concept note Fara

1. Concept Note: 19th
FARA Board of Directors’ Meeting
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19th FARA BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
21st
– 22nd
November 2016
FARA Secretariat, Accra, Ghana
CONCEPT NOTE AND DRAFT AGENDA
Background
The 19th FARA Board of Directors meeting is the second statutory sitting for this year. Being the
starting year for implementation of FARA’s recast medium-term (2016-2018) operational plan,
2016 is of special significance because it sets the pace for the rest of the MTOP period. It is also
the year when the Secretariat started operating with a substantially leaner structure to cope
with declining funding. Furthermore, several developments with potentially positive
implications for FARA have taken place this year. These include:
 The emerging institutional arrangements for strengthening the coordination of
agricultural research and development, notably:
o The science for agriculture consortium (S4AC)—which brings together the main
supra-national agricultural research and development organizations to better
coordinate their country-level support towards implementation of the science
agenda for agriculture in Africa. The S4AC was launched in April 2016. In
September 2016, with support from the World Bank, the consortium’s partners
elaborated a concept note that will be shared with potential investors and
stakeholders.
o The CAADP Technical Network for research and extension. This brings together
organizations working in this domain to better coordinate their interventions
towards realization of the African Union’s targets for accelerating African
agriculture growth and transformation. The partners of this network have
selected FARA to serve as its convener/secretariat.
 The African Development Bank’s launch of its agriculture strategy (Feed Africa) in which
the Bank lays out its intention to quadruple investments in agriculture, giving due
attention to research and innovation. Among the first initiatives developed to implement
this strategy is the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT). This

2. Concept Note: 19th
FARA Board of Directors’ Meeting
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initiative is aimed at scaling out proven technologies. FARA has been mandated to
coordinate the capacity development and technology component of this initiative.
 The Kigali roundtable held on the margins of the 7th African Agriculture Science Week and
FARA General Assembly (AASW7) in June 2016 to explore ways of increasing domestic
investment in agricultural research including the financing of supra-national institutions
such as FARA. At this meeting the President of the African Development Bank invited
FARA to lead the formulation and implementation of a mega programme on agricultural
research that will feed the pipeline of technologies to be scaled out by TAAT.
 The AASW7 and the African Green Revolution Forum. These well-attended events served
as effective platforms for stakeholders to network, share information and attract the
attention of policy makers in government and in the private sector.
The proceedings of the last Board meeting were dominated by AASW issues because the meeting
was held only a couple of days before the AASW. The 19th Board meeting will therefore consider
all the important developments since the beginning of the year and provide the needed strategic
guidance.
Purpose and Objectives
In accordance with FARA’s Governance Manual, the second ordinary Board meeting of the year
reviews the progress made since the beginning of the year and considers for approval the work
plan and budget for the following year. Since the 19th Board meeting is the sitting immediately
after the AASW, it will also consider how the resolutions made by the General Assembly will be
taken forward.
Therefore, the objectives of the 19th Board of Directors meeting are to:
 Track implementation of decisions made at the last Board meeting;
 Review progress in implementation of the 2016 Workplan and Budget as well as report
on previously unforeseen activities that were necessitated by emerging opportunities;
 Review and consider for approval the workplan and budget for 2017;
 Provide guidance on how vacant Board positions shall be filled;
 Provide guidance on how FARA shall engage in the S4AC and the CAADP technical
network on research and extension;
 Provide guidance on strengthening the Board’s effectiveness, notably through a Board
induction exercise and responding to findings of the last self-assessment by the Board;
 Receive a report from the World Bank on the status of FARA’s multi-donor trust fund.

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FARA Board of Directors’ Meeting
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Expected Outputs
i. Progress and performance reports adopted;
ii. The Secretariat’s Work plan and Budget for 2017 approved;
iii. FARA’s coordination role of the S4AC and the CAADP Technical Network on research
and extension endorsed;
iv. Process for filling Board vacancies endorsed;
v. Induction and Board Training Strategy endorsed.
Approach and Activities
The 19th Board of Directors’ meeting will span two working days, from 21st to 22nd November
2016. Directors are expected to arrive on Saturday 19th November. The following day, Sunday
20th November is reserved for reading Board papers. FARA Board meetings are now “paperless”.
Board papers will be uploaded on a dedicated webpage for this meeting.
The first business day of the Board, i.e. 21st November, will be devoted to Board Committee
meetings which are open sessions. These Committees will be constituted during the opening
session. The second day (22nd November) will be a closed session.
Open sessions involve participation of the Board Directors, development partners, invited
partners and selected FARA Secretariat staff. Closed sessions are restricted to Board Directors
and others specifically invited by the Chairperson, e.g. development partners, invited observers
and interpreters.
A draft agenda for the meeting is presented below.
Venue
The FARA Secretariat, Accra, Ghana
Duration
Two days: 21 - 22 November 2016

