The agricultural extension community of practice in the Arab-speaking parts of the world is proposing to establish a new regional advisory services network under the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS). This new regional network will be called the Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) and would seek participation from as many as nineteen countries across North Africa and the Middle East.
A meeting was convened in Cairo, Egypt, July 24-25, 2023, to discuss foundational documents for AFRAS and a road map for its establishment. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) supported preparations for the meeting and provided facilitation for the meeting itself. Much of the meeting was devoted to a discussion of a draft document presenting the first version of the proposed vision, mission, and functions of the new network.
A part of the meeting was devoted to learning from the experiences of other regional networks from around the world. Representatives of similar networks in Africa and South Asia were invited to share their experiences. The NAAAN, currently the newest such network, was invited to share lessons learned in the start-up phase of establishing a regional network. David Nielson, Senior Advisor to the NAAAN Secretariat, presented the NAAAN experience.
Drawing upon the experiences from networks around the world and also drawing upon the discussions in Cairo, a revised document that has the support of meeting participants will be developed. The new network will be launched in the coming months.
This meeting marked a significant step towards establishing AFRAS. The NAAAN was featured as an example of emerging networks within GFRAS, promising to enhance global sustainable agricultural practices and rural development.