FANRPAN’s STRATEGIC PLAN 2007 – 2015 and BUSINESS PLAN 2007-2012

1. Meeting the Demand for Effective Food , Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis in Southern Africa FANRPAN’s STRATEGIC PLAN 2007 – 2015 and BUSINESS PLAN 2007-2012 By Lindiwe Majele Sibanda (Ph.D.) Chief Executive Officer - FANRPAN www.fanrpan.org

2. Policy Context: FANRPAN Vision: • Productive agriculture as a basis for widely shared food security and prosperity using natural resources sustainably in Southern Africa Mission: • To promote, influence and facilitate quality agricultural and natural resources analysis and dialogue at national regional and global levels

3. POLICY INSTRUMENTS • Southern African Countries endorsed the following strategies to address agricultural challenges; - SADC Dar es Salam declaration - SADC - RISDP, COMESA - NEPAD - CAADP • Operationalisation and implementation of these policy designs and instruments is a challenge in the region

4. CHALLENGES • Majority of regional population are poor and depend largely on agriculture for subsistence • Continued government intervention against weak and uncompetitive private sector engagement weakens privatisation initiatives • The major water resources are transboundary in nature requiring regional agreements for equitable exploitation • Lack of coherent policies and effective institutions to meet different objectives for the sector

5. WHY FANRPAN The need • to harmonize agricultural policies throughout the region • for research to advance understanding of common national policy challenges across different SADC countries • to promote dissemination of information on research results across the region • to improve the depth and quality of agricultural policy analysis for SADC, COMESA and member states

6. ROLE OF FANRPAN • Research and dissemination of information across the region • Improvement of the depth and quality of agricultural policy analysis • Collaboration and networking within the region and internationally on agricultural and natural resources policy issues

7. FANRPAN: The Story • From 2002 FANRPAN was formally registered with the aim of: • Encouraging exchange of skills, information and experiences • Coordinating comparative research • A constitution and 5 year strategy were developed and FANRPAN was registered

8. NEED FOR CHANGE • The current policy environment has seen a growing ‘continentalisation’ of agricultural development strategies stemming from; MDGs, NEPAD, CAADP, COMESA, SADC RISDP and FARA. • This presents an opportunity for FANRPAN to expand Africa-wide through strategic partnerships and collaboration

9. NEED FOR CHANGE • Research and networking environment has grown with organisations such as AERC, SATPRN, SARPN, FEWSNET, Re-SAKSS and others • FANRPAN inherent weaknesses are; • Isolated Individual expertise • Lack of coherence in node management • Failure to maintain permanent secretariat • Research based, with limited engagement in the policy cycle • Four new members; Lesotho, Swaziland, Mauritius and Angola have been incorporated

10. POSITIVE SYNERGIES IN RESPONSE TO DEMANDS • Over the years FANRPAN has acquired experience and capacity in collaborating with regional and international institutions, such as the CGIAR system, SADC, COMESA, AU and others • To effectively respond to growth internally and the policy demands, FANRPAN finds itself facing the challenge of; • Funding a permanent administrative structure • Articulating and implementing a programme that enhances policy analysis capacity

11. THE CHANGE PROCESS • The process involves; • Review of FANRPAN’s mission and mandate • A review of stakeholders’ needs and expectations • Diagnosis of internal and external environments for policy research • SWOT analysis • Discussion of alternatives for FANRPAN evolution

12. THE PROPOSED FANRPAN STRATEGIC PLAN FRAMEWORK • FANRPAN’s three strategic areas; • The Research Strategy • The Capacity Building Strategy • The Voice Strategy

13. RESEARCH STRATEGY • ‘Research’ – the FANRPAN perspective; • Large cross country studies investigate impact of identified factors on the sector and derive lessons • Action research projects that incorporate evidence gathering on selected interventions with on-going policy dialogue • Research advisory services offer services to officials and/or senior executives drawing upon already existing evidence

14. RESEARCH STRATEGY • The Research Thrusts for 2007-2012; • Promoting regional economic integration • Positioning Southern Africa for a competitive international trade environment • Creating a conducive agriculture policy environment for reducing poverty and vulnerability • Management of impact of innovation and adaptation

15. CAPACITY BUILDING • Country nodes are central, will focus on; • Capacitating nodes • Partnerships • Short term training • Monitoring, review/learn and evaluation

