa and that in particular agricultural and rural
development received and continue to receive priority under a number of donor
programmes. The donor community has played a major role in bringing Fara to
where it belongs, in Africa for the Africans by Africans, to be a truly African
led, managed and run institution.

The challenge is upon us now to take the baton from the donor community to
financially support and sustain Fara as our organisation for the future
prosperity of Africa to champion a truly African agenda for agricultural
research and technology generation and dissemination.

As we host the 4th Fara General Assembly, I would urge you to consider the
long term sustainability of the Forum as an African led and owed institution.
This requires that we provide resources for its operation, participate in the
formulation of its policies and programmes.

I once again, invite you and your governments to participate in the 4th Fara
General Assembly starting from Saturday 10 June 2007 to Saturday 16 June 2007,
in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Thank you.

Issued by: Department of Agriculture
4 June 2007