RAEIN-Africa is a southern African regional organization, (governed by a seven member board), formed in June 2002 with the objective of facilitating access by communities to user-friendly emerging technologies and the development of policies or mechanisms that facilitate access and guarantees safe and sustainable use of such technologies. The formation of RAEIN-Africa was endorsed by stakeholders in biotechnology and biosafety who participated in a “Southern and eastern African consultative initiative on Biotechnology and Biosafety” in 2001/2002. The driving force behind formation of the Network was the need for innovative research systems to policy and technology development for the benefit of marginalized communities read more
Who is RAEIN-Africa?
The RAEIN-Africa is a registered development oriented NGO who believes in ensuring that its mission and vision is achieved in a bottom up approach, were stakeholders are consulted and technologies and policies are developed only to address the identified needs.
Whose interest does RAEIN-Africa serve?
RAEIN-Africa will thrive to serve the need of the identified stakeholders who include the marginalised communities, scientists and policy makers, development oriented NGOs and the African countries’ developments goals and plans. RAEIN-Africa will base its interventions and strategic partnerships on a shared desire to address identified needs.
How is RAEIN-Africa projects developed?
Whilst the RAEIN-Africa has facilitated the needs assessment and priority setting exercise for biotechnology research and biosafety frameworks development (2001 to 2002 BTZ/RAEIN-led biosafety and biotechnology needs assessment project), the development of intervention strategies will rely on the ability of the network to raise funding for these initiatives. It is in this light that the network is initiating its activities with a programme on biosafety and environment.
What is RAEIN- Africa’s Vision and Mission?
Our vision is to be a recognised and respected stakeholder-driven player in the development and enhancement of the capacity of African communities for purposes of sustainable development through application a broad range of appropriate and safe technologies suited to their socio-economic, cultural, environmental and biological environments. RAEIN-Africa’s mission is to support and promote innovative systems in research, development and adoption of need-driven emerging technologies and to ensure access and safe use of these technologies through facilitating participatory development of appropriate policies.
Who are the beneficiaries of the RAEIN-Africa?
The primary beneficiaries of our programmes are marginalized communities on the continent of Africa, whose livelihoods depend on the productive and sustainable interaction of the environment. The secondary beneficiaries include policy makers and implementers, scientific research institutions and communities, environment conservationists, consumers’ organisations, among others.
What is the RAEIN-Africa approach to technology and Policy development?
Implementation of activities towards the Network’s ideals will use innovative systems, multi stakeholder interactive, participatory and bottom-up approaches.
Where does RAEIN-Africa get its funding?
RAEIN-Africa strives to source for funding from those strategic partners who subscribe to stakeholder driven technology and policy development for sustainable development. In as far as possible the Network will negotiate with the strategic partners for an open plan of implementation bound by the stakeholders’ needs and network driven plan. The Network hopes to solicit for funding from the participating national governments for further development of the identified technologies and policies. Strategic partnership will be formed for various donors to participate. For the Biosafety and Environment Programme (BEP) initiation phase, the RAEIN is being funded by the Directorate General of International Cooperation (DGIS) of the Netherlands Government.
Who governs the work of RAEIN-Africa?
A seven member multidisciplinary regional board that was set up to steer the initiation phase of the programme (See, Board members) RAEIN-Africa’s constitution bides the operations of the network. RAEIN-Africa secretariat is headed by a Regional Director who is experienced in need driven technology development processes. The Country contact persons form the regional working group which plans the Network’s activities and oversees the implementation of the activities at both at national and regional level.
Who are the RAEIN-Africa’s current partners?
Our existing partners are research institutions, civil society organizations, government institutions and NGOs. (Refer to Country Contact Nodes :)
How research themes are identified?
Research themes are identified by analyzing the proposed project and the identified priorities. For the first phase of the programme the areas of intervention are as highlighted under programmes.
Who proposes and implements the research projects?
Research Projects are developed by the members of the network, researchers from NARS and other Governments Ministries, Universities, NGOs and Organizations representing users of the technology. Collaboration at national and regional level is encouraged. Scientists are encouraged to communicate among themselves and identify areas of collaboration. Collaborative work has higher chances of being funded.
How are projects selected?
Projects are supported on a competitive basis thus they are selected through a process of transparent competition, in accordance to the objectives of the programme, evaluated by the National Committee first –any submission to the regional office should have been recommended in writing by the National RAEIN- Africa Coordinating Committee. The Technical Advisory Committee evaluates the project’s technical competence, environmental considerations and cost of implementing the project visa-vis expected outputs. The TAC is therefore an important arm for the implementation of good quality projects.