Ethiopian Agricultural Research Council and Secretariat Establishment Council of Ministers Regulation No. 383-2016

 COUNCIL  OF  MINISTERS  REGULATION  No.383/2016

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS  REGULATION TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL

RESEARCH COUNCIL AND SECRETARIAT

 

      This Regulation is issued by the Council of Ministers pursuant to Articles 5 and 39 of the Definition of Powers and Duties of Executive Organs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Proclamation No. 916/2015.

 

PART ONE

GENERAL

 

1. Short Title

This Regulation may be cited as the “Ethiopian Agricultural Research Council and Secretariat Establishment Council of Ministers Regulation No. 383/2016”.

2. Definition

    In this Regulation:

1/ “National Agricultural Research System” means a collection of institutions engaged in the agricultural research within the country;

2/ “institution” means a federal, regional or higher education institution, or public or private enterprise authorized by law to conduct agricultural research activities;

3/ “agricultural research” means a research undertaking to advance production and productivity in the areas of plants, animals and natural resources;

4/ “natural resource” includes soil, forestry and water related to agriculture.

 

PART TWO

ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

 

3. Establishment

1/The Ethiopian Agricultural Research Council (in this Regulation referred to as “the Council”) is hereby established.

 

2/ The Council shall be accountable to the Prime Minister.

 

4. Objective

The objective of the Council shall be to coordinate, lead, set directions and build capacity of the national agricultural research system by fostering partnership and collaborative research to enable the research system to avail agricultural technologies and knowledge that would contribute for rapid and sustainable economic development of the country.

 

5. Members of the Council

The Council shall have the following members:

 

 

1/ a Government appointee……………...…Chairperson

 

2/ the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Ministry………………….………..……....member

3/ the Minister of Livestock and Fishery Resources Ministry………………….………………...member

4/ the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change Ministry……………………….....….member

 

5/  Heads of Regional Agriculture and Natural Resources Bureau ……………………………...…….…..member

 

 

 

6/  Heads of Regional Livestock and Fisheries Bureau …………………………………………….member

7/  Heads of Regional Pastoralist Development Bureau………………………….…………member

8/ the Director General of Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute ……………………….…member

9/  Director Generals of Regional Agricultural Research Institutes…………………...……member

10/    Director General of Ethiopian Environment and Forest Research Institute ………….……..member

11/    seven research vice-presidents represented at cluster level from the higher education institutes engaged in agricultural  research activities ……………………………………….…..member 

12/    a Research Director of Ethiopian Sugar Corporation……………………….……..member

 

 

13/  a representative from other private and public enterprises engaged in agricultural research activities…………………………………..member

6. Powers and Duties of the Council

 

   The Council may  have the following powers and duties:

 

1/ set directions, support, coordinate and lead the national agricultural research system to undertake agricultural research by maintaining its scientific content in line with the national development policy and strategy;

 

 

2/ without prejudice to sub-article (1) of this Article, the Council shall have the following powers and duties:

 

 

a) coordinate and lead agricultural research institutions to enable them fulfill their responsibilities of delivering agricultural technologies in collaboration and partnership;

b) advise the Government in respect of matters related to agricultural research policy;

c) support national agricultural research institutions to build their skilled manpower and state of the art research infrastructure based on the technology needs of the country; lay down incentive and reward system;

 

d) establish an efficient and effective system for procurement, installation, calibration, testing, repair and disposal of research equipment in conformity with international scientific standards;

 

e) establish a system whereby national agricultural research institutions undertake their research in a coordinated and integrated manner to promote the efficiency research infrastructures;

f)   cause the alignment of agricultural research programs with the national development plan and strategy and set priorities accordingly;

g) provide support to research programs and projects to implement them in a coordinated and integrated manner with due attention to the country’s technological demands without losing their scientific contents and provide budgetary support to selected programs and projects being implemented in a coordinated and integrated manner, and monitor, evaluate and approve same;

h) develop a system for demand creation for breeder seed and animal varieties, knowledge and other improved agricultural technology products generated by the agricultural research system;

 

 

i)   establish performance based motivation and retention system to motivate and retain manpower in the national agricultural research system;

j) establish a system that enables efficient utilization of funds secured to build research capacity of the organs of the agricultural research system;

7. Powers and Duties of Chairperson of the Council

1/ The Chairperson of the Council shall oversee the secretariat.

 

2/  Without prejudice to the provision of sub-article (1) of this Article, the Chairperson shall:

a) summon and preside over regular and emergency meetings of the Council;

b) Nominate candidates for positions of research sector coordinators of the Secretariat; submit the same for approval by the Council

8. Meetings of the Council

1/    The Council shall hold meetings at any time when called by the Chairperson.

