CTA strategic plan emphasizes efficiency and sustainability

The ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation recently made available its strategic plan 2007-2010.

In his introduction, CTA's Director Hansjörg Neun proposes that CTA will "lobby for appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) policies in ACP countries" and "create more awareness at the level of our authorities in order for them to acknowledge CTA's experience, expertise and potential role in facilitating ACP countries' access to information." The vision is to "make CTA even greater, and its products and services even better known."

"By 2010, CTA is confident that its technical and financial support for capacity building will have enabled an increased number of ACP regional, national and local
networks and organisations to benefit from its products and services, and to acquire improved skills and organisational capability in a wide range of areas."

The new strategic direction targets increased efficiency and improved sustainability by (among other things):

• systematically surveying the appropriate ‘markets’ for information products and services in ACP and EU countries
  
• moving gradually away from somewhat ad hoc and country-targeted assistance towards providing assistance to 'the most needy'
  
• expanding outreach by adopting a more business-oriented approach to dissemination
  
• making information more accessible
  
• using ICTs as CTA's leading resource/innovative force
  
• strengthening collaboration with local networks and change agents at national, regional and international levels.
  

Beyond these strategic changes, the plan resents some 'priority actions for improving CTA's performance', covering: personnel management, ICT use and capacities, financial management, quality control, monitoring and evaluation, partnerships, and public relations.

Tags: agricultural information cta