Two Researchers from the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) together with officials from Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) were nominated to participate in training and later development of an agricultural market model for Uganda.
Corti Paul Lakuma and Dr. Francis Mwesigye both Research Fellows at EPRC were part of the African scientists and experts trained on application of the European Union‘s Agricultural Member States Modelling also called AGMEMOD.
AGMEMOD is a scientific tool applied to evaluate agriculture market development caused by agricultural policies, farming decisions and environment. Efforts are being made to integrate African sates starting with Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia. The model is important to policymaking in African countries, especially now that food price volatility and climate change present a threat to food security.
The 5-day course hosted at the Thunen Institute aimed at improving the knowledge of participants and supporting them to develop country specific models based on the AGMEMOD framework and take into account existing coupling and feedback effects from farms and country specific structures.
According to Dr. Mwesigye, the AGMEMOD course offered insights into the agricultural economic theory and econometric analysis of dynamic and multi-product partial equilibrium model that allows a researcher and policymaker to make projections and simulations to evaluate national, regional and international measures, programmes and policies that affect agriculture.
The course was conducted by modeling experts from the Thunen Institute’s departments of market analysis and farm economics, who supported the participants in test building country specific models. The country teams will collect data in readiness of full implementation of the model at the country, regional and international level.