With USAID Support, Policy Research and Analysis Network Launched in Ethiopia
Participants pose for a group photo after launching the NET-PARAF (photo: Policy LINK).
Policy LINK’s Champions for Food Security (C4FS) Activity in Ethiopia, in collaboration with key policy system actors, officially launched a policy research and analysis network for agriculture and food systems in the country on Thursday May 25, 2023.
The overall objective of the network is to foster collaboration among policy system actors to facilitate evidence-informed policymaking in the agriculture and food systems sectors in Ethiopia.
The overall objective of the network is to foster collaboration among policy system actors to facilitate evidence-informed policymaking in the agriculture and food systems sectors in Ethiopia. C4FS fosters collaboration to facilitate inclusiveness and provide a platform for generating and sharing cutting-edge research products, all while building a culture of evidence-based policymaking.
Dr. Belay Demissie, C4FS Activity Country Lead, stated in his opening remarks that, previously, policy research was not demand-driven and institutions were provided by the government with a topic to be studied to inform policy formulation. The policymaking process was not inclusive and participatory. “We want to change that trend,” he said, emphasizing that the policymaking process needs to be participatory, with the active engagement of all policy system actors in the country, including both the general public and other non-state actors.
In his keynote address, Dr. Yifru Tafesse, Deputy CEO of Ethiopia Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), remarked that, despite some positive changes in the food security and nutrition sectors, there are still many challenges to overcome, particularly because of population growth, unemployment, urbanization, dependence on imports, limited foreign exchange, and many other factors that affect agricultural competitiveness.
The majority of the gaps, he said, will be filled when the revised Agriculture and Rural Development Policy is approved, hopefully at the end of this year. “As agriculture will continue to be the foundation of our economy, we expect to address the challenges related to food security, land tenure, livestock, fishery commodities, and financial services," he added.
He stated that the network's establishment with such professionals will encourage engagement and effective policy implementation.
The launch event consisted of key endorsement activities, such as naming the network, establishing the number and members of a core group, setting the frequency of general members’ meetings, and identifying new members as well as the commitment that will be expected of them.
The launch event consisted of key endorsement activities, such as naming the network, establishing the number and members of a core group, setting the frequency of general members’ meetings, and identifying new members as well as the commitment that will be expected of them.
The name of the network, Network for Ethiopian Policy Analysis and Research in the Agriculture and Food System (NET-PARAF), as recommended by the Core Group, was approved by the audience through a vote. Additionally, the participants decided that the core group team would have nine members and that the members' meeting would take place twice a year.
Following the presentations and official launch of the network, participants were divided into small groups to engage in group discussions. The groups were asked to identify key research gaps and priorities that needed to be addressed by the network for future collaboration and joint research. The groups then presented their findings and recommendations to the plenary. The chosen research themes will be fine-tuned and ranked by the core group for immediate research.
The C4FS Activity held several multi-stakeholder dialogues before launching the network. On January 26, 2023, over 45 participants from government offices, academia, research agencies, civil society organizations, and other non-state actors, as well as USAID discussed the need to establish an Ethiopian policy analysis and research platform in agriculture and food systems based on a clear term of reference (TOR).
The TOR was developed through consultations among C4FS, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture, ATI, the Ethiopian Policy Studies Institute (PSI), and the Ethiopian Economic Association.