On 15th February 2022, Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) hosted Mr. Daniel Valenghi and Mr. Amsalu Abate from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Global Programme Food Security (GPFS) based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. SDC is a key development partner of the African Union-led Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative (EOAI) in Africa.
BvAT is the Executing Agency for the SDC grant towards the EOA-I and enables a collaboration with over 30 partners spread across nine (9) countries in Eastern and West Africa. BvAT is also the host to the Continental Secretariat of the EOA-I, handling this mandate on behalf of the African Union.
The SDC officials were received by their host, Dr. David Amudavi, Executive Director of BvAT, Mr. Alex Mutungi, EOA-I Continental Secretariat Coordinator, Ms. Venancia Wambua, EOA-I Project Manager, Mr. Robertson Nyikuli, Finance Manager and Mr. Joseph Nyamesegere, M&E officer.
The meeting took place at Biovision Africa Trust offices based at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Kasarani, Nairobi. The bilateral talks included high level updates on the phase two results, achievements and status of the project implementation, integration of the EOA into the African Union Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) framework and into Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the outlook of the project in line with new SDC and other global priorities and focus including agroecology.
The two organizations also discussed the upcoming SDC commissioned external evaluation for the project’s phase two which ends in April 2023. The evaluation will kick off in early March 2022 and will be key in informing the design of the third phase of funding.
While in Kenya, Daniel Valenghi and Amsalu Abate will visit other EOA-I strategic partners including the Ministry of Agriculture and the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) among others.
Compiled by: Ms. Venancia Wambua and Mr. Alex Mutungi of EOA-I