Introduction
A Seventh Annual Aquaculture Network for Africa (ANAF) Meeting was organized by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in collaboration with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). The workshop was among the key activities of AU-IBAR through the Fisheries Governance Project that is funded by the European Union (EU).
The meeting was held from the 13th to 15th August 2018 at AU-IBAR office in Nairobi, Kenya.
The overall objectives of the workshop were to review progress since the Sixth ANAF annual meeting and discuss the institutionalization of ANAF Secretariat into AU-IBAR.
Participation
The meeting was attended by representatives from the ten (10) ANAF affiliated African Union Member States namely: Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, Liberia, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia; the ANAF Secretariat- FAO; Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO). Also in attendance were staff members of AU-IBAR (fisheries governance project and M&E) and CARDNO (Aquaculture Technical Expert).
Opening session
Dr Nelly Isyagi, Aquaculture Officer of AU-IBAR facilitated the opening session.
Welcoming remarks were received from the four institutions:
The representative of the FAO/ANAF Secretariat, Mr Pierre Murekezi thanked the AU-IBAR for organizing the meeting. He noted FAO support to ANAF, since its inception. He thanked ANAF affiliated countries for their continued support, collaboration and providing their recommendation on way-forward. He was delighted that ANAF was moving a step closer towards institutionalisation and integration under AU-IBAR.
The Executive Secretary of LVFO, Mr Godfrey Monor thanked AU-IBAR for facilitating the meeting. He stated that LVFO has been hosting the database of ANAF. He gave an overview of ANAF’s accomplishments and challenges in information sharing. He appreciated the opportunity this meeting offered in revamping and rebranding ANAF while taking into consideration the lessons learnt. Mr Monor emphasised the importance of aquaculture development in Africa which has necessitated the need for timely dissemination of information. He stressed on knowledge as power in informing developmental decisions. He urged stakeholders to support the hosting of ANAF Secretariat within AU-IBAR, both financially and politically.
Ms. Betty Nyandat represented the Kenya Fisheries Service- State Department for Fisheries Aquaculture and Blue Economy in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation. She applauded AU-IBAR for executing recommendations of the African Union Member States, one being the integration of ANAF Secretariat under the AU-IBAR. She hoped AU-IBAR was ready for the task. She expected the meeting to identify mechanisms under which ANAF Secretariat would be integrated under AU-IBAR.
Dr Mohamed Seisay, Senior Fisheries Officer of the AU-IBAR made the opening remarks on behalf of the Director, Prof Ahmed El-Sawalhy. He informed the meeting that AU-IBAR has been attending the FAO Committee of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture (CIFAA) and ANAF meetings and followed their recommendations diligently. He appreciated the show of confidence given by African Union Member States (AU-MS) of AU-IBAR by recommending the integration of ANAF Secretariat into AU-IBAR. He re-assured the AU-MS that AU-IBAR is ready to host ANAF Secretariat and ensure its sustainability. Dr Seisay officially opened the meeting.
The meeting
The following presentations were made:
- The background to ANAF, its institutional set-up and mandate - Mr Pierre Murekezi of FAO/ANAF Secretariat.
- The background of AU-IBAR as an AUC institution and mandate - Mr Admore Chakadenga, Monitoring and Evaluation Expert of AU-IBAR.
- Aquaculture activities under AU-IBAR - Dr Nelly Isyagi.
- Report of ANAF achievements since inception by ANAF Secretariat - Mr Pierre Murekezi, FAO/ANAF.
- The status of Information management and dissemination under ANAF Mr Monor, Executive Secretary of LVFO.
- Country accomplishments and challenges in aquaculture development and sharing of experiences as ANAF members - ANAF-Member States.
