DFID’s renewal of its partnership for FAC’s work means the Consortium can now:

• Deepen its agriculture research and policy engagement activities in East and Southern Africa.
• Reinforce its core research themes of:
  – Policy Processes
  – Agricultural Commercialisation
  – Growth and Social Protection
  – Science, Technology & Innovation
• Conduct new research in important/emerging areas, like:
  – Climate Change
  – Land
  – Pastoralism
  – Youth & Agriculture
• Extend its activities into both anglophone and francophone West Africa.
• Expand its communications and networking activities, with an emphasis on supporting CAADP processes.

In addition, this grant will enable FAC to strengthen the capacity of young African researchers working on agricultural policy issues by providing fellowships and student fieldwork bursaries.

Finally, DFID support will strengthen our efforts to establish procedures for transferring the Consortium’s Secretariat from the UK to Africa by April 2013.