Addis Ababa, May 5, 2025 ( ENA A three-day regional conference aimed at setting up the Digital Agro-Climate Advisory Services (DACAS) Knowledge Network throughout the IGAD region commenced today in Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
The conference, organized by IGAD in partnership with AICCRA—Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa—is attended by specialists from IGAD member countries along with regional technical collaborators.
The DACAS Knowledge Network seeks to enhance collaborative efforts and creativity in digital agro-climate advisory services, thereby contributing to the development of climate-resistant food systems throughout East Africa.
At the event, Ethiopia's State Minister of Agriculture, Meles Mekonen, highlighted that the creation of the DACAS Knowledge Network will be crucial in boosting these initiatives through a more targeted and efficient strategy for addressing these issues.
He noted that this network will assist us not just in reducing the effects of climate change but also in predicting and getting ready for upcoming challenges.
The DACAS Knowledge Network aims to promote the sharing of information and insights across major topics like soil health, climate-resilient farming practices, and strategies for enhancing adaptation to climate change.
The state minister mentioned that this initiative will establish an online platform for stakeholders to exchange crucial information and utilize resources aimed at improving food security and sustainability.
IGAD Head of Environment and Natural Resources Daher Elmi Houssein The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), supported by financing from the World Bank, is executing a seven-year initiative focused on enhancing food systems resilience.
The Program Development Objective (PDO) aims to enhance the resilience of food systems and improve readiness for food insecurity in the involved nations.
This workshop aims to promote and synchronize a sustainable and inclusive DACAS platform throughout the member states of IGAD.
The initiative seeks to develop a unified digital agro-climatic information platform aimed at facilitating data sharing, knowledge acquisition, and cooperative efforts. This will bolster the resilience of food systems and encourage climate adaptation alongside sustainable progress.
The network will enable the generation, trading, and distribution of knowledge, as well as encourage the sharing of insights, lessons learned, and exemplary methods among important parties involved, to guide their choices effectively.
Therefore, he indicated that the purpose of this gathering is to assemble prominent specialists and experts from various sectors including ministries of agriculture, national weather bureaus, and agricultural research institutions within IGAD member countries, as well as regional technical collaborators.
The aim is to deliberate upon and ratify the preliminary terms of reference and action plan for the DACAS Knowledge Network, along with formally inaugurating the network.
The IGAD Representative in Ethiopia, Abebaw Bihonegn, mentioned that IGAD has been diligently striving to improve food and nutritional stability, promote the sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection, and develop resilience against calamities and climate shifts throughout the area.
Thus, "The Digital Agro-Climate Advisory plays a crucial role in realizing our vision, and as IGAD, we are pleased that we are nearing the launch of the regional network," he remarked.
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