AFAAS – Legal Services and Registration of Eastern Africa Field School Support Hub

African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) is a Continental body that brings National Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) under one umbrella. The AFAAS’ goal is “Enhanced utilization of improved knowledge and technologies by agricultural value chain actors to catalyze sustainable inclusive agricultural development to feed and create prosperity for Africa”. AFAAS is currently hosting the Eastern Africa Field School Support Hub (FS-Hub). The Hub enables: FS actors to have access to quality information on FS and are actively engaged in peer networking and knowledge sharing; Enhanced levels of institutionalization, in policy and practice of the FS approach in the region. The FS-Hub is rooted in the Field School (FS) approach. The FS approach provides a platform at community level for putting in practice client-driven and participatory advisory services linking technology innovation with indigenous knowledge to enhance food security of vulnerable communities. The last years have seen a rapid expansion of the FS approach (Farmer Field Schools, Pastoralist Field Schools and other adaptations) in the Eastern Africa sub-region accompanied with increasing demand for knowledge management, sharing and quality control. The FSH vision is to see “Farmers and Agro-pastoralists transforming their livelihoods’’. While the mission is to be a leading regional center of excellence for quality FS implementation” in the Eastern Africa Region. AFAAS with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other donors is facilitating FS networking and technical support to FS initiatives in 11 countries, namely; Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The envisaged support is targeted on enhancing quality assurance for FS implementation and knowledge sharing on FS good practices and innovations.

The FS-Hub hub is to be linked to regional and national research and development organizations for update information on new technologies and innovations of relevance to the FS community. AFAAS mandate is to establish the FS Hub as an independent entity with funding mechanisms that ensure long term sustainability embedded in AFAAS network. The independent FS Hub will be characterised by scheduled hub board meetings, constitution, transition plans, funding strategy and multi-faceted donor agreements. One of the key success factors for the Field Schools will be its legal status in the region and host which is currently Uganda also the host of AFAAS. AFAAS is therefore, seeking services of an experienced individual(s) to provide legal services to review the draft Constitution and Articles of Association, and lead in the registration of FS Support Hub as legal entity with Uganda Non- Governmental Organizations’ Board.