Uganda to host International Symposium and Exhibition on Agriculture Development in the EAC

 A 5-day International Symposium and Exhibition on Agricultural Development in the East African Community will be held 4-8 November 2013 at the Serena Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.

The event is being collaboratively organized by the EAC Secretariat, Kilimo Trust, Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), Uganda’s Ministries of East African Community Affairs (MEACA- Uganda), and that of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF- Uganda).

The theme of the Symposium and Exhibition is Agricultural Development in the EAC: lessons from the past 50 years and prospects for the future. Participants will be engaged in dialogue designed to enhance EAC regional integration in the agricultural sector through five major events: Youth in Agriculture (YiA) Workshop, Technical Symposium, a High Level Executive Roundtable, Exhibitions, and Special Seminars.

The Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social sectors at the EAC Secretariat Hon. Jesca Eriyo states that “the events of the week are designed to reflect on agriculture during the 50 years since all the EAC Partner States earned independence”.

Adding that “the event is also being held at a time when the continent’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is marking ten years of implementation.  Furthermore, it is only two years away from the target year (2015) for the EAC Partner States to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs).

Therefore, symposium, the YiA workshop, the seminars and the executive roundtable will provide an opportunity to evaluate progress, lessons, and prospects for the future – in relation to national efforts since independence, the 10 years of CAADP principles, as well as the international programmes driven by the MDGs”. 

“The aim is to articulate an EAC Regional Vision of Agriculture for the future as a modern and vibrant sector that fully takes advantage of the region’s endowment with resources (youthful population, arable land, water and now the realization of oil and gas) coupled with the ever increasing global demand for food and agricultural products” the EAC official affirms..

Participants  will engage the private sector in agriculture including farmers, leaders of farmer organizations and agribusiness players along agricultural value chains; government ministries and departments; national agricultural research organizations; universities, and extension service providers; international and regional development organizations supporting agriculture in the EAC Region; civil society organizations; youth in agriculture among other practitioners in the agricultural sector.