2.1 To improve liaison between agricultural economists with an interest in
African issues at the regional and international levels;
2.2.
To promote training, research, policy dialogue and interest in
Agricultural Economics on the continent of Africa as envisaged in Article 3.
2.3.
To contribute to broad based rural development, poverty reduction, food
security and sustainable use of natural resources in the continent of Africa. An
interim committee was formed to develop the constitution further and to organize
the official launch of the association.
Article 3:
Activities
3.1 AAAE shall
organize a continental conference once in two years.
3.2 AAAE may arrange
and/or assist adhoc symposia, lectures or discussions at national or regional
level.
3.3 AAAE may publish
Newsletters to make known its activities and those of its members as well as
other matters of importance.
3.4 AAAE may publish a
journal.
3.5 AAAE may support
and/or publish meritorious papers on Agricultural Economics on an ad hoc basis.
3.6 AAAE may give
recognition to persons who have rendered exceptional service over a long period
of time, in the interests of education and research in Agricultural Economics as
well as in its application in Africa.
3.7 AAAE may affiliate
with other organizations on condition that the rights of member are not
prejudiced and may collaborate with organizations with which AAAE is affiliated
when such affiliation and collaboration furthers the aims of AAAE.
3.8 AAAE may permit
other organizations to affiliate and collaborate with it provided that such
affiliation and collaboration will promote the objectives of AAAE, and subject
to such regulations as may be prescribed by AAAE.
3.9 AAAE may support
worthy activities of any affiliated member, associations financially or
otherwise, provided that such activities promote the objectives of AAAE.
Article 4:
Membership
4.1 Membership
consists of Ordinary members, Student Members, Associate Members and Fellows
4.1.1 Ordinary Members,
are members who:
a) have
obtained at least a three‑year university degree specializing in Agricultural Economics, Economics and/or other
applications of Economics.
b) have an
interest in the application of Agricultural Economics on account of their experience, position and/or profession,
provided that their membership will promote the
objectives of AAAE.
4.1.2 Student Members are
bona fide undergraduate and full‑time post‑graduate students in Agricultural
Economics, Economics and/or other applications of Economics
4.1.3 Associate Members
are Companies, Agricultural Control Boards, Agricultural Cooperatives and other
bodies who have an interest in agriculture.
4.1.4 Fellows are persons
who have substantially contributed to the activities of AAAE and who have been
proposed as Fellows in the prescribed way.
4.2 Applications for
Ordinary Membership, Student Membership and Associate Membership for AAAE shall
be made on a form approved by AAAE for this purpose.
4.3 The election of
any member as fellows will only take place after receipt by AAAE of a written
proposal, signed by at least six Ordinary Members and/or Associate Members of
AAAE. The proposal must give the name and address of the proposed Fellows as
well as a complete account of the reasons for the proposal in terms of the
regulations under Article 4.1.4 of this Constitution.
4.4 Members'
Obligations
4.4.1 Subscriptions for
each conference period as decided by AAAE from time to time. Fellows are
exempted from paying membership fees.
4.4.2 Student Members must
indicate in writing, when paying subscriptions, whether they are still bona fide
undergraduate or full time postgraduate students.
4.4.3 All members must
notify AAAE without delay of any change of address.
4.4.4 All members
undertake to abide by the regulations of this Constitution.
4.5 Members' Rights
4.5.1 All Ordinary
Members, Student Members, Associate Members and Fellows are entitled to the
following:
a) Receipt of an AAAE
membership list, during conferences.
b) Receipt of all
circulars and notices from AAAE.
c) Receipt of all
newsletters from AAAE.
d) Receipt of
Journal/s of AAAE if such journal/s are published.
e) Receipt of any
other publication that AAAE may decide to publish from time to time for general
distribution among members.
4.5.2 All members of AAAE
who are present at a General Meeting of AAAE at the time of voting on any AAAE
business, with the exception of Student Members, have equal right to vote on
such business.
Article 5: Executive Committee
5.1 The Management of AAAE will consist of nine members, i.e. a President, Vicepresident, the Past President, the four additional members to represent each sub region
who will be elected during the conference, as well as a Secretary/Treasurer, the
journal editor who will be appointed by the six elected members.