The objectives of the workshop were facilitated by the FAO/ANAF Secretariat and LVFO through plenary sessions, notably:
- A SWOT analysis of ANAF
- Drafting of proposed Terms of Reference for ANAF Secretariat under AU-IBAR based on the SWOT analysis
- Establishment of an interim ANAF task force to oversee the transition of ANAF Secretariat’s hosting under FAO to AU-IBAR. The composition of the task force comprised an ANAF MS from the respective regions of Africa covered by ANAF.
- Drafting of a brief to the African Union on the recommendation to integrate the ANAF Secretariat under AU-IBAR.
Meeting outcomes
The meeting achieved the following outcomes:
- The status of implementation of ANAF activities.
- The Proposed Terms of Reference for ANAF Secretariat under AU-IBAR
- The Proposed list of options and priority actions to be undertaken by the respective stakeholders (ANAF-MS, current ANAF-Secretariat/FAO and AU-IBAR) to facilitate the institutionalization of ANAF Secretariat into AU-IBAR with time lines.
- Establishment of a task force to oversee the implementation of the action plan. The following countries were nominated as part of the task force:
- The Republic of South Africa in absentia – representing the 10 countries of the Southern African Region.
- The Federal Republic of Nigeria- representing the 15 countries of the Western African Region.
- The republic of Kenya- representing the 14 countries of the Eastern African Region.
- The republic of Cameroon-representing the 9 countries of the Central African Region.
- The republic of Senegal in view of their distinguished level of leadership and pro-activeness in executing ANAF activities.
Key recommendations
Furthermore, the meeting came up with the following set of recommendations:
- Request the Director of AU-IBAR for a slot during both the Fisheries Governance Project close-out and Ministerial meetings scheduled for 2-5 September 2018 in Cairo, Egypt to further deliberate on integration of ANAF Secretariat into AU-IBAR with Non-ANAF member states. The recommendation to integrate ANAF into AU-IBAR emanated from the 6th ANAF Annual meeting held in Entebbe 2016, CIFAA meeting in Banjul, The Gambia in 2017, COFI Sub-committee on Aquaculture in Rome 2017 and the 33rd COFI Session in Rome 2018. The importance of sharing the outputs of the 7th ANAF Annual Meeting with non-ANAF MS was reiterated. It was therefore recommended that the draft ToRs for ANAF Secretariat as an AU-IBAR entity and its proposed two year transition action plan (transition from being hosted at FAO to AU-IBAR) be further discussed in September with AU-MS in order to obtain continental consensus on ANAF from AU MS and their representative Ministers that would greatly strengthen ANAF and its institutionalisation in AU-IBAR.
- That AU-IBAR and FAO support the implementation of a two year transition action plan. This includes facilitating the selected task force to follow up on the key designated activities.
- A flyer on ANAF be developed and circulated to all AU MS through the sitting ANAF secretariat and AU-IBAR prior to the Fisheries Governance project close-out meeting.
- The meeting urged the FAO, LVFO and other African Union Regional institutions, partners and private sector to continue collaborating with ANAF Secretariat.
- All ANAF participants present to brief their Technical Directors so that they are well informed prior to the Fisheries Governance project close-out meeting on the outputs and recommendations of this 7th ANAF Annual meeting.
- The meeting acknowledged the importance of the fisheries and aquaculture in Africa towards food and nutrition security, job creation and economic development; and recommended that separate independent Fisheries and Aquaculture unit be created within the AUC/AU-IBAR structures. In the same vain, in recognition of aquaculture as the fastest growing animal production sector globally and on the continent as well as the specialist needs of aquaculture that are completely independent of the fisheries; the meeting additionally recommended that aquaculture and fisheries be managed separately at the same professional level within AU-IBAR.
Closing of the meetinga
A representative from Senegal, Dr Magatte BA, gave appreciation remarks on behalf of all participants. Closing remarks were received from the representative of the FAO, Mr Pierre Murekezi, the Executive Secretary of LVFO, Mr Godfrey Monor, and the representative from the hosting country, Kenya, Ms. Betty Nyandat. The meeting was officially closed by Dr Mohamed Seisay on behalf of Director AU-IBAR.