Africa: ACTESA and AE LA sign MoU

By Staff Writer

Lusaka---- The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Agro Enterprise Learning Alliance of Southern and Eastern Africa (AE LA), to facilitate the implementation of regional initiatives aimed at the commercialization of smallholder agriculture.

The two organizations further aim to improve coordination and the institutional capacity of organizations in the ESA region to effectively link smallholder farmers to markets.

Recognizing the critical role of agriculture in poverty reduction, food security and economic empowerment of the rural population in the region, the MoU is meant to enhance cooperation between the two parties to establish a framework to implement and promote regional initiatives in agriculture and to engage in dialogue on factors or policy positions that impact agricultural and rural development.

ACTESA CEO, Cris Muyunda and Chairperson of the AE LA Steering Committee, Geoff Heinrich signed on behalf of the respective institutions.

ACTESA aims to improve the capacity of smallholder farmers to effectively engage in markets and support the development and implementation of innovative linkages to markets.

The main focus of the AE LA, an association of international NGOs, research organizations and development agencies, is to enable its members and partners to learn from ongoing development and research programmes on linking farmers to markets and to accelerate and broaden the implementation of proven good development practices.