5.2 Any Ordinary or
Fellow of AAAE may be elected as a member of the Management Committee.
5.3 The term of the
elected Management Committee is as follows:
5.3.1 The normal term for
each member of the Management Committee is taken to be from the close of the
conference at which such a person is elected until after the close of the
second conference which follows the meeting at which the member was elected.
5.3.2 The President shall
serve for one normal term of 2 years, namely as President and as Past President
consecutively.
5.3.3 Other elected
members shall serve for one normal term.
5.3.4 The Editor and
Secretary Treasurer will serve a minimum of 2 two year terms
a) Expiration of
the normal term of service of the person, as defined in Article 5.3;
b) A written
resignation by such a person as member of the Management Committee;
c) Termination of
a person's membership of AAAE.
5.4 . Vacancies, which
may occur on the Management Committee, with the exception of those of the
Secretary/Treasurer and the Past President, shall be filled by way of election
at the next conference.
5.5 The duties of the
President are as follows:
5.5.1 The President is the
chief executive officer of AAAE as well as the Chairman of the Management
Committee and the General Meetings of AAAE.
5.5.2 Should the President
not be available for any reason or not be able to attend to his duties, the
Vice‑President will officiate as President.
5.6 At meetings of the
Management Committee five members will form a quorum if all the nine posts in
the Management Committee are filled at the time of the meeting concerned;
otherwise four members will form a quorum.
5.7 The Management
Committee may co-opt any person to attend any meeting of the Management
Committee as an observer and/or adviser. Such persons shall not have any right
to vote at the meeting conserved.
5.8 The resolution of a
majority of members of the Management Committee who are present at a Committee
meeting becomes a decision of the Committee. When the votes are equal, on any
matter voted once, the President, or the person acting in his place, as the
circumstances may be, has a casting vote in addition to his Ordinary vote.
Article 6
:Procedures at the
election of members for the Management Committee
6.1 Only ordinary
members and Fellows may submit nominations and secondments for vacancies on the
Management Committee.
6.2 Written nominations
for vacancies on the Management committee of AAAE must reach the
Secretary/Treasurer before the commencement of or during the conference at which members
are elected.
6.3 The signature of
the nominator and his second or as well as the signature of the nominee to show
his acceptance of the nomination must accompany nomination for vacancies on the
Management Committee of AAAE.
6.4 Voting will be by
secret ballot at the conference. Each eligible voter of AAAE will be entitled to one
vote for each vacancy, which is to be voted for.
6.5 No candidate for
the Management Committee may be elected unless the candidate has gained an
absolute majority of votes in the ballot concerned.
6.6 A nomination
committee consisting of 4 members of the association, one for each region shall be
constituted by the President to receive nominations.
Article 7
: Duties and Powers of the
Management Committee
7.1 It is the duty of
the Management Committee to execute the resolutions of the General Meetings of AAAE.
7.2 The Management
Committee has power to give effect to the objectives and undertakings of AAAE, including the following:
7.2.1 To convene the
conference and other General Meetings as set out in Article 11.
7.2.2 To rule on the
admission of members to AAAE under Article 4.
7.2.3 To appoint special
committees from the ranks of AAAE and to co‑opt members on an adhoc basis.
7.2.4 To appoint executive
officers of AAAE as set out in Article 7.
7.2.5 To circulate notices
among members of AAAE and to authorize publications in the name of AAAE.
7.2.6 To make known any
decisions of AAAE in the name of AAAE.
7.2.7 To make
recommendations to the conference of AAAE in respect of the confirmation of Fellowship
under Article 4.1.4.
7.2.8 To exercise
responsible control over the financial affairs of AAAE and to give a proper account of the
financial position of AAAE.
7.2.9 To determine the
venue of the conference at least two years in advance.
7.3 The Management
Committee may decide on co‑operation with other organizations and bodies under
Article 3.11.
7.4 The Management
Committee may make recommendations to the conference of AAAE regarding
affiliation with other organizations under the Articles 3.9 and 3.10.
