Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in East and Central Africa (ASARECA)

The Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in East and Central Africa (ASARECA) is "a non-political organization of the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) of ten countries: Burundi, D. R. Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. It aims at increasing the efficiency of agricultural research in the region so as to facilitate economic growth, food security and export competitiveness through productive and sustainable agriculture."

ASARECA promotes market-oriented agriculture, with a secondary goal of promoting and exchanging agricultural research and development. The group advocates for the development, introduction, and use of biotechnology, including genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and works to help East and Central African nations write and implement biosafety laws that legalize GMOs in those countries. ASARECA is a partner organization to the Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS).

History
"ASARECA was established, following the approval of the "Framework for Action for Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa", by a meeting of stakeholders held in Kampala, Uganda, in November 1993." A Memorandum of Agreement establishing ASARECA was signed in September 1994, and ASARECA became operational in October 1994, based in Entebbe, Uganda.

Biotechnology and Biosafety Programme (ECABIO)
ASARECA's Biotechnology and Biosafety Programme (ECABIO)

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * USAID Promotion of Agricultural Biotechnology
 * Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project (ABSP) I
 * Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project (ABSP) II
 * Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS)
 * U.S. State Department Promotion of Agricultural Biotechnology
 * GMO Policies by Country

External Articles

 * "USAID Announces International Biotech Collaboration: Says program will help poor countries reduce hunger," FASonline, June 12, 2002.