The capacity needs assessment (CNA) was conducted at three levels: at the policy process/enabling environment level, organizational level, and individual level. The assessment focused on the thematic issues related to (1) strategic policy analysis, (2) M&E, and (3) knowledge management and sharing. Thirteen organizations were covered in this assessment: government ministries, research organizations, universities, and professional associations.

This study aims at assessing the capacity needs for different stakeholders involved in food and agricultural policy processes in order to develop a country specific capacity strengthening strategy to meet the strategic analysis and knowledge management needs of the Rwandan agricultural sector and rural development. Specifically the study intends to assess specific needs for strategic agricultural policy analysis and investment planning, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge management in Rwanda.

To assess these national capacity needs, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support Systems (ReSAKSS) initiated a study in Kenya and other African nations. Twenty-eight Kenyan organizations were determined to be key players in the agricultural policymaking process, but only 11 participated in the study. Overall, the study found that there is a need to build human, financial, and physical capacities for the major stakeholders involved in the Kenyan policymaking process.

The Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS) 2014 Annual Conference is being organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) and NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency. It will take place at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 8-10 October, 2014.

For more information, please visit the conference website. 

The 2013 Annual Trends and Outlook Report (ATOR) contributes to the emerging debate by analyzing Africas recent trade performance and future outlook at the global and regional levels, including discussions of the mechanisms of dealing with food price volatility, the scope for increasing trans-border trade, and the potential impacts of weather-related shocks and biophysical factors on intra-regional exports. The ATOR finds that Africas share of world trade of goods and services, and specifically of agricultural goods, made a turnaround and started increasing in the 2000s.

This 2012 Africa-wide Annual Trends and Outlook Report (ATOR), the fifth issue of the series, is only the second to examine in detail a featured topic of strategic importance to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). The ATORs are designed to assess country, subregional, and Africa-wide performance against CAADP and other development goals and to provide an outlook for future performance. It is hoped that the analysis will contribute to improved policymaking, dialogue, implementation, and mutual learning processes of the CAADP implementation agenda.

How to Work Together to Advance Country SAKSS, Mutual Accountability, and Agriculture Joint Sector Reviews in East and Central Africa, presented by Joseph Karugia, ReSAKSS East and Central Africa Coordinator

Factors influencing the adoption of soil-fertility technologies (measured by soil testing and use of chemical fertilizers) in key areas of the southern province, where soil-fertility problems are prevalent and potentially impact the performance of the coffee sector, were studied. The results of the analysis, using household survey data, principal components, and linear discriminant analysis, show that farm fragmentation, age, wealth, and education are the most important factors influencing adoption of the two soil-fertility technologies.