Sponsor:  AGRITERRA

Duration:  2012

EAFF Contact Person:  Stephen Muchiri - Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sponsor's Contact Person:  Niek Thijssen - Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Project Name:

Strengthening Organizational Capacity Farmers' Organizations in Eastern Africa in their new phase

Agriterra is a development agency founded and steered by the Dutch farmer organizations and cooperatives and supports cooperatives in improving their management and development of realistic and bankable business plans with the aim to increase access to finance and to boost growth of the cooperative companies and to strengthen the position of organized farmers in the market.

Following good working relations with Agriterra, EAFF has managed to receive secretariat, governance and technical support.

1. To implement the activities related to Institutional development as stipulated in the Strategic plan
2. To enhance the organizations Managerial capacities (both the secretariat and the leaders) especially now that EAFF is going to hold elections
3. Lobby and advocacy
4. Exchange visit
5. Strategic planning
6. Launched membership in South Sudan

Results

1. Held the requisite board and council meetings as stipulated in the constitution.
2. Finalized the audit reports on time.
3. Advocated in EALA, EAC and IGAD for the co-op policy framework and the participation of EAFF in the CAADP regional compact process
4. The CEO was supported to visit Japan co-operatives which was successful
5. EAFF was able to undertake a satisfaction survey on the implementation of the 2008-2011 strategic plan
6. We held a mobilization workshop in Juba and admitted into EAFF membership – South Sudan National Agriculture Production Union.

We had a visit from the Agrittera MD in EAFF

For EAFF to move to its next phase, it needs to develop a new strategic plan that will:

Strengthen managerial systems in EAFF.

Accomplish governance obligations; validate and monitor calendar activities and budgets including new membership recruitment.

Evaluate and develop a new strategic plan (2012+) that is participatory; inclusive and focused taking into account commodity value chain development.

The Purpose of this project is to entrench and position EAFF as the voice of farmers of Eastern Africa and as a credible, focused, professionally  managed and sustainable organization; all leading to a cohesive and prosperous farming community.