Overview of FANRPAN

Lindiwe Majele Sibanda (PhD)

FANRPAN CEO www/fanrpan.org

3 September 2008

Lilongwe, Malawi

• Vision– A food secure southern Africa free from hunger and

poverty

• Mission– To promote evidence based policy development in

the Food Agriculture and Natural Resources sector

• How– facilitating linkages and partnerships between

government and civil society– building the capacity for policy analysis and policy

dialogue in southern Africa– Create capaity to demand evidence for policy

development

Background

The Evolution of FANRPAN • Africa’s need for a conducive policy environment

• Recommendation of SADC and COMESA Ministers of Agriculture to form Regional Civil Society Organisations (CSOs): Regional Ministerial meeting held in Harare in 1994

• The birth of FANRPAN

1997 - Permanent Secretaries in Ministries of Agriculture and University Deans from Faculties of Agriculture representing eight (8) southern African countries

- (Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique).

•Recognition of the promoters of FANRPAN

•Regional dimension of policy analysis required much greater collaboration among key stakeholders.

•2001 - FANRPAN finalized its constitution and five year strategic plan (2002-2007)

•2002 - the network was formerly registered.

•Opportunity for the southern African region to reduce dependence on “external supply” as the major source of policy advice.

•2001-2003 Single program focus- FANRPAN focused primarily on markets and trade.

The Evolution of FANRPAN

FANRPAN Network structure

• 2004 --Decentralised network functionality• 12 Nodes each with a Steering Committee • 12 hosts each with a coordinator• 1 regional governing body• 1 regional secretariat• 26 entities to operationalise the FANRPAN

network• 12 x average number of members

– (all in pursuit of a shared agenda)

• 1 Regional secretariat– Pretoria

• 12 country nodes– Angola– Botswana– Lesotho– Malawi – Mauritius– Mozambique – Namibia – South Africa– Swaziland– Tanzania – Zambia– Zimbabwe

FANRPAN Network structure

Government

Farmers

ResearchersPrivate Sector

Civil Society Organisations

Parliamentarians, Media, Others

FANRPAN Network structure

Farmers

Researchers

Government

Private Sector

Parliamentarians, Media, Others

CSOs

Multi-tiered network with coordinating hubs

Node Hosting Institutions1. Angola – Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Wambo University

2. Botswana – Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA)

3. Lesotho – National University of Lesotho, Institute of Southern African Studies (ISAS)

4. Malawi - Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET),

5. Mauritius – Department of Agricultural Production and Systems, School of Agriculture University of Mauritius

6. Mozambique – Faculdade de Agronmia e Engenharia Florestal, Eduardo Mondlane University

7. Namibia - Namibian Economic Policy Research Unit (NEPRU)

8. South Africa – National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC)

9. Swaziland – Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, University of Swaziland and Coordinating Assembly of NGOs (CANGO)

10. Tanzania - Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF)

11. Zambia - Agricultural Consultative Forum (ACF)

12. Zimbabwe – Agricultural Research Council

FANRPAN Network structure

The Strategic Framework

2007-15 Strategic FRAMEWORK

Capacity Building Policy Research

ConduciveEnvironment

1 2

3

FANR POLICY

Capacity Building Policy Research

ConduciveEnvironment

1 2

3

FANR POLICY

The shared agenda

• Defined in terms of FANR policies but has elements of generic network agenda.

• Generic network agenda– Access information, expertise, resources– Share/develop knowledge & practices – innovate– Reduce isolation,– Increase visibility, legitimacy, and influence

FANRPAN Network structure

Core capabilities of FANRPAN

• Leadership • Legitimacy & Collective Identity• Technical Expertise & Resources• Facilitative of Participation • Managing & Serving the Network• Communications & Management

Systems• Adaptive Capacity

FANRPAN’s Opportunities in a Challenging Environment

• The dual mandate-poverty reduction and economic growth

• Weak private sector (farmers and agribusiness).

• Disparity in economic status between countries

• Trade liberalization and social protection

• Household Food Insecurity• Suspicion and antagonism between state and non-state

actors

• Unsustainable use and inequitable access to natural resources

Turning Challenges into Economic Opportunities

• Think Tanks - Africa needs more! Enable civil society groups to influence policies

• Smart Partnerships – we need for-profit connectors Capacity building, mentorship, re-tooling programs–create

opportunities for wealth creation

• Improve access to information: use voice platforms (African oral culture)- share best practices, benefits of good governance

• Build trust between government and civil society

• Share and celebrate Success!

Creating a Conducive Environment

The niche for FANRPAN

• Linking the policy SUPPLY to the DEMAND side

• Partnerships 17 agreements: North-South,

South-South

• FANRPAN - an all inclusive multi-stakeholder platform -government, policy analysts, farmers and private sector

• Regional Approach (12 countries) allows learning between countries

• SUPPLY SIDE– Credibility – Think tanks, longitudinal studies,

databases, involvement of local institutions– Scope – focus on national and regional issues– Rigor – partnerships, peer review, mentorship,

retooling, start having outcome mapping

• DEMAND SIDE– Stakeholder tools and capacity to engage– Communication – appropriate tools/media,

message, – Trust - confidence in networks and their processes

The niche for FANRPAN

CSO

THINK

TANKSPOLICY

MAKERS

Research Institutions (NARS), Consultants

Govt Analysts, International and local think tanks

Politicians, Technocrats, Funding Institutions

NGOs, CBOs, Ordinary Citizens

POLICY CHANGEPOLICY ANALYSIS

POLICY ADVOCACY

The niche for FANRPAN

Monitoring and Evaluation

Agenda Setting

DecisionMaking

Policy Implementation

Policy Formulation

Policy Processes

Civil Society

DonorsCabinet

Parliament

Ministries

Private Sector

Source: John Young, Networking for impact. Experience from CTA supported regional agricultural policy networks, 2007

Regional POLICY DialoguesAnnual September

September 2006: “Creating a conducive policy environment for inputs intensification and market development for increased production and productivity”

September 2007: “Triggers” for Agricultural Growth in Southern Africa

2-5 September 2008: Lilongwe, Malawi: “Regional Strategies for Addressing the Global Food Crisis”

WHAT NEXT AFTER THE 2008 DIALOGUES!

FANRPAN PARTNERSHIPS-

World Bank, AGRA, CAADP, MCC

Private Foundations- Gates, Hewlett,

COMESA, SADC and African Union

CTA 2008-9, Crop Life 2008-9, Microsoft 2008-11.