Governance

The Regional Steering Committee (RSC) provides the overall policy and strategic direction for AHI. The terms of reference are to:

  • provide the overall policies and strategic direction
  • review progress and approve the annual work plans and budget
  • deal with any other pertinent matters reflecting on the implementation of the program
  • set up and convene task forces as needed
  • advise on recruitment and appointments and other personnel issues
  • report to the ASARECA CD through the Regional Coordinator

In the interest of cost and efficiency the size of the RSC has the following members: IARCs (3), NARIs (1 per implementing country from headquarters) (5), ASARECA through the secretariat or designate (1), NPPs (2), donors (approximately 2-4), and the Regional Coordinator. Other donors are welcome to join and other members may be co-opted if needed. The RSC meets once per year, unless there is need for an adhoc meeting. The Regional Coordinator is responsible for convening the RSC meetings and for reporting on progress, issues and work plans to the RSC. The proposed regional structure is displayed in the figure above.

There is discussion between donors and ASARECA secretariat on the pros and cons of RSC's as a mechanism for deciding program direction and expenditure, as some members of the RSCs benefit from the resource allocation. The "NRM group" is considering a proposal to share an oversight committee which has no vested interest. ASARECA has also installed a CGS, and one of its features is to make the program definition linked to a higher level regional research agenda rather than funding NARS programs across the region. AHI will be following the agreed upon ASARECA strategy on this if it changes in the near future. AHI, as a member of the NRM group, is contributing to the derivation of possible regional research priorities and this may have a larger determining factor on its own agenda in the future, or alternatively, create more space for AHI to implement its mandate within the set of ASARECA NPPs.