African Forum for Agricultural
Advisory Services
Inaugural Executive Director of AFAAS takes up his appointment
Dr Silim Nahdy, who was appointed to the post of Executive Director of AFAAS after a competitive international recruitment process, took up his appointment on 1 November 2011.
Dr Nahdy holds a BSc in Zoology and Botany from Makerere University (Uganda), an MSc in Entomology from Khartoum University (Sudan) and a PhD from the University of Reading (UK). He comes to AFAAS with a wealth of experience gained in a career spanning over 30 years and embracing university teaching, scientific research in crop post-harvest systems, as well as planning and managing national agricultural research and advisory services. He led the team that designed the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) of Uganda which he subsequently led as the Executive Director for a period of 10 years. Prior to taking up the NAADS post he was the Director of Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute – one of the Uganda’s premier research institutes.
During his tenure at NAADS he was at the forefront of efforts to mobilise agricultural advisory services (AAS) in Africa for purposes of sharing experiences, seeking common voice in agricultural development forums, and influencing national, regional and international policy agendas for enhancing the effectiveness of AAS.
Dr Nahdy was the inaugural Chairman of the Governing Board of the Sub-Saharan African Network of Agricultural Advisory Services (SSANAAS) in 2004 and continued to serve as Chairman through its transformation into AFAAS in 2006. Through his efforts, both SSANAAS and AFAAS were hosted and resourced by NAADS until funding was provided by the European Union to establish institutional and organisational structures in May 2010.
Dr Nahdy is currently the Chairman of the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), the global body that brings together practitioners of AAS from all over the world.
At his inauguration, Dr Nahdy said, ‘I hope that my leadership will propel AAS as an organisation that enhances the networking of AAS actors for the purposes of contributing to continental agricultural development agendas – most notably the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Dr Nahdy can be contacted at msnahdy@afaas-africa.org
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Given that...
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Most Africans still live in rural areas and are largely dependent on subsistence agriculture
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Most African economies are also greatly dependent on agriculture
... it is logical to conclude that improved agricultural performance will:
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Uplift both physical and economic access to food
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Raise the purchasing power of households
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Generate investment