Policy Forum on SIMLESA

The multimedia presentation highlights the major activities of the SIMLESA policy forum co organized by CIMMYT and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) in Entebbe, Uganda (27–28 October, 2015). The forum’s theme was Mobilizing policy action to scale-up best agricultural practices and was attended by representatives of ministers of agriculture from Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania. Fifty people participated, including representatives from researchers from CIMMYT, national agricultural research systems (NARS), the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (SIMLESA’s funder), international and regional non-governmental organizations, farmer associations, and private companies. The ministers pledged to support sustainable agricultural intensification to maximize benefits. The ministers concurred that enhancing access to a wide range of aspects such as markets, extension services, and inputs, were fundamental policy issues that must be urgently addressed for farmers to get more benefits from agriculture. High on the agenda was determining the policies that would shape an African agricultural market projected to be worth billions of dollars.