Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network for Southern Africa (FANRPAN)

1. Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network for Southern Africa (FANRPAN) Contact details: Dr Lindiwe Majele Sibanda P. O Box 2765 Causeway Harare ZIMBABWE Telephone 263 4 792348/50 Fax 263 4 792409 Email: linds@ecoweb.co.zw;policy@fanrpan.org

2. FANRPAN Mission WHAT: To coordinate, influence and facilitate policy research, analysis and dialogue at the national and regional levels WHY in order to develop the food, agriculture and natural resources sector through networking, capacity building and generation of information for the benefit of all stakeholders in the SADC region

3. Why FANRPAN? 1994, recommendation to the SADC Ministers of Agriculture on key prime movers for achieving agricultural growth: • empowerment of smallholder farmers through training and creation of producer associations; • greater involvement of private sector actors; • creation of policy analysis networks.

4. Composition of FANRPAN • An autonomous regional stakeholder driven policy research, analysis, implementation and advocacy network established in May 2001. • Designed to ensure that policy makers have continual access to well researched and analysed policy advice both at the national and regional level. • Maintains close link with SADC secretariat, donors and other collaborators working in the region. • Network operates country nodes in 11 of the 14 SADC countries.

5. Member Countries Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania Zambia, Zimbabwe.

6. FANRPAN Network Structure FANRPAN BOARD OF GOVERNORS Chief Executive Officer Coordinator – Communications and Policy Advocacy Coordinator – Policy Research Technical Advisory Committees ADMIN UNIT H I V / A I DS C O N T. F A R M L I V E L I H O O D S • Country Nodes - • Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mauritius, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Swaziland, Lesotho, • Node Coordinator • Farmer Representative • Private Sector Representative • Government Policy Maker

7. Objectives of FANRPAN ·  Promote appropriate agricultural policies in order to reduce poverty, increase food security and enhance sustainable agricultural development in the SADC region; · Improve policy analysis, research and formulating of priority SADC themes; ·  Develop human and institutional capacity for coordinated dialogue among all stakeholders; · Establish contacts with similar networks and other research collaborators ·  Collect, store and exchange information and liase with target groups in order to facilitate broad participation of stakeholders (public, private, NGO, civil society) in policy issues

8. Thematic Policy Research Major themes: • Productivity growth and Technology Development for Crops and Livestock e.g studies on GMO, seed fertiliser and soil fertility, HIV and AIDS • Commercialisation,trade& market competitiveness e.g studies on strategic grain reserves, contract farming • Institutional reform and capacity building e.g. study on strengthening farmer organisations • Land, water and natural resource management • Information and Knowledge management systems

9. Research Study Process • Identification & prioritising of the research topic • Setting research protocols, timelines and research teams through nominations from country nodes, secondments from partners or competitive bidding • Setting up of regional steering committee to guide the research team and drawing contracts • Conducting study Inception and report back workshops to present results at national and regional level • Publication and circulation of synthesis papers, policy briefs, and proceedings to relevant stakeholders • Periodic review and monitoring of policy recommendations • Providing Policy advise to SADC Ministers of FANR sector.

10. Studies HIV/AIDS/SADC-EU Annual Policy Dialogue Biotech-Policy Bio-safety Policy Livelihoods/USAID-RCSA Contract Farming/ French Gov. NMTIP-CAADP/ FAO Bo t L e s M a l M a u M o z N a m R s a Sw a Ta z Z a m Z i m Current Studies/Programmes

11. 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Studies CONTRACT FARMING HIV/AIDS CTA BIOSAFETY AGRIC-BIOTECH LIVELIHOODS NMTIP-CAADP 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Project Time Frame

12. Effective Networking • FANRPAN is unique because of its vertical and horizontal connectivity with stakeholders (Farmers, Govts, Policy analysts and Private sector) • The Network operates nodes in 11 of the 14 SADC countries • At country level the nodes operate as a network of stakeholders • Through their steering committees, the nodes spearhead policy analysis in their respective countries

13. Effective Networking Cont’d • FANRPAN links to SADC through the FANR directorate which is an ex officio member of the Board of Governors. • The CEO of FANRPAN attends the SADC Council of Ministers meetings where the network feeds back issues and research results.

14. Stakeholder Consultations • Country nodes implement in country stakeholder consultation meetings to define agenda • Stakeholders are involved throughout the policy process • Stakeholders are drawn from Ministries of Agriculture, NGO’s farmer organisations, agricultural institutions, relevant parastatals, private sector, research institutions and extension • The FANRPAN stakeholder directory is intended to bring together network members

15. Challenges • Limited resources for policy research • Lack of continuum in in-country research and dialogue resulting in weak institutional arrangements • Policy analysis skills need strengthening

16. New vision for sustainability • NATIONAL LEVEL • Strengthen capacity of nodes to effectively communicate with all stakeholders • Introduce national stakeholder policy dialogues on topical FANR policy issues • Coordinate community driven information systems that will link rural communities to national policy processes through the nodes. • Have full time network administrator supporting core research • Introduce partnering mentoring arrangements at national levels with assistance from with international partners • REGIONAL LEVEL • Maintain close links with SADC and NEPAD secretariats • Facilitate continuous sharing of information and knowledge • Have full time secretariat that provides quality outputs on a continuous basis • Monitor and evaluate the implementation of recommended policies