Members of the press, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Philip M. Kiriro, the President of the Eastern African Farmers Federation. This is a regional network of farmer’s organisations including producer cooperatives, National commodity associations and women and youth organizations in agriculture.
EAFF has 20 members in 10 countries i.e. Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, south Sudan, Uganda, DRC, and Djibouti.
As a Federation, we represent and advocate for Eastern African Farmers interest and build their capacities for ultimate good being and to ensure that we have a prosperous and cohesive farming community in Eastern Africa that is economically and socially empowered.
I am here in Djibouti since yesterday leading a minimum of six Regional farmer leaders and technical people from my Federation. The objective of my mission in Djibouti is to have a discussion with IGAD on how we can collaborate more closely on issues of Agriculture and rural development and as such focus more closely in ensure ling that our people are food secure.
As you are aware IGAD region is seriously food insecure. We are known for receiving over 40% of world food aid yet we constitute only 3% of the global population. Trade in imported food is enormous. Our main worry is that the situation seems to be getting worse.
Our meeting with IGAD was fruitful as we were able to meet with the Executive Secretary H. E. (Egn) Mahboub M. Maalim CBS, OGW and his team.  We agreed on areas of collaboration in Agriculture and even to work more closely in formulating IGAD regional Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Compact (CAADP). We also agreed to formalize our relationship through an MOU or an IGAD Chapter in our organization.
We also made a courtesy call to the Ministry of Agriculture where we were well received by the Minister of Agriculture Hon. Mohamed Ahmed Awaleh. We discussed many issues around Agriculture in Djibouti and the region and government goodwill and support to producer organization in Djibouti and requested the Minister to join other Ministers in IGAD as GOODWILL AMBASSADOR of Eastern African Farmers Federation.
Before the end of my mission, we intend to have a meeting with our member organization, the Livestock Breeders Association of Djibouti and also make some field visits to this great Nation.
Thank you all and God bless.
P.M. KIRIRO
PRESIDENT EAFF
DATE: 24TH JANUARY, 2012
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