Newswise — A new organization will link African agricultural professionals abroad and in Africa together to strengthen the continent’s agricultural and rural development.
The Association of African Agricultural Professionals in the Diaspora, or AAAPD, wants to help transform African smallholder agriculture into an engine of economic growth in the continent. In addition to providing opportunities for networking among Africa’s professionals, AAAPD will mobilize resources, promote the exchange of information and technology, and encourage public-private investments in agricultural research, extension and training.
“Our role is to become a bridge to African agricultural institutions, play a catalytic role in agricultural development and provide a mechanism to harness African Diaspora experiences toward Africa’s agricultural and rural development,” AAAPD President Peter Jeranyama said. “In this quest, we plan to work in collaboration with ‘Friends of Africa’ — people who share a common interest of facilitating Africa’s development.”
The Association of African Agricultural Professionals in the Diaspora is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in Massachusetts. AAAPD is the implementer of a grant to Iowa State University from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. A multi-disciplinary team of African professionals founded AAAPD in July 2008. The team includes Andrew Manu (Iowa State University), Stephen Machado (Oregon State University), Thandiwe Nleya (South Dakota State University), Samuel Essah (Colorado State University), Felicitas Katepa-Mupondwa (Agriculture AgriFoods, Canada), Edmund Mupondwa (Agriculture AgriFoods, Canada), Dianah Ngonyamo-Majee (Monsanto Company), Daniel Karanja (Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa) and Peter Jeranyama (University of Massachusetts Amherst).
Jeranyama said the majority of the founders of AAAPD have 10 to 20 years of experience working in different capacities in Africa, in addition to their wide-ranging international experience.
“African professionals in the Diaspora are increasingly being recognized globally for their skills and for articulating development strategies for Africa that are both transformational and sustainable,” Jeranyama said. “Many of them desire to contribute towards the development of the continent, and AAAPD is leading the way in harnessing the skills, resources and networks of these and other agricultural professionals.”
Jeranyama said current global food, fuel and financial crises, as well as recurring droughts and flooding in parts of Africa, underscore the daunting task the continent faces of feeding an increasing population on dwindling arable land and fiscal resources. Weak agricultural research, extension and training institutions scarcely cope with increasing demands to develop and disseminate appropriate technologies that could raise agricultural productivity and income, especially for smallholder farmers. This is the impetus for AAAPD to become engaged in Africa’s development, he said.
“The African predicament calls for urgent measures to stimulate agricultural productivity in food and export commodities, including better policies and significant increases in long-term agricultural investments by local governments, donors, foundations and the private sector. It is clear that short-term strategies focused on the current crisis will not suffice. Just as with the case of India, China and other countries and regions, AAAPD wants to mobilize African Institutions, Africa’s Diaspora and strategic partners to help build sustainable agricultural systems,” Jeranyama said.
To access the AAAPD’s resource library or interactive database of African agricultural professionals and friends of Africa, and to participate in online discussions of key issues in support of African agriculture or join our membership, visit the organization’s Web site at http://www.aaapd-africa.org, or contact the AAAPD by e-mail at [email protected], or by telephone at 508-849-2200.
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