CONSTITUTION OF SOMALI AGRONOMISTS ASSOCIATION
(S.A.G.R.A)

1. Introduction
2. Name
3. Emblem
4. Address
5. Objective
6. Nature of the association
7. Type of membership
8. Right to membership
9. Duties of the membership
10. Service fees and its payment
11. Termination of membership
12. The association properties
13. Suspension of membership
14. Resignation from membership
15. Meetings
16. The responsibilities of the chairman
17. Responsibilities/duties of the vice chairman
18. Responsibility of Council
19. Responsibility of secretary
20. Responsibility of treasