ECARRN Management and Partnerships

The network is managed by a Regional Steering Committee (RSC), which has a maximum of 14 members of which 10 are from member countries. Ex-officio members include: a representative of the ASARECA Secretariat; a representative of WARDA as a host-institution; a representative from IRRI. Donor representatives; and representatives from other advanced research institutes can be co-opted. The structure of this committee is decided and regularly reviewed by the Regional Stakeholders’ Forum to ensure adequate representation of the member countries as well as categories of Stakeholders that are members of the network. The stakeholders include members of Regional Steering Committee, NARS, Universities, community based organizations, private sectors, Rice Seed production companies (private and public), IRRI, WARDA, CIRAD, JICA, ASARECA Secretariat, NGOs and Rice Farmers’ Associations.

The Chair of the RSC rotates among the member countries on annual basis in conformity with the practice within ASARECA. Each year the Steering Committee elects a Vice-Chair who assumes the Chair in the following year.  The Chair, Vice-Chair, one member and the Regional Coordinator constitutes an Executive Committee that can be called to make decisions on behalf of the RSC in case of urgent matters in between meetings of the RSC.