Draft East African Community fertilizer policy
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Date
2021
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East African Community
Abstract
The East African Community (EAC) Fertilizer Policy has been developed following the Council of Ministers’ Directive, and the EAC Regulatory Framework and Procedures for fertilizer marketing validated and adopted during the 7th EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Security, in Kigali on 5th September 2014. It guides the development of legal instruments, strategies, programmes, and projects in the fertilizer industry in the realization of the overall objective of the EAC within the agricultural sector, to achieve food security and rational agricultural production, in tandem with the EAC Treaty and the EAC Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Strategy. Further, Article 45. 3 (c) and (m) of the EAC Common Market Protocol promotes cooperation in production, availability and distribution of quality farm inputs in sufficient quantities in the Partner States. This calls for harmonized quality and standards of inputs, which includes fertilizer.
The agricultural sector contributes heavily to the livelihoods, growth, and development of the six EAC Partner States, providing food, employment, and incomes to the population. The success of agricultural productivity relies substantially on agricultural inputs, of which fertilizer is key. The coordinated efforts of the EAC Partner States create market advantages that could be leveraged for the development of the fertilizer industry in the region and the ultimate benefit of smallholder farmers. The EAC Fertilizer Policy is, therefore, a strategic move by the EAC Partner States to achieve the goals of the EAC Treaty and the EAC Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Strategy by anchoring the benefits that come with regional integration and harmonization.
The Policy is organized in six sections. Section one contains background information on the situational analysis of the fertilizer industry and policy reforms that have been undertaken at the continental, regional, and Partner State levels relevant to the development of the fertilizer industry in the region. Section two describes the rationale and justification for the formulation of the Policy. Section three describes the goal and objectives of the Policy. Section four spells out the guiding principles by which the Policy and any of the instruments made under it will be directed. Section five details the policy statements. Finally, section six covers implementation and financial arrangements, outlines the roles of stakeholders, and describes the monitoring, coordination, and evaluation mechanisms, along with review of the Policy.
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EAC policy
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East African Community. (2021). Draft East African Community fertilizer policy. East African Community