Identification and Formulation Mission – Support for the Operationalisation of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy II (RAP II)

Detailed description of project Back

Agriculture is the main driver of biodiversity loss and deforestation, responsible for up to 25% of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 70% of freshwater use. Along with biodiversity loss in general, genetic diversity in agriculture (agrobiodiversity) is being lost at a high rate, undermining the potential for more diversified and resilient food systems. By improving practices, agriculture can substantially contribute to sustainable resource management as well as to balancing the global carbon cycle by limiting greenhouse gas emissions and by sequestering carbon. Cost-effective solutions exist, including agro-ecological and silvo-ecological approaches.

The European Union (EU) funded project ‘Support towards the operationalization of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy (RAP) seeks to strengthen the capacities of Member States (MS) to guard against entry and establishment of new plant pests and animal diseases and effectively as well as sustainably manage the pests and diseases that are already present in the region.

The objective of this assignment is to support the identification and formulation of a regional initiative in the Southern Africa Development Community for a follow-up programme to support the operationalisation of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy. The SADC RAP II programme is foreseen to be part of the Annual Action Plan 2023 of the Green Transition priority of the SSA MIP, under the Agri-food systems component.

Indicatively, RAP II would cover the follow key result areas;

• Enhancing information on agriculture production, sustainability and competitiveness (AIMS – Building on results of RAP I);
• Improving access to markets through the implementation of plant pests and animal diseases strategies (Crop and Livestock – Building on results of RAP I);
• Developing a regional mechanism to monitor SADC Food and Nutrition Security Strategy (FNSS) implementation (Food and nutrition security – building on results of RAP I);
• Component 4 (Agro-processing Value Addition and Value Chain Development);
• Agro-ecology/climate smart agriculture.

Type of services provided

• Analyse the ongoing support to the SADC RAP which recently completed draft regional strategies/plans on Agricultural Information Management systems, transboundary animal diseases and plant pests; and identify future priorities for further synthesis and consultations;
• Analyse previous and ongoing interventions in the region to draw lessons and prioritise the geographic scope;
• Identify the components/priorities of existing and future regional programmes/actions at the regional and nations levels in order to ensure complementarity and avoid duplications;
• Propose the set-up and structure of the future regional programme, notably the implementation modalities, the relevant anchoring and architecture;
• Formulate of a draft Action Document;
• Prepare input for the draft Strategic Steering Committee fiche.

Main staff provided:

• Team Leader (55 w/d);
• Expert in Agricultural Economics (50 w/d).