16. CAPACITY BUILDING • Node structure will be determined by specific local circumstances; • Positioning of policy research • Nature of representative structures • Relationship between government and the agricultural industry

17. CAPACITY BUILDING • Requirements to ensure effectiveness of nodes; • Engagement with wide range of stakeholders • Ability to convene high level policy engagements • Staff and facilities to maintain good communications with stakeholders and the rest of the FANRPAN network • Capacity to secure and effectively manage grants and contracts on behalf of FANRPAN

18. THE VOICE • Focus - Enhancing FANRPAN’s voice in national and regional policies. • The ‘VOICE’ strategy; • Improved information flows (print, electronic and personal engagements) • Improved capacity to use research based evidence • More effective positioning of FANRPAN and intense engagements with Governments, SADC secretariat, SADC - MAPP, COMESA, FARA and AU-NEPAD.

19. THE VOICE • The thrust of the Voice strategy; • Development and use of the website and portals • Building contacts databases • Using multimedia for disseminating information on food, agriculture and natural resources issues • Arranging exhibitions of FANRPAN’s products at major conferences

20. IMPLEMENTING FANRPAN STRATEGY • Elements critical to FANRPAN’s strategy; • Effective node leadership • Eminent governors with ability to mobilise resources • Adequately staffed nodes and regional secretariat • Continuous development of partnerships • Regular contacts with policy makers at secretariat level • A revised constitution to take into account new developments that have led to an expansion of the mandate • Sufficient and assured core funding to support full implementation of the strategy

21. IMPLEMENTING FANRPAN STRATEGY • Node development; • Assisting national nodes to define policy priorities • Raise awareness amongst members of important national and region-wide policy issues • Facilitate training for policy makers and analysts • Lead discussions within the membership • Promote the engagement of previously under-represented small farmer interests

22. IMPLEMENTING FANRPAN STRATEGY • Node development - financial implications; • Budget Per Node - Projected minimum budget - $100,000 - Duration - One year - Coverage - Full-time officer, - Half time administrative assistant - Office running costs • For a fully functional node the projected expenditure is $1,000,000 per year and this includes the core business of research, capacity building and voice

23. IMPLEMENTING FANRPAN STRATEGY • Developing the secretariat - roles to be strengthened; • Research leadership, co-ordination and quality control • Technical and administrative support to the nodes • Information synthesis and dissemination • Representation and leadership in regional discussions • Promoting regional and international policy research • Capacity building in policy research and advocacy • Resource mobilisation and management • Monitoring and evaluation

24. IMPLEMENTING FANRPAN STRATEGY • Staff establishment to ensure effective implementation of the strategy • a CEO, • a Director of Research • a Director of Communication, • Support: Finance and Administration function • Overall leadership is provided by an 8 member Board of Governors • Supreme body is the membership - the nodes

25. IMPLEMENTING FANRPAN STRATEGY • The development of the secretariat into a fully functional unit is projected to cost $2,900,000 in the next five years • Development of country nodes into fully functional units will cost a total of $9,400,000 over five years • Multi-year funding is required to ensure continuity and institutional stability • Models that the secretariat can consider include setting up a trust fund or the CGIAR system model of securing core or unrestricted funding

26. IMPLEMENTING FANRPAN STRATEGY • Secretariat staff is expected to secure portions of their salaries from participating in other projects; • Research Director - 50% • Chief Executive Officer - 25% • Communications Director - 25% • The operations of the trust have to be clearly defined from inception to ensure security of funds and transparency in grant management

27. FINANCING THE IMPLEMENTATION • Projected cost - $12,300,000 • Direct expenditure (Nodes) - $ 9,400,000 • Direct expenditure (Secretariat) - $ 2,900,000 • Duration - 5 years

28. FANRPAN COST STRUCTURE 2007-2012 (US$ 000)

29. FINANCING THE IMPLEMENTATION • Assumptions; • 15% allocation of research costs in year 1 & 2 are taken by the secretariat. This reduces as the nodes become more self sustaining • As more nodes are established the cost of capacity building and the cost to the secretariat increases. This is set at 20% of capacity building expenditure • Voice costs will be attributed to both nodes and the secretariat

30. Thank You