Following the 6th Special Session of the Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) supported the establishment of the Africa Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA), its’ Constitution and the outcomes of the process leading to the establishment of the Assembly, as the inclusive pan-African policy framework and implementation platform that brings together key stakeholders and actors along the entire ecosystem-based adaptation-driven agriculture value-chain

 With this highest policy recognition by AMCEN countries have a big opportunity to build on the call for these partnerships to implement their INDCs/NDCs as well as ensuring Adaptation Mitigation projects are jointly implemented towards a transition to low-emissions and climate resilient development in order to realize 2030 Agenda for the SDGs and Africa’s Agenda 2063

 Article 7 of the EBAFOSA constitution establishes the structure of EBAFOSA and Country branches are the critical component where impactful activities are undertaken in a country led process. Country branches register local, continental and global actors within the country and facilitate their interactions and mutual partnership to bridge gaps in policy processes, techniques, technology, markets, commercialization, and finance and achieve implementation.

 It is against this backdrop that the Tanzania National Branch hosted by the Tanzania Agricultural Modernization Association (TAMA), a national Non-Governmental Organization   was launched on 26^th August 2016, under the theme “Re-shaping Tanzania’s food security and climate resilience through EBAFOSA”. The launch event under the leadership of the EBAFOSA Tanzania officials, and the government, academia, the private sector, and the non-governmental, attracted over 150 stakeholders representing multiple sectors from government, academia, NGOs, CSOs, individual professionals & citizens, farmers, resident UN agencies with strong media coverage to enhance awareness across the country.

 The EBAFOSA Tanzania was officially launched by the Ministry of Environment. In his statement the Ministry of Environment reiterated that the ministry’s fully supports EBAFOSA and the intervention logic as well as the inclusive stakeholder engagement which is helping to deliver the government agenda and its climate obligation. He noted that EBAFOSA is a pull together approach and should be embraced across the board in all ministries. The noted that the ministry has appointed focal persons to help in bridging policy gaps across sectors and ministries. The Ministry further added that the coming of EBAFOSA is timely to help Tanzania bring both state and non-state actors towards implementation of the Paris Agreement

 He noted that through EBAFOSA, Government Plans will be translated into action especially in the area of energy, food security and climate resilience. He noted that the EBAFOSA policy-action framework gives Tanzania the opportunity to fulfil its INDCs.

 On his part, the UN resident coordinator Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez noted that EBAFOSA is a very innovative idea that is bringing people together and synergizing with ongoing initiatives and is what the UN in Tanzania had always wanted to do. Have everyone under one framework with harmonized actions and progress towards actualizing the SDGs.  He welcomed EBAFOSA and noted that it will be integrated into the UN country work programme

 Mr. Rodriguez further noted that state and non-state actors are key for the country to coordinate actions and initiatives. He further underscored need for involvement of youth and women noting that to effectively create opportunities for these otherwise marginalized groups, it is vital to have them at the center

 He further reiterated the urgent need to shift from talk to action as the only way to address the SDGs and noted that EBAFOSA provides a timely platform for Tanzania. Mr. Rodriguez noted that the inclusiveness of EBAFOSA bringing together all stakeholders is very innovative and can help address so many issues captured in the SDGs and agenda 2030. He committed himself and the country team to fully EBAFOSA Tanzania.

 The broad participation in the launch, especially cross-cutting policy level, UN and other development partners, academia, individual professionals & citizens, private sector coupled with significant media coverage was a crucial achievement for the EBAFOSA Tanzania branch. This in ensuring the launch catalyzes progress in the EBAFOSA stakeholder promotion & mobilization and strategic partnership building, the crucial tenets towards EBAFOSA’s mandate of building targeted policy & action solutions for optimized, climate resilient food systems in Tanzania and Africa.

 As next steps, with guidance from the continental secretariat hosted by the UN Environment and partners, EBAFOSA Tanzania will embark on activities to ensure the promotional aspects and awareness created by the launch event are leveraged to catalyze expedited progress in implementing the EBAFOSA roll-out strategies. A follow up of new contacts from policy level, private sector, academia, NGOs, and resident UN agencies and other International / intergovernmental organizations etc., established at the launch event will be made to ensure their registration and involvement in EBAFOSA Tanzania activities. This will be underpinned by multi-stakeholder mobilization & registration across sectors in Tanzania, and fomenting of mutual multi-level, cross-sectorial partnerships towards bridging implementation gaps at both policy and operational level. Through volunteerism, regional and sectorial focal persons will be recruited to lead in these activities as illustrated in the EBAFOSA Phase two rollout Strategy and Implementation Plan. The EBAFOSA Tanzania national branch will develop an action plan based on this strategy, with timelines and responsible persons through guidance from the continental secretariat to proceed with activities. 

EBAFOSA Tanzania becomes the 10^th National branch to be launched.

Congratulations EBAFOSA Tanzania!

For further information please contact: Richard Munang, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.