Establishment of Bases for African Human Capacity Building

I. Basic data

Sector(s):	Human Capacity Building (related with engineering, agricultural development, environment, appropriate technology, poverty reduction, and private sector development)
Title:	Establishment of Bases for African Human Capacity Building
Donor country / organization:	Japan
Other donors / organizations involved:	UNCRD, World Bank and other donors are expected to participate.
Beneficiary countries / regions:	Kenya and other Sub-Saharan African countries
Implementing agencies in beneficiary countries / regions:	Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya
Duration:	indefinite
Starting Date:
Project / Program budget:
Finance/Type of Cooperation:	grant, technical cooperation (Japan International Cooperation Agency)

II. Project / program description

Objectives
To strengthen support for inter/intra regional cooperation for human capacity building.
Activities / contents
Existing appropriate institutes or project sites of development assistance in Africa should be utilized as Bases for African Human Capacity Building (BAHCB).
BAHCB is expected to have the following functions:
(i) Practical, interdisciplinary research on development
(ii) Dispatching and receiving researchers/specialists on issues related to African Development
(iii) A unit of information network
(iv) Training in the social development field
Targets of BAHCB activities are not only people in the country where BAHCB exists but also people in other African countries.
Japan, as the first step, plans to cooperate with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya, one of the most successful project site of nearly twenty years Japanese cooperation. JKUAT will serve as one of the BAHCB.
Expected outcomes / impact
(i) Ordinary people in Africa, such as poor farmers, can utilize applied technology and skills which come from university-level research through extension activities by community leaders.
(ii) Universities and institutes in Africa, Asia and other regions can mutually benefit through exchange of information and researchers related to African development.
(iii) Private-sector in Africa and other regions can also expect to obtain benefit through activities such as consignment of research on African indigenous resources and information exchange on specification of African products and natural resources.
Features in line with the Agenda for Action
This project will contribute to strengthening human capacity building in Africa. If similar bases are established in other regions in Africa, building a network among these bases would be effective for promoting regional cooperation. In this context, other Japanese project sites such as Japan-Senegal Vocational Training Centre in Senegal and School of Veterinary Medicine in University of Zambia are also under consideration to be other Bases for African Human Capacity Building. To formulate basic design of these bases, Japan dispatches survey mission.
It would be most welcome if other donors would establish similar bases which could be other units of network in each field.

III. Contact point:

Technical Cooperation Division, Economic Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan

(End)

Back to Index