Farmers' lobby groups appeal for EAC technocrats to consider agricultural issues
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
Farmers' activist groups from all member countries of the East African Community are not happy with the performance of the regional block's technical operations, particularly the EAC policy on cross boarder farming and trading activities.
Appealing to the EAC secretary general's office in Arusha yesterday, the activists grouped together under their lobbying umbrella organization the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation-(EAFF), said the "EAC was operating like a project of political leaders alone, the talk about the customs policy of the region has not been explained to farmers, yet we are the most important sector in the region," wondered Andrew Hepelwa a Tanzanian farmer and Executive member of the EAFF.
The EAC is currently in negotiations to have a uniform customs policy in all its five member countries, President Paul Kagame has been on record calling faster cross boarder services to travelers from one country to another in the region. Kagame has also noted that this would spur economic development in the region.
However, the farmers said that Burundi was charging Visa fees to Tanzanian citizens going to that country, while Tanzania had slapped an embargo on all agricultural exports from Tanzania to other member countries of the EAC.
Ms Joseph Josephine, the Policy and Advocacy advisor of the group said: "the leadership of the community is mainly discussing paper work and ignoring the real issues of the residents of the region."
The Secretary General of the EAC Juma Mwapachu could not be reached for comment.
The lobbyists said they were concerned that if the leaders continued taking such issues as agriculture slightly, the region would soon suffer from food shortage and famine.
Their warning comes at a time when other regions of the world have suffered violent outbreaks in urban centres due to increasing food prices. The high prices of wheat, rice, beans have caused widespread violent outbursts in South Africa, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Cameron and currently in Argentina.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has on many occasions stated that increasing food prices will soon cause international political upheavals with citizens rising up against their governments for higher costs of living which has made many people unable to access basic services.
Ki Moon says that the high food prices are caused by rising fuel prices. The EAFF officials said they wanted a positive dialogue with the EAC secretariat so that their issues can be considered by policy makers, they said that currently they hear about the community through the media.
Chebet Maikut, the Vice President of the lobby group said: "our members are not happy, career farmers are not able to move freely across boarders of the EAC and sell their products. Farmers are also not aware about the customs policy and what it is about. "Who owns the EAC? Is it the leaders or the people?' asked Steven Muchiri the Chief Executive of EAFF from Kenya.
The EAFF is a lobby body for all farmers in Eastern Africa; it aims to promote regional integration of the farmers through trade and good neighbourliness and was formed in 2001. In Rwanda its affiliate members are Imbaraga national farmers' association and Ingabo, a provincial cooperative based in Butare.
Formed in 1967, the EAC seeks to unite all citizens of East Africa under uniform political, economical and social policies, however, the community has undergone through a whining period, disbanded in 1973, the community was reawakned by EAC leaders in 2000 and it 2007, Rwanda Burundi joined the block, increasing membership to five.
Tuesday 29 July 2008
Lake Victoria Conservation and donor politcs
East African fisheries stock threatened by uncontrolled fishing
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) Executive Secretary, Dick Nyeko has called upon policy makers in East Africa to consolidate and conserve fish stocks in all water bodies of the East African Community as fish stocks in the region are currently threatened.
Nyeko who was only appointed recently was meeting the EAC secretary general Juma Mwapachu in Arusha this weekend to discuss strategies of fisheries conservation on Lake Victoria.
He said that a lot of environmental changes were taking place in East Africa and these changes were affecting fisheries stock on the lake, Nyeko also pointed out that the famous Nile Perch stock in the region was being threatened by uncontrolled fishing. “The Nile perch is the major traded fisheries commodity internationally; its decline presents a special concern for livelihoods of millions around the lake and the region”.
The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) is a regional fisheries conservation body under the East African Community; it is responsible for coordinating and managing fisheries resources of Lake Victoria.
The Nyeko and Mwapachu discussed the LVFO Fisheries Management Plan and the roles of another related organ of the EAC known as the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. Both organizations deal with the preservation of water resources and fish stocks in the East African Community set up.
