Kigali, Rwanda, 16th August 2021 – AKADEMIYA2063 and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen data and analytical capacities in support of Africa’s agricultural transformation and food security agenda. In particular, the two organizations, will develop and implement short-term training programs in economic modelling targeted at academic staff and post-graduate students from RUFORUM member universities.
Under the agreement, AKADEMIYA2063 and RUFORUM will also work together to develop academic curricula that responds to the needs of policymakers and work with local analytical networks that link knowledge supply to knowledge demand in countries that are part of the RUFORUM consortium of universities. In addition, AKADEMIYA2063 will leverage its comparative advantage in developing innovative digital platforms to build the capacities of RUFORUM staff and students to track capacity related data and activities using Information and Communications Technology platforms.
“Given RUFORUM’s extensive experience in building human capacities to catalyze agricultural transformation on the African continent, this partnership will enable our two organizations to further strengthen capacities of national experts to generate policy-relevant analysis and effectively link knowledge demand to supply,” said Dr. Ousmane Badiane, Executive Chairperson for AKADEMIYA2063.
As part of the partnership, RUFORUM and AKADEMIYA2063 will leverage opportunities for internships and practical work experience for RUFORUM students as well as for joint research. The partnership will facilitate data and knowledge exchange between the staff of AKADEMIYA2063 and the staff and students of RUFORUM Secretariat and member universities.
“RUFORUM has long aspired to mobilise researchers and students in a coordinated manner to contribute their knowledge, technologies, innovations and expertise to support agricultural policy and at national and continental level. The students at African universities are tomorrow’s policy makers and practical training and learning in a real-life data and knowledge for policy making is ideal to practically acquaint them with challenges they will be solving after graduation. The partnership with AKADEMIYA2063 offers a perfect opportunity for the RUFORUM Network to achieve these two aspirations”. Prof. Adipala Ekwamu, the Executive Secretary of RUFORUM said.
Given AKADEMIYA2063’s experience in leading the development of the CAADP Biennial Review Report and its policy data and knowledge modeling programmes, the RUFORUM Network will be glad to mobilise economics, data, policy and agricultural experts to contribute knowledge and data for the Biennial Review Report. RUFORUM looks forward to its supported students undertaking internships in the programmes and projects implemented by AKADEMIYA2063 and collaboration between its researchers with AKADEMIYA2063’s.
About AKADEMIYA2063: AKADEMIYA2063 is an Africa-based non-profit organization with headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda, and a regional office in Dakar, Senegal. AKADEMIYA2063’s mission is to provide data, policy analysis, and capacity-strengthening support to enable the AU Member States to achieve economic transformation and shared prosperity. More broadly, AKADEMIYA2063 leverages science, generates knowledge, and strengthens capacities to help advance the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
AKADEMIYA2063 is home to three longstanding Africawide programs—(1) the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS), (2) the African Growth and Development Policy (AGRODEP) Modeling Consortium, and (3) the Malabo Montpellier Panel (MaMo Panel)—that provide data and analysis in support of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). For more information, please visit: www.akademiya2063.org
About RUFORUM: RUFORUM, established and registered in Kampala, Uganda as an international nongovernmental organization in 2004, is a consortium of 129 universities in 38 African countries. RUFORUM seeks to mobilize African universities to proactively and coordinately develop new knowledge, technologies, innovations, and enterprises that contribute to food security, livelihoods, and well-being of small-scale farmers and economic development of countries throughout Africa.
RUFORUM derives its medium to long term agenda from continental challenges observed by members and continental level frameworks including, but not limited to: the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy (STISA-2024), and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). For more information, please visit: www.ruforum.org
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