Role of ASARECA: Linking Incubators with research through: Sensitization of National & regional Research systems on UniBRAIN Identification of research areas to be addressed Identification of research products Ensuring fair use of research products Working with other partners to ensure smooth implementation

1. ASARECA and UniBRAIN
Implementation in Eastern and Central
Africa
Presentation to the Annual Review Mission Entebbe
May 2015

2. ASARECA Geographic reach
Established in 1994 by 10 member
countries; now 11 member countries
ASARECA region covers 8.5 million km2
with about 350 million people
Agriculture forms the source of livelihood
for the bulk of the population
Agriculture accounts for 43% of the sub-
regional GDP.

3. Why was ASARECA established
 Countries in the region are facing similar challenges and
opportunities to improve agriculture’s performance.
 Agro-ecological zones cut across political boundaries,
and therefore, technologies developed in one country
frequently find application in similar environments of
other countries.
 Great opportunities to promote agricultural led growth
through sharing of Agricultural research results
 Need for Regional collective action, collaboration and
specialization – Research Networking
 Leverage on resources where possible

4. ASARECA adds value to National Agricultural Research
Systems (NARS) through:
ASARECA secretariat takes a coordinating role

5. Strategy being implemented under 2 Operational
Plans : 2008 – 2013 and 2014 – 2018
Development of 2014 – 2018 OP completed
ASARECA is operating on a 10 year Strategic Plan
(2008 – 2017) supported mainly via a W/Bank
managed MDTF
CONSULTATIVE
PROCESS

6. OP 2 Thematic areas
Natural Resource management and Eco-system
services.
Market, market linkages and trade
Sustainable agriculture, Food and Nutrition

7. PROPOSED ASARECA KI HUB
Platforms
for Info
Exchange
Platforms
for Info
Exchange
Learning
and
Innovation
for AR4D
Learning
and
Innovation
for AR4D
AR4D
Think Tank
AR4D
Think Tank
KEY OUTCOME
Equitable access &
utilization of agricultural
knowledge & information
within and beyond ECA
sub-region
Techn. &
Information
Clearing
House
Techn. &
Information
Clearing
House

8. Research Networking: How ASARECA operates
At continental level ASARECA has partnerships with
FARA, COMESA and AU-NEPAD to contribute to
the CAADP agenda and the MDG goals
The CGS is a process of creating partnerships for
effective agricultural innovation
Dublin initiative on aligning CGIAR to National
CAADP processes
- Linking CG with ASARECA programs
- Productivity workshop
- Science Agenda for African Agriculture

9. Partnerships for delivery of the ASARECA mission in
the member countries in OP 1
By end of OP 1, ASARECA had implemented about 70
projects in the 11 member countries.
The projects were implemented through about 420
partnerships (read sub-agreements) under CGS
The 420 are formalized through sub-agreements. Many
other informal partnerships could be identified

10. OP 1: Types of organizations in Partnerships with
ASARECA
Type of Institution Number of
Partnerships
NARIs 223
Universities 59
International Research
Institutions
33
Private sector 22
Government agents 42
NGOs 37
Others 7
Total partnerships 423

11. UniBRAIN Implementation
Role of ASARECA: Linking Incubators with
research through:
•Sensitization of National & regional Research
systems on UniBRAIN
•Identification of research areas to be addressed
•Identification of research products
•Ensuring fair use of research products
•Working with other partners to ensure smooth
implementation

12. Implementation of UniBRAIN: Some key activities
• Study to inventorize incubatable technologies:
Some key observations:
- coffee, banana and sorghum subsectors
- IP management will be crucial in business development
- financing for business take-off a challenge
• Training on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and
technology valuation for incubators
• Workshop linking Private Sector & incubatees to
prioritize TIMPs for commercialisation
• A study to establish IPR issues around prioritized TIMPs

13. Highlights of achievements
• Sensitized over 200 Researchers on the
UniBRAIN initiative and concept of incubation,
which led to formation of AIICs
• Developed an inventory of Technologies,
Innovations and Management Practices (TIMPs)
under the sorghum and banana value chains
which have potential for commercialization

14. Coffee value chain Banana value chain Sorghum value chain
Tissue Culture coffee Tissue Culture bananas Sorghum varieties for
food, feed, fiber and bio
fuels
Natural sweetener Fresh Vacuum Sealed
Matooke (FREVASEMA)
Sorghum processing
technology
Farmers ownership
model
Banana Juice, syrup and
wines
Organizational
innovation in sorghum
production and
marketing (contract
farming)
Geographical
indications
Banana Briquettes
List of prioritized TIMPs under UniBRAIN

15. •Shared & validated the TIMPs with researchers,
AIICs, incubatees and other stakeholders
•Enhanced skills of 42 (29m, 13f) researchers, AIICs,
incubatees and UniBRAIN partners in book keeping
for SMEs (in collaboration with Certified Public
Accountants CPA- Uganda)
•Trained 60 (41m, 19f) researchers, UniBRAIN
partners, incubators & incubatees on Intellectual
Property Rights (IPR) and Technology valuation 9
Achievements

16. • Enhanced skills of 42 (29m, 13f) researchers,
AIICs, incubatees and UniBRAIN partners in
book keeping for SMEs (in collaboration with
Certified Public Accountants CPA- Uganda)
• Conducted a study to establish IPR issues
around prioritized TIMPs. Study also aimed at
documenting status of IP systems and
proposing appropriate systems
Achievements

17. Planned activities
 Validate the study on IPR and support
incubators to draw road maps for establishing
appropriate IPR systems
 Establish research needs for the UniBRAIN
incubators
 Conduct a training workshop on Agricultural
Innovation Systems (AIS) and Value chain
development approach

18. Planned activities
 A project on supporting business incubation
through the establishment of business
incubation centers had already been proposed
under the Markets, Market Linkages and Trade
theme of ASARECA’s OP II
 The project has not been funded due to
unavailability of funding under ASARECA’s
MDTF. It is hoped that this project will be
implemented as soon as funding is available,
thus directly complementing the work of
UniBRAIN

19. Thank you