Should AAAE
consider affiliation with another organization and such affiliation would put the
constitution of AAAE in a subordinate position, this affiliation will be recommended as a
constitutional amendment.
Article 8
: Duties and powers of the
executive officers of AAAE
8.1 The President of
AAAE will be responsible to the Management Committee as chief executive officer
under Article 5.6.1. As chief executive officer (s) he is responsible for the effective
management of the administrative and financial business of AAAE.
8.2 The duties of the
Secretary/Treasurer are:
8.2.1 To act as Secretary
at the conference, General Meetings and meetings of the Management
Committee of AAAE.
8.2.2 To inform members of
AAAE, by way of announcements, about important decisions taken at all the
conferences and meetings of the Management Committee or by making
announcements in AAAE publications.
8.2.3 To receive all AAAE
funds, to endorse and deposit these to the credit of AAAE.
8.2.4 To make payments in
the name of AAAE subject to the regulations of the Management Committee under
Article 7.2.8 and subject to co‑signature of the President of AAAE or a
representative of the management Committee appointed ad hoc by the President.
8.2.5 To keep archives of
AAAE consisting of
(i) Lists of Members
(ii) Constitution
(iii) Minutes of conferences, Special General Meetings and meetings of to Management
Committee
(vi) Lists of AAAE
executives
(v) Professional
journals of AAAE and
(iv) Newsletters
8.2.6 To manage any other
AAAE business as authorized by the President on the recommendation of the
Management Committee.
8.2.7 To manage the
secretariat
Article 9 : Meetings of AAAE
9.1.1 The conference of
the members of AAAE is to be held at a time and place to be determined by the
Management Committee. Written notice shall be given at least one calendar month
before the meeting. Accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to a member
or the non‑receipt of a notice of a meeting does not invalidate the proceedings
of that meeting.
9.1.2 A quorum for the
conference is one third of the registered members of the Association entitled to
vote at the time of the meeting concerned.
9.1.3 The President of
AAAE takes the chair at the conference of AAAE under Article 5.6.1 and in his
absence the Vice‑President presides under Article 5.6.2. If both the President
and Vice‑President are absent or if both are absent fifteen minutes after the
time of the commencement of the conference, the members of AAAE who are present
at the meeting must appoint a Chairman from their ranks to act as Chairman of
the meeting. Meetings called by AAAE will
be bi‑annual, Special General Meetings which can be called adhoc, as well as
special gatherings such as Symposia, lectures and discussions which can be
arranged under Articles 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3.
9.2 The regulations for the
bi‑annual General Meeting are as follows:
Article 10 : AAAE Finances
10.1 The AAAE financial
period is operative from one conference to the following conference.
10.2 Immediately after
the close of the conference an Income and Expenditure account, which will
reflect the financial position of the Association, must be drawn up. The
Auditor, appointed by the Management must audit this account.
10.3 In order to improve
the financial position, AAAE may according to rules determined by the Management
Committee, do any of the following: Solicit funds through appreciation clubs,
recognition awards, defined contributions, and gifts; establish trust funds; and
make dedicated fixed deposits.
Article 11: Trustees of AAAE
The Nominations committee
shall facilitate the election of the Fellows from among whom the trustees will be elected by
the conference. The Board of Trustees will consist of five members, at least one from
each region.
Article 12 : The office of
AAAE
The location of the central
office of AAAE shall be at a place determined by the Management Committee.
Article 13 : Amendments to the
Constitution
13.1 This Constitution
may be amended only during a conference or a special General Meeting of AAAE.
Notification of the proposed amendments shall be given to members at least six
months prior to the date of the bi‑annual conference or Special General Meeting.
Any proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be submitted in writing to the
Secretary/Treasurer at least three weeks before the relevant conference or
special meeting and these shall be duly seconded by at least two members. During
such a General Meeting these proposed a two‑thirds' majority of the recorded
votes should pass amendments.
13.2 Amendments to these
proposed amendments may be handed in during the conference or special general
meeting concerned.
13.3
Amendments shall be accepted
on condition that these are approved by a simple majority of votes. If accepted,
an amendment shall supersede the original proposal, if this amendment should
embrace the proposal in its entirety.
