ASARECA

Today, we celebrate the incredible women who are driving change, innovation, and progress across our region and beyond.

Earlier today, @AsarecaED - Dr. @sdbaguma together with the Policy Program Officer- @JulianBarungi met with @kalromkulima Director General & ASARECA Board Member- Dr. Patrick Ketiem in Nairobi & discussed governance &strategies 4 improving #AR4D in the region

Today, the @AsarecaED - Dr. @sdbaguma together with the Policy Program Officer - @JulianBarungi paid a courtesy call to @EAFFinfo office in Nairobi & held discussions with the CEO - Mr. Stephen Muchiri & the Team on strengthening partnership between @ASARECA & @EAFFinfo

@AsarecaED - Dr. @sdbaguma contributing to the discussion on promoting private sector driven regional integration for increased intra & extra EAC trade & investment during the #EABIS2026 in Nairobi

#REOI: Individual Consultancy Opportunities #FARA invites qualified consultants to submit REOIs to conduct the CAADP–XP4 Endline Survey. 🗓 Submission Deadline: 5 March 2026 Kindly find TOR via 🔗 bit.ly/4kxvZpj #CAADPXP4 #MonitoringEvaluation #AfricaAgriculture

Participating in @EABCjumuiya business and investment expo 2026 at Safari Park in Nairobi representing @ASARECA together with @jbarungi. This expo has several events including High level conference, matchmaking and exhibition. It has attracted Several different PP sector entities

@ASARECA Executive Director - Dr. @sdbaguma & Policy Program Officer - Ms. @JulianBarungi having a discussion with the @EABCjumuiya Executive Director - Mr. @AhmedFarah__ during the East African Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2026 in Nairobi #EABIS2026

AIRTEA Third party project (TPP002) on Promoting technologies and innovations for improving access to quality potato seeds by smallholder farmer through strengthening potato seed systems and multi-stakeholder collaboration in Rwanda has demonstrated a significant impact on agricultural value chains across Eastern Africa. Key achievements include: 👉Establishment and strengthening of 11 multi-stakeholder platforms that have fostered collaboration among various actors in the sector. These efforts have directly benefited approximately 15,000 smallholder farmers, providing them with improved access to clean potato seed and opening up access to markets. 👉Effective use of using screenhouses technology (aeroponics and sandponics) to produce early generation seed under greenhouses and a sustainable quality supply chain with 28 screenhouses reactivated, 20 screenhouses rehabilitated. 👉Signing of 160 contracts with early generation seed multipliers as out-growers to sustainably supply seed potato to SPF seed potato storage facilities across the country. 👉Successfully leveraging over $2.5 million in additional funding to support its initiatives, highlighting its success in mobilizing resources for sustainable agricultural development. This work was led and implemented by Seed Potato Fund, Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board with technical backstopping from consortium partners @FARAinfo , @ASARECA , @EAFFinfo . The initiative was funded the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACP) through the ACP Innovation Fund, with financial support from the European Union (EU).

Distilling Impacts from AIRTEA Third Party Projects The AIRTEA Third Party Project (TTP 001) on Upgrading of silver cyprinid (Rastrineobola argentea, Omena) value chain through multi-stakeholder partnerships and novel climate-smart postharvest processing technologies and practices for improved rural livelihoods, significantly impacted the silver cyprinid (Omena) value chain by implementing climate-smart postharvest technologies and fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships. Some of salient impacts include: 👉Technological Advancement: The project introduced Hybrid Solar-biomass Dryers that drastically reduced drying times from the traditional 2–3 days to just 5–8 hours, while simultaneously decreasing post-harvest losses from roughly 50% to less than 5%. 👉 Economic Empowerment: Through these innovations, the shelf life of Omena was extended from one month to over six months, enabling better market access. Furthermore, the project facilitated the transfer of five hybrid solar dryers (valued at approximately $25,000) to local communities, directly supporting the livelihoods of the 900 stakeholders engaged through Innovation Platforms (IPs). 👉 Product Diversification: The initiative successfully developed and commercialized novel value-added products, including marinated Omena and Omena-based extruded snacks, which cater to wider consumer preferences and increase the profitability of the catch. 👉Gender and Youth Inclusion: The project maintained a strong focus on inclusivity, with 60% of its beneficiaries being women and youth, ensuring that the benefits of technological upgrading reached vulnerable groups in the rural knowledge and innovation ecosystem. This work was led and implemented by #JKUAT and national level partners #KMFRI, #JKUATES with technical backstopping from consortium partners @FARAinfo , @ASARECA , @EAFFinfo