 

2/    There shall be a quorum when more than half of the members are present.

 

3/    Decisions of the Council shall be passed by majority vote; however, in case of a tie, the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.

4/    The Council may, without prejudice to the provisions of this Article, adopt its own rules of procedure.

 

 

PART THREE

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SECRETARIAT

 

9. Establishment

1/  The Ethiopian Agricultural Research Secretariat (in this Regulation referred to as the “Secretariat”) is hereby established as an autonomous federal government office having its own legal personality.

 

 

2/      The Secretariat shall be accountable to the Prime Minister.

 

 

10. Head Office

The Secretariat shall have its head office in Addis Ababa and may have branch offices in the regions, as may be necessary.

 

11. Powers and Duties of the Secretariat

The Secretariat shall have the following powers and duties: 

 

1/    build capacity, support and coordinate the organs of the agricultural system in accordance with the direction set by the Council to efficiently carryout agricultural research activities through partnership, collaboration and in consultation with each other;

 

 

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2/ Without prejudice to the generality of the provision of sub-article (1) of this Article the Secretariat shall:

 

      a)  provide support to the Council so as to discharge its powers and duties specified under Article 6(2) of this Regulation;

 

b)  serve as Secretariat of the Council;

c) monitor and evaluate research undertakings of the national agricultural system constituents, prepare report, provide feedback and submit report to the body to which it is accountable;

d) create conducive condition, as may be necessary, for the acquisition of ownership of intellectual property rights for technologies, knowledge, process and information generated from the national agricultural research system;

 

e) support capacity building of agricultural research centers; develop criteria for assessing competence of same; and evaluate and accredit as centers of excellence upon meeting the criteria;

 

 

 

f)   organize various forums to establish strong bond between agricultural research institutions and research output consumers;

g) issue license for foreign research institutions intending to undertake agricultural research in partnership with national agricultural research institutions; evaluate and revoke license;

 

 

h) coordinate and lead relations and joint projects with foreign countries and institutions to build the capacity of national agricultural research system;

 

i)  collect and organize national data and scientific publications generated by the agricultural research system and create conducive conditions for utilization of same;

 

j)   perform day to day activities of the Council;

 

k) own property, enter into contract, sue and be sued in its own name;

l)  Carry on such other activities necessary for the fulfillment of its objective.

12. Organization of the Secretariat

 

     1/ The Secretariat shall have:

 

a)  a Chief Coordinator and Deputy  Coordinator to be assigned by the Government; and

 

b)  research sector coordinators; and

 

c) the necessary technical and administrative support staffs.

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2/ The Coordinators to be assigned pursuant to sub-article (1) of this Article shall have ample experience and necessary educational qualification in the field of agricultural research.

 

13.Powers and Duties of the Chief Coordinator

1/ The Chief Coordinator of the Secretariat shall serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Secretariat and shall, subject to the general direction of the Council, direct and manage the day to day activities of the Secretariat.

 

 

2/     Without prejudice to the generality of sub-article (1) of this Article, the Chief Coordinator of the Secretariat shall:

 

 

a) exercise the powers and duties of the Secretariat stipulated under Article 11 of  this Regulation;

 

b) employ and administer employees of the Secretariat in accordance with federal civil service laws;

 

c) prepare and submit to Council work plan and budget of the Secretariat and implement the same upon approval;

d) effect expenditure in accordance with the approved budget and work plan of the Secretariat;

 

 

e) represent the Secretariat in its dealings with third parties;

 

 

 

f) prepare and submit performance and financial report of the Secretariat to the Council;

 

3/    The Chief Coordinator of the Secretariat may delegate part of his powers and duties to other employees of the Secretariat to the extent necessary for the efficient performance of the activities of the Secretariat.

 

 

 

 

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14.Powers and Duties of the Deputy Coordinator

      The Deputy Coordinator shall:

 

 

1/    assist the Chief Coordinator in planning, organizing, directing and coordinating the activities of the Secretariat;

2/    perform other duties specifically assigned to him by the Chief Coordinator;

3/    act on behalf of the Chief Coordinator in his absence.

15.Budget of the Secretariat

The budget of the Secretariat shall be allocated by the Government.

 

16. Books of Accounts of the Secretariat

1/ The Secretariat shall keep complete and accurate books of accounts;

2/  The books of accounts and financial documents of the Secretariat shall be audited annually by the Auditor General or by an auditor designated by him.

 

 

17. Effective Date

This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of  publication in the Federal Negarit Gazette.

Addis Ababa, this 23 ^rd day of  March  2016

HILEMARIAM   DESALEGN

PRIME MINISTER OF THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA