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07\/08\/2015<\/em><\/p>\n Eastern and Southern Africa Farmers Forum (ESAFF) has joined South African Development Community (SADC)\u00a0\u00a0 Regional\u00a0\u00a0 Agricultural\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Policy\u00a0\u00a0 (RAP) Investment Plan Working Group to represent the interest of small farmers across the region. SADC secretariat wrote to ESAFF last June to join the group, and offer that was greatly appreciated, with the hope of pushing further the voice of the small farmers in the region\u2019s policy making bodies.<\/p>\n ESAFF joins the working group will about 24 other members technical team, national focal points, umbrella farmer organizations, regional chamber of commerce and industry representative(s); civil society umbrella body among others.According to SADC secretariat, SADC Council of Ministers endorsed the SADC RAP at their August 2014 meeting held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n \u201cThe next major step is the development and costing of the RAP Investment Plan.\u00a0\u00a0 Some progress has been made and resources mobilised towards this target,\u201d noted the communication from SADC. SADC Secretariat has adopted a participatory\u00a0 approach,\u00a0 hence invited ESAFF and other organisations to join the RAP Regional Working Group which\u00a0 will\u00a0 act\u00a0 as\u00a0 a\u00a0 peer\u00a0 review\u00a0 group\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 RAP\u00a0 Investment Plan\u00a0 development\u00a0\u00a0 process.<\/p>\n The RAP’s overall objective is to contribute to sustainable agricultural growth and socio economic development with the ultimate goal of contributing towards the attainment of the SADC Common Agenda which promotes sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development.<\/p>\n ESAFF Coordinator Mr Joe Mzinga said the importance of agriculture cannot be disputed, as about 70% of the region\u2019s population depends on it for food, income and employment.\u00a0 He commended SADC secretariat for involving civil society, specifically farmers\u2019 organizations in the working group, and promised ESAFF would be engaged fully in the imitative for the benefits of small scale farmers in Africa<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 07\/08\/2015 Eastern and Southern Africa Farmers Forum (ESAFF) has joined South African Development Community (SADC)\u00a0\u00a0 Regional\u00a0\u00a0 Agricultural\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Policy\u00a0\u00a0 (RAP) Investment Plan Working Group to represent the interest of small farmers across the region. SADC secretariat wrote to ESAFF last June to join the group, and offer that was greatly appreciated, with the hope of pushing… <\/p>\n