KENYA: Stakeholders of Agricultural Initiative Program in Africa Meets to evaluate the Projects Progress
Among the key objectives of the meeting which took place at the Resurrection Garden in Nairobi Kenya between 11th to 15th March, 2018, included evaluation of the scholarship programs, evaluation of the progress of funded projects as well as charting the way forward.
Social Communications Department (Left) and
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo AMECEA Justice
and Peace Coordinator (2nd Left) welcomes a section of
Participants of the Agricultural Initiative Program
Evaluation Meeting at AMECEA Secretariat where the
participants had paid a courtesy call
Over 30 participants who included PMS Directors, Vice Chancellors of Catholic Universities in the Region as well as other stakeholders from seven countries including Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, United States of America and Zambia attended the meeting, which was opened by Rt. Rev. Peter Kihara Kariuki, I.M.C. Bishop of Marsabit on behalf of all Bishops in Africa. Bishop Kihara is the chairman of Commission for Missions at the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishop.
According to the Regional Coordinator for Agriculture Initiative Program in Africa Rev. Fr. Celestino Bundi, the education component of the program has seen a total of 100 students receiving scholarships which targets project managers to building their capacities for better management and utilizations of idle and underutilized Church land.
“The already funded programs are meant to improve food security and consequently livelihood of communities as well as offer alternative revenue streams to support the direct work of evangelization of the Church,” Fr. Bundi explained adding that the initiative is as a result of the appeal from the Holy Father Pope Francis to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in 2013 where he said that, Africa is very rich with resources and there was need to assist the continent so that permanent solutions to the recurrent famine and drought are established rather than interventions of the humanitarian response.
According to Fr. Bundi, the initiative which looked like a dream is now a reality. The project to put to proper use unutilized and idle Church land for Agricultural productions officially began in 2014 and so far has been implemented in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia. Tanzania will come immediately and thereafter Rwanda and Nigeria. Following their just concluded evaluation meeting in Nairobi adding that, many countries have expressed interest and are ready to have the program implemented.
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By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
