The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched an e-learning platform to support the ECOWAS Agriculture Policy (ECOWAP).
The platform aims to provide training and information on farming techniques to stakeholders, particularly farmers in rural areas. 3The initiative, held in Lagos, focuses on addressing knowledge gaps in underserved farming communities across West Africa.
According to ECOWAS, about 30 experts, project coordinators, and program managers from the Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and the Regional Agencies for Agriculture and Food (RAAF) are involved in implementing the program.
These efforts are directed at areas with limited access to agricultural knowledge and practices.
Speaking on related developments, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Massandje Toure-Litse, discussed the role of the technical working group meeting on the Regional Special Economic Zone (RSEZ).
She stated, “The meeting aimed to consider the regulatory and institutional framework document that will guide the creation of Special Economic Zones in Member States of the Community.”
The group reviewed a 64-page document containing recommendations to help ECOWAS fulfill the provisions of Article 3 of the 1993 Revised Treaty and the strategies in Chapter 14 of the ECOWAS Investment Policy.
The proposed draft Act outlines a framework for governing various aspects of the Special Economic Zones, including their designation, establishment, location, design, financing, development, operation, management, governance, and closure within the region.
Director of Private Sector, Dr. Tony Elumelu, commented on the document, noting that the review identified areas requiring alignment with existing texts.
He said, “We must ensure seamless integration into existing regulations, provide authoritative guidance on immigration and customs procedures, and infuse the document with the necessary academic rigor.”