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CALL FOR SIDE EVENTS

AAEW, AAEW2021, Side event / By

Download the Expression of Interest_Side Events_AAEW2021 here

The Africa-Wide Agricultural Extension Week (AAEW) is a continental event expected to bring together, participants from across Africa and globally to deliberate on strategic issues in agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS) in Africa. Its purpose is to facilitate learning, sharing and processes for improving the use of knowledge, technologies and innovations by agricultural value chain actors to achieve their individual and national development goals.

AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA

The African population is largely dependent on subsistence agriculture characterised by smallholders and low levels of productivity. Moreover, due to the rapidly increasing population, uncertain land tenure systems, lack of access to agricultural credit facilities, low quality inputs and continent wide emergencies like climate change, locusts and the COVID 19 pandemic, there is an increasing threat to food security and incomes from agriculture. The agricultural extension and advisory services that would address these challenges are not adequately accessible and remain largely characterised by inadequate professionalism.  World over, attention is shifting to the use of digital systems and high tech extension systems to increase productivity and efficiency. This calls for innovative approaches for transforming extension systems in order to address the challenges identified and also move the actors to participate in the new opportunities in agripreneurship, youth participation and agro-industrialization while ensuring sustainable environments. The 5th Africa-Wide Agricultural Extension Week will focus on collective and multi-faceted deliberations on the potential remedies to such challenges to using agricultural extension.

THE 5TH AAEW 2021

The African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), in partnership with the Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS), is organizing the 5th AAEW2021 that will be hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) of the Republic of Uganda. The event is to be held on 14-20 November 2021 at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, Kampala, Uganda. The context of the 5th AAEW 2021 is grounded on several initiatives such as; the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, the African Union Commission’s 2063 Agenda, The Africa We Want, and the Paris Agreement on climate change in 2015.

In order to share lessons, knowledge, technologies and innovations for addressing the above challenges, the 5th AAEW 2021 has been organized under the theme “Effective Agricultural Extension and Advisory Systems for Sustainable Agripreneurship in Africa”. This theme has been broken into five sub-themes as detailed below;

  1. Innovative AEAS approaches for resilient and practical actions
  2. Towards professionalization of AEAS systems in Africa: Where are we?
  3. Agro-industrialisation in the context of trade regimes: Implications for AEAS
  4. Harnessing agripreneurship opportunities for youth and women
  5. AEAS resilience to pandemics and emergencies: Lessons across Africa

A CALL FOR SIDE EVENTS

The Side events are considered critical in complementing the activities that will be happening at the AAEW. They have been organised to provide an opportunity for partners with special interests related to the theme and the cause of the event to share what they have to offer in order to contribute to the success of the event, as well as to the outcomes pursued. Individuals or organisations to bring together a range of stakeholders to focus on one specific area of interest in the format of their choice.

Due to restrictions on travel and meetings arising from the CoVID-19 pandemic, the 6-day AAEW 2021 event will comprise of both physical and virtual sessions. Proposals for side events, such as workshops, working group meetings, networking sessions, training courses or open forums both physical and virtual are hereby invited responding to the theme and any of the five sub-themes above. Submissions should conform to “Guidelines for side events proposal”.

GUIDELINES FOR SIDE EVENTS PROPOSALS

  • Proposals must be submitted online via this link: https://bit.ly/SideEventAAEW2021
  • Proposals will be accepted from academic institutions, research organisations, civil society organizations/non-governmental organisations, farmers’ organizations, agro-industry experts, private sector companies.
  • Descriptions of the proposal should be aligned to a relevant sub-themes of the conference (see in the online form)
  • Proposal must come with a title, objectives, outcomes and agenda. This summary will not exceed 500 words.
  • Incomplete proposals will not be reviewed.
  • The selected side event can be a physical or hybrid event. In both case, the event will be hosted at Conference venue, Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, Kampala, Uganda.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE SIDE EVENT PROPOSAL:

  • The content, format as well as selection of presenters are entirely the responsibility of the side event applicant
  • All side event applicants must register for the main conference and any additional expenses are the responsibility of the side event applicant.
  • Accepted side event proposals will be listed in the Conference program and briefly described in conference materials.
  • The duration of each side event session is 1.5 hours but may change if conference is moved to a virtual format.
  • Side events must be highly interactive and use an array of appealing presentation formats that can advance knowledge and move the sector forward.

WHAT THE CONFERENCE ORGANISERS WILL OFFER

A brief report on the side event process and products of the session will be included in the conference proceedings book. (NOTE: The format of the report will be given to the successful side event applicant at later date close to the publication of the conference proceedings).

  • Meeting room (sitting capacity 50) set with chairs and tables (tables are optional)
  • Screen and projector with sound capability
  • Laptop computer (Windows PC) (applicant may bring their laptops and connection cables if needed)
  • A podium/table and microphone for the presenter
  • 1 table to accommodate a panel up to 3 people
  • 1 flip chart and markers 

Any additional audio-visual services and equipment, if needed, are available for a charge and payment will be collected on site prior to the side event.

If there is need to rearrange the chairs and tables for the side event applicant, a reset fee will be charged to side event applicant.  Please reserve additional items in advance to ensure they are available and be prepared to pay additional charges.

Format and length of side events are subject to change on consultation with the event applicant and event organising committee.

Apply for Side Event