In the framework of strategic partnership between Andreas Hermes Academy (AHA) and Pan-African Farmers' Organization (PAFO) and technical support of AgrarKontakte International (AKI) e.V., PAFO, is implementing the "Pan African Farmers’ Organisation Exchange Platform". This platform will be self-managed by PAFO, with a Core and Moderation Team (CMT), whose members have been selected by PAFO's member Regional Farmers’ Organizations (RFOs).

Organized by PAFO, AHA, and AKI the CMT held its first virtual meeting on March 16, 2023. The first meeting marked the effective start of the platform, which will serve as a hub for capacity building of RFOs and National Farmers’ Organizations (NFOs), through peer-to-peer exchange and learning. This will enable African Farmers’ Organisations to share their experiences, learn from each other and create relevant networks to better address current and future global challenges at national, regional, continental and international levels.

Mr. Babafemi O. Oyewole (Executive Secretary of PAFO), on this occasion, briefly presented the project “Pan African Farmers’ Organisation Exchange Platform”, and recalled that PAFO is a continental organization, which carries the voice of more than 80 million farmers on the African continent.

Mrs. Insaf Boughdiri, PAFO's communication officer and coordinator of the platform, explained the objectives of thePlatform and its mode of operation as well as the role of the CMT. 

Mr. Julian Friesinger, Program Manager at AHA, and Zoubeiri Bihangamanywa (PAFO), Administrative Assistant at PAFO, explained, respectively, the details of the three-day moderation training that CMT members will receive in Kigali in Mai 2023, as well as the logistical arrangements. 

The CMT is composed of 15 people representing the five regions of Africa, and the five RFO’s PAFO members. The CMT members come from Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Eswatini, Tanzania, South Africa, Tunisia, Mali, Togo, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Congo-Kinshasa.

The first meeting with the CMT was successful. But it will not be the last. On the contrary, the coordinators of the platform, Insaf Boughdiri (PAFO), Teklezghi Teklebrhan (AKI), and CMT, will hold regular meetings, and will continue to work together, to set up theAfrican Farmers’ Exchange Platform. The next meeting will be held on Friday, March 24, 2023. Stay tuned for updates on the project.

The project "Pan African Farmers’ Organization Exchange Platform" is implemented with the financial support of the BMZ.