The final Capitalization and Evaluation Meeting for the Strengthening Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Ecosystem for Inclusive Rural Transformation and Livelihoods in Eastern Africa (#AIRTEA) Project workshop today opened in Machakos, Kenya with participants extolling the achievements of the just concluded five-year initiative, funded by @EU_Commission ACPS. @EAFFinfo , CEO Stephen Muchiri noted that the achievements demonstrate that it is possible for the private sector and farmers to work together. @ASARECA ED Dr. Sylvester DicKson Baguma called for multidirectional scaling of innovations piloted; @FARA ED, Dr. Aggrey Agumya agreed that developing follow up projects is inevitable in ensuring the achievements gained are taken out at scale to impact more people. Dr. Gerard den Ouden, ACPS Technical Assistance Unit revealed that the @EU_Commission was impressed that the project had reached a milestone given its achievements, which are now available for scaling; while @kalromkulima Deputy Director General Dr. Alice Murage stated that the projects focus on the farmers, youth and women, and access to markets was spot on and aligns with the shared visions of African Governments to improve livelihoods.

Today, we commence the Local Feedback Meetings under the @WatDev1 Project, scheduled to run from 5 to 6 December 2025 in Addis Ababa. This two-day participatory engagement brings together farmers, youth, women’s groups, extension officers, and local community representatives to validate the feasibility results of Best Management Practices (BMPs) tailored for Ethiopia. Supported by @ASARECA and WLRC, and informed by feasibility studies and modelling activities, these meetings give local actors a platform to: 🔹 Review and validate BMP feasibility at the community and basin level 🔹 Assess barriers, enablers, and sustainability conditions 🔹 Co-develop practical implementation protocols for farmers 🔹 Contribute to upcoming training modules 🔹 Share perceptions on local water management policies through field questionnaires With fewer than 10 participants per group, the discussions remain interactive, inclusive, and rooted in local knowledge, ensuring that the final implementation guidelines reflect real-world needs and farmer-led insights. @EU_Commission, @g_ladisa, @MOSESODEKE, @BenIlakut, @blaiseamony.

#WATDEV Regional Workshop kicks off in Addis Ababa! The workshop brings together regional planners, basin authorities, modelling experts, and partner institutions to validate and prioritize Best Management Practice (BMP) scenarios for Ethiopia. Using a fully participatory approach, stakeholders are reviewing basin-level intervention scenarios developed under the WATDEV modelling framework—ensuring they reflect local realities, water management priorities, and long-term climate resilience goals. The workshop is jointly convened by @InstituteEiar, @ASARECA, @CIHEAMBari, and partners under the WATDEV Project, with support from @aics_it. 🔑 Key Focus Areas 🔹 Presentation and discussion of BMP intervention scenarios 🔹 Stakeholder validation using structured, participatory tools 🔹 Identification of enabling conditions for basin-wide scaling 🔹 Prioritization of scenarios to guide future planning and decision-making This event marks a significant step toward transitioning from localized assessments to strategic, basin-level water and land management solutions, supporting more sustainable, climate-smart agriculture across Ethiopia.

Farmers from Bahir Dar, extensionists and other local actors are attending today's #LocalFeedbackMeeting @WatDev1 in #AddisAbaba to analyze and adapt #BMPs. Changes happens when science meets farmer's knowledge and local experiences.

Working groups just started at @WatDev1 #LocalFeedbackMeeting in #AddisAbaba. Barriers, enablers and feasibility of #BMPs are evaluated by local farmers from Koga case study area.

Tomorrow we continue in #AddisAbaba with a #LocalFeedbackMeeting, shifting from today’s policy discussions to hands-on work with #farmers, #waterusers, and community groups. Their insights will shape practical, locally grounded #BMPs for #sustainable water and land management.

Happy #WorldSoilDay2025! Healthy cities start with healthy soils. Let’s protect, restore, and cherish the foundation that sustains life. 🔗 faraafrica.org/2025/12/05/wor…

🌍 The WATDEV Regional Workshop took place on 17 Nov in Malindi, hosted by @kalromkulima with @ASARECA @CIHEAMBari @aics_cairo @ISRIC. Stakeholders validated basin-scale #BMPs, focusing on agroforestry & Water Users’ Associations to boost climate-smart water management in Kenya.

🌍 WATDEV held a Local Feedback Meeting on 18–19 Nov in Hola, Kenya with #KALRO, @CIHEAMBari, and @AICS_Cairo. Stakeholders refined basin BMPs, co-drafted protocols for agroforestry & stronger Water Users Associations, and discussed water governance to boost climate-smart farming