1 / 18

AGRICULTURAL CONSULTATIVE FORUM

Explore the history, objectives, achievements, and future prospects of the Agricultural Consultative Forum (ACF) which aims to engage stakeholders in shaping agriculture policies and promoting sector development in Zambia.

galet
Download Presentation

AGRICULTURAL CONSULTATIVE FORUM

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. AGRICULTURAL CONSULTATIVE FORUM FOSTERING CONSULTATION, NETWORKING AND POLICY ANALYSIS AMONG AGRICULTURAL SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS

  2. INTRODUCTION • ACF Existed since 1998 • ACF is now a registered stakeholder Forum

  3. BACKGROUND • Market Liberalisation and Reforms • ASIP introduced in 1996 as main tool • Transition to private sector-driven agricultural sector • Mid-term review of ASIP in 1998 • Noted public sector dominance

  4. BIRTH OF ACF • To re-focus ASIP on fostering Private - Public Sector partnerships • Forum to engage stakeholders in processes of policy formulation • Later transformed from ‘ASIP - CF’ to ‘AGRICULTURAL - CF’ to focus on long-term agricultural development issues

  5. Participation • Need for all sector stakeholders to be involved during all stages of the programme cycle. • This ensures ownership of a demand-driven and sustainable development process • Development not only brought by Govt. but needs active participation of stakeholders

  6. OBJECTIVES OF ACF • To facilitate continuous consultation among stakeholders in agricultural sector • To advise on formulation, updating, designing and operationalisation of Agricultural Policy • To develop and constantly review the principles governing actions of stakeholders affecting the agricultural Sector • To provide a framework for greater understanding and broader commitment to the agricultural sector goals, thus reducing the likelihood of duplication and inconsistency among stakeholders

  7. OUTPUTS OF THE ACF • Expert Issue-based Reports • Institutionalised Consultative Mechanism • Forum Meetings and Seminars • Advisory Notes on specific issues

  8. ACF MEMBERSHIP • Good Diversity of membership • 45 Members • Vibrant membership • Interest Group membership • Each Member plays specific role • ACF is not a lobby group for stakeholders but a Forum for consensus building • Supported by a Full-time Secretariat

  9. ACF MEMBERSHIP

  10. ACF SECRETARIAT • ACF supported by a small lean Secretariat • Co-ordinator • Programmes Officer • M&E officer • Support staff • Accountant • Office Orderly • Driver

  11. FINANCING ACF • Basket funding • USAID • Royal Netherlands Embassy • Royal Norwegian Embassy • GTZ • Stakeholder Contributions

  12. EMERGING ISSUES • Complexity and Diversity of the sector stakeholders • Duality of the sector • Institutional vacuum in agro-services • Dependency syndrome • Poverty Alleviation vs. Development • Low competitiveness • Mistrust between private and public sector

  13. ACHIEVEMENTS OF ACF • POLICY DOCUMENTS • Input into National Agricultural policy • Input into Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper - Input into agric marketing plan • Input into input marketing plan • Input into the irrigation plan • Input to The Fifth National Development Plan • STAKEHOLDER PROJECTS • Links to Food Security Research Project • FANRPAN

  14. ACHIEVEMENTS OF ACF • Enhanced continuous consultation amongst agricultural sector stakeholders. • Increased sense of ownership of the agricultural sector policy initiatives and development projects. • Strengthened public/private sector partnerships. • Influenced agricultural policy through Advisory Notes. • Being considered as a model by other sectors in the region, i.e., Environment, Tourism and Natural Resources sector

  15. STAKEHOLDER PERCEPTIONS OF ACF ROLE • Acknowledge importance of ACF • Emphasise the need for ACF to adjust to emerging issues • Extend focus beyond agricultural Production • More stakeholder driven in-depth analysis • Strategic links and alliances with others – FSRP, Millers, other line Ministries. • Participate in MACO taskforces

  16. FUTURE OF ACF • Improve role of private sector • Key role in monitoring of the PRSP/FNDP • Policy advisory even at regional level ie Through COMESA, and NEPAD/CAADP

  17. Conclusion • Stakeholder consultation is a non-negotiable in Zambian agricultural development

More Related