LVFO is set to hold the Lake Victoria Fisheries Conference in Entebbe this October; the conference will review the situation of fisheries in Lake Victoria as well as focusing on poverty alleviation among the majority of the populations living around the Lake.
Mwapachu said steps were being taken to formalize the full membership of Rwanda and Burundi in the LVFO.
Rwanda is already a member of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, the Nile Basin Initiative and the Akagera Basin which almost are all involved in water and fisheries conservation in the region.
Ends
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) Executive Secretary, Dick Nyeko has called upon policy makers in East Africa to consolidate and conserve fish stocks in all water bodies of the East African Community as fish stocks in the region are currently threatened.
Nyeko who was only appointed recently was meeting the EAC secretary general Juma Mwapachu in Arusha this weekend to discuss strategies of fisheries conservation on Lake Victoria.
He said that a lot of environmental changes were taking place in East Africa and these changes were affecting fisheries stock on the lake, Nyeko also pointed out that the famous Nile Perch stock in the region was being threatened by uncontrolled fishing. “The Nile perch is the major traded fisheries commodity internationally; its decline presents a special concern for livelihoods of millions around the lake and the region”.
The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) is a regional fisheries conservation body under the East African Community; it is responsible for coordinating and managing fisheries resources of Lake Victoria.
The Nyeko and Mwapachu discussed the LVFO Fisheries Management Plan and the roles of another related organ of the EAC known as the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. Both organizations deal with the preservation of water resources and fish stocks in the East African Community set up.
LVFO is set to hold the Lake Victoria Fisheries Conference in Entebbe this October; the conference will review the situation of fisheries in Lake Victoria as well as focusing on poverty alleviation among the majority of the populations living around the Lake.
Mwapachu said steps were being taken to formalize the full membership of Rwanda and Burundi in the LVFO.
Rwanda is already a member of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, the Nile Basin Initiative and the Akagera Basin which almost are all involved in water and fisheries conservation in the region.
Ends
Manchester United Holy Grail
Manchester United maintains success in changing times of soccer
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
1999 was not just a landmark year for the 'information age', as it had been reported before the arrival of the magical 99 that all computer chips would stop functioning at the end of that year-all digital information would be lost as a result.
As it happened, the computers never crashed, and instead the technological revolution since then has changed the face and body of society. Like in the world of technology, that transformation has also been seen in world football-Manchester United at the forefront of modern football times.
1999 saw one of the greatest sports moments when Manchester United came from behind to defeat Bayern Munich in the dying minutes of the year's European Champions' league.
Bayern having taken the lead after 10 minutes looked the giants and United were the underdogs, United had to work some magic through David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Teddy Sheringham to snatch victory from the jaws of Bayern Munich in the dying moments of that game.
Since that victory, football has never been the same.
Multi million dollar contracts have been signed with the world's leading television channels, and today, football is the second biggest money making industry in Europe, next only to the airline business according to 2004 official European Union statistics.
Manchester United itself has been the leading club in keeping up with the time. When football became a pop story, as evidenced by the amount of rumour associated with the game today, when it also became big money entertainment, United adopted very well.
With the face of David Beckham, Manchester United also helped stamp the arrival of the English league as a leading football bonanza and to date, the Premiership is considered as the best domestic football competition in the world by many neutral observers.
The acquisition of the club by Malcom Galzer raised a eyebrows among a cross section of football fans but not as much excitement as the Russian at Chelsea, and the cowboys at Liverpool.
After a few seasons, Malcom Galzer disappeared from public view and United has gone back on its own journey, not defined by the owner’s designs but the trends of the game.
Yet, on the pitch Manchester United has been very successful; the club has taken five premiership titles since 1999 and has appeared in more semi finals of the champions' league than any other club on the continent.
Manchester United it can further be argued led the re-branding campaign of soccer the way we know it today, the soccer of active participation by local followers. This is evidenced by local Arsenal and Chelsea membership clubs-who are actively mobilizing every season for new members.
Watching television soccer has since become one of the hallmarks of contemporary culture.