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FARA Board of Directors’ Meeting
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19th FARA BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
Accra, Ghana 21-22 November 2016
Draft Agenda
Saturday 19th November 2016: Arrival of Board Directors
Sunday 20th November 2016: Reading day
Day 1 – Monday 21st November 2016
Opening Session1
Time Agenda Item
Responsible
Person(s)
Document (s)
0900 – 0905 Welcome remarks
Dr. Yemi
Akinbamijo
Welcome note
(for information)
0905 – 0915
Declaration of interest
Assignment of proxies
Dr. Ephraim
Mukisira
Declaration of interest form
(hard copy)
0915 - 1015
Opening remarks; Review and
adoption of the agenda
Provisional Agenda of the 19th
FARA Board of Directors’
meeting
(for adoption)
Review of minutes of the 18th ordinary
Board meeting and approval for
signature
Minutes of the 18th Board of
Directors’ Meeting
(for adoption)
Review and adoption of report on the
implementation of decisions from the
18th Board of Directors’ meeting
Report on implementation
status of decisions from the 18th
Board of Directors’ meeting
(for information)
Assignment of Directors to Board
Committees
Proposed composition of Board
Committees
(for decision)
1015 – 1045 Coffee / Tea / Health Break
1
The opening session is closed. It is attended by Board Directors and invited observers only.

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FARA Board of Directors’ Meeting
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Time Agenda Item
Responsible
Person(s)
Document (s)
BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS2
1045 – 1300 Programme Committee3
Opening
Review and adoption of the agenda
Review and approval of minutes of the
last Programme Committee meeting
Committee
Chairperson
Minutes of the last Programme
Committee Meeting
(for adoption)
2016 Q1-Q3 Programme Progress and
performance reports
2017 Annual Workplan
Dr. Irene Annor-
Frempong and
the Programme
Team
2016 Q1-Q3 Performance and
monitoring report
Draft 2017 Annual Workplan
(for information / decision)
Summary of recommendations
Committee
Chairperson
1300 – 1400 Lunch Break
1400 – 1630 Finance and Audit Committee
Opening and review and adoption of
the agenda
Review of minutes of the last
Committee meeting and adoption of
report on implementation of the
Committee’s recommendations
Committee
Chairperson
Minutes of the last Finance and
Audit Committee Meeting and
status of implementation of
committee decisions
(for adoption)
Finance Report for Q1-Q3
Budget for FY 2017
Mr. Johnson
Ukpong
Finance Report for Q1-Q3 and
Budget for FY 2017
(for information / decision)
Internal Audit Report
Internal Audit plan for 2017
Mr. Prince
Bosompim
Internal Audit Report for Q1-Q3
and 2017 workplan
(for information / decision)
Human Resources and Administration
(HRA) progress report for Q1-Q3
HRA plan for 2017
Mrs. Ama
Tabiou-Malkaye
Human resources and
administration progress report
for Q1-Q3 and 2017 workplan
(for information / decision)
Summary of recommendations Committee
Chairperson
1630 End of Day 1; departure to hotel
2
Finance & Audit and Nominations & Governance committee meetings will be held in parallel sessions.
3
All FARA Professional Staff are invited to participate in the Programme Committee meeting.

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FARA Board of Directors’ Meeting
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Time Agenda Item
Responsible
Person(s)
Document (s)
1400 – 1630 Nominations and Governance
Committee
Opening and review and adoption of
the agenda
Review of minutes of the last
Committee meeting and adoption of
report on the implementation of
Committee recommendations
Dr. Bakari Traoré
(Chairperson)
Minutes of last Nominations
and Governance Committee
Meeting and status of
implementation of committee
decisions
(for adoption)
Filling Board Vacancies
 Private Sector representative
 NGOs and Foundations
representative
Proposal on selection of
representatives of the private
sector and NGOs and
Foundations on the Board of
FARA
(for decision)
Responding to findings of the last
Board self-assessment
Report of the last self-
assessment by the Board
(for decision)
Board induction exercise Proposal of the Board induction
exercise
(for information / decision)
Summary of recommendations
1630 End of Day 1; departure to hotel

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FARA Board of Directors’ Meeting
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Day 2 – Tuesday, 22nd
November 2016
(Closed Session)
Time Agenda Item Responsible Person(s) Documents
0900 – 1015 Executive Director’s
Report
Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo Executive Director’s report
(for information / decision)
1015 – 1045 Report of the Programme
Committee
Committee Chairperson Programme Committee
Report
(for decision)
1045 – 1115 Coffee / Tea / Health break
1115 – 1145 Report of Nominations
and Governance
Committee
Dr. Bakari Traoré Nominations and Governance
Committee Report
(for decision)
1145 – 1215 Report of the Finance and
Audit Committee
Committee Chairperson Finance and Audit Committee
Report
(for decision)
1215 – 1245 World Bank report on
FARA’s MDTF
Dr. Willem Janssen FARA MDTF implementation
support mission Aide-mémoire
(for information / decision)
1245 – 1345 Lunch
1345 – 1445 Reports by Board
Directors
Board Directors Board Directors’ Reports
(for information/decision)
1445 – 1515 AOB Dr. Ephraim Mukisira
1515 - 1545 Statement by
Development Partners
TBD Statement by Development
Partners
(for noting)
1545 – 1600 Date and venue of the
next Board meeting
Adjournment
Dr. Ephraim Mukisira
1600 End of meeting