The network's establishment (through the most dedicated logistical and financial support of IPICS) has provided coordination of the human resources capacity in chemical analysis of pesticide  research within the region and created an interactive atmosphere among researchers in the region and promotion of south-south and north-south collaboration. The regional networking approach in chemical analysis of pesticides research has offered many opportunities, among them the following:

• promotion of the regional research approach to solving common problems

• fostering of intra-regional capacity and capability for the training of both M.Sc. and Ph.D. students

• contribution towards increasing the potential to marshal both decision-makers and political support needed for policy formulations based on research results.

The final version of the constitution recognises the role of the network in Africa’s poverty eradication endeavours noting that “without quality/safety assurance of her agricultural and aquatic products, a key condition in international trade, the products’ competitiveness on the world market and thus Africa’s poverty eradication endeavours are greatly compromised”.

There has been an exchange of seven Ph.D students among the universities of Nairobi, Makerere, Dar es Salaam, Maseno and Addis Ababa. The Ph.D students’ seniority makes them to be very busy at their home universities as some are involved in teaching. The opportunity to go and work in another university, not too far from home, has proved to be a very effective method of enabling students to make “giant leaps” in their research projects. The students (and their supervisors) really appreciate this. As a bonus, these exchanges create close partnership among these future researchers and leaders.

This programme has enabled the exchange of areas of expertise available at one centre in the region to another. For example the novel technique of “Membrane Assisted Extraction and Trace Enrichment of Pollutants in Environmental Samples” has spread from Addis Ababa University to the Universities of Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. There have been seven exchange of researchers visits sponsored by ANCAP.

The first summer school was held in Kampala. It suffices to state here that it was so successful that it was extended for almost twice the intended period. The students expressed unparalleled enthusiasm for the course.

The first regional scientific meeting/symposium was held in Nairobi in August 2002. During the two day symposium, attended by over twenty researchers and students from six countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Sweden and Bangladesh), over twelve papers were orally presented, allowing participants to exchange research expertise, results and experiences. Participants were amazed at the volume of work being done in the region, a fact which determined the destinations of students and researchers in the exchange programmes. One went where the expertise he/she seeks is available within the region. The second one was held in Kampala almost a year later, with the same enthusiasm. The third was held in Arusha, Tanzania in 2004.

ANCAP designs its own website which is regularly updated and maintained.It also does  desktop publishing. As for the latter, this is to ensure that the network can prepare the layouts of its mass communication publications.

 
Future Plans

The network has started a summer school - School of Tropical Pesticide Management (STPM). The school will be held every year and initially it will be permanently based in Kampala, at the University of Makerere where facilities will be established. For the year 2003, the summer school was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 8-20 September, In 2004 it was held in Arusha, Tanzania from 2nd to 6th August, and in 2005 it was held in Kampala, Uganda from 11th to 22nd July.

This may include training of technical staff, M. Sc and Ph. D courses. Trainees' registration can be either in their home university or the cooperating university as conditions deem the same necessary. The basic focus of such training will be on new analytical techniques.

Whenever possible, students' exposure to the experiences of other universities are highly desirable. In this connection, students exchange will be both with regional and external universities, such as European, American and Indian Universities, and will be established for the benefit of both the students and the institutions.

(iv) Researcher/Staff Exchange.

Besides the exchange of academic staff, technical staff involvement in such exchange scheme will also be effected. Staff exchange through sabbatical, research leave and external examiner will be strengthened regionally and externally.

 

• Development of Joint Research Proposal

Development of a joint research proposal based on a concept paper involving four countries, viz., Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, to be sent to the University of Florida. The proposal will be on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

 

Development of Distance Education

The need for distance education courses in undergraduate, graduate and in-service programs has been noted by the network.. Courses that are appropriate for the region, involving students, farmers and farm workers will be designed and delivered in cooperation with other universities in developed countries, e.g., University of Florida.