Local fans of European football are such an active audience that today; they are reshaping the commercial life of local businesses too. Many small, medium and large corporations are sponsoring soccer shows on local FM station more than any section of the radio segmentation.
Local fans are as active as the ones that go to the stadiums; some are even completely draped in their club colours so that their loyalty is not put into question. The club also began the trend of taking clubs soccer to global tours, which currently are the 'in thing' of many big clubs.
They also increased soccer popularity in Asia with the Beckham at the forefront and currently are supporting the South African cause to host the world cup in 2010 by doing their pre season tours there in recent years.
Manchester United have put the bar of achievement so high that even the brilliant Arsene Wenger and the successful Jose Mourinho will always look up with admiration.
From the era of great names like Roy Keane, remembered for his leadership skills and Paul Scoles, the club has always been on the frontline for trophies and branding.
Now the team has Carlos Tevez, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick, Anderson, and Nani-(Christiano Ronaldo is left out deliberately), the club are set for long term domination.
At this level United is not just competing for local or international trophies but setting trends in the established the culture of soccer.
Ends
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
1999 was not just a landmark year for the 'information age', as it had been reported before the arrival of the magical 99 that all computer chips would stop functioning at the end of that year-all digital information would be lost as a result.
As it happened, the computers never crashed, and instead the technological revolution since then has changed the face and body of society. Like in the world of technology, that transformation has also been seen in world football-Manchester United at the forefront of modern football times.
1999 saw one of the greatest sports moments when Manchester United came from behind to defeat Bayern Munich in the dying minutes of the year's European Champions' league.
Bayern having taken the lead after 10 minutes looked the giants and United were the underdogs, United had to work some magic through David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Teddy Sheringham to snatch victory from the jaws of Bayern Munich in the dying moments of that game.
Since that victory, football has never been the same.
Multi million dollar contracts have been signed with the world's leading television channels, and today, football is the second biggest money making industry in Europe, next only to the airline business according to 2004 official European Union statistics.
Manchester United itself has been the leading club in keeping up with the time. When football became a pop story, as evidenced by the amount of rumour associated with the game today, when it also became big money entertainment, United adopted very well.
With the face of David Beckham, Manchester United also helped stamp the arrival of the English league as a leading football bonanza and to date, the Premiership is considered as the best domestic football competition in the world by many neutral observers.
The acquisition of the club by Malcom Galzer raised a eyebrows among a cross section of football fans but not as much excitement as the Russian at Chelsea, and the cowboys at Liverpool.
After a few seasons, Malcom Galzer disappeared from public view and United has gone back on its own journey, not defined by the owner’s designs but the trends of the game.
Yet, on the pitch Manchester United has been very successful; the club has taken five premiership titles since 1999 and has appeared in more semi finals of the champions' league than any other club on the continent.
Manchester United it can further be argued led the re-branding campaign of soccer the way we know it today, the soccer of active participation by local followers. This is evidenced by local Arsenal and Chelsea membership clubs-who are actively mobilizing every season for new members.
Watching television soccer has since become one of the hallmarks of contemporary culture.
Local fans of European football are such an active audience that today; they are reshaping the commercial life of local businesses too. Many small, medium and large corporations are sponsoring soccer shows on local FM station more than any section of the radio segmentation.
Local fans are as active as the ones that go to the stadiums; some are even completely draped in their club colours so that their loyalty is not put into question. The club also began the trend of taking clubs soccer to global tours, which currently are the 'in thing' of many big clubs.
They also increased soccer popularity in Asia with the Beckham at the forefront and currently are supporting the South African cause to host the world cup in 2010 by doing their pre season tours there in recent years.
Manchester United have put the bar of achievement so high that even the brilliant Arsene Wenger and the successful Jose Mourinho will always look up with admiration.
From the era of great names like Roy Keane, remembered for his leadership skills and Paul Scoles, the club has always been on the frontline for trophies and branding.
Now the team has Carlos Tevez, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick, Anderson, and Nani-(Christiano Ronaldo is left out deliberately), the club are set for long term domination.
At this level United is not just competing for local or international trophies but setting trends in the established the culture of soccer.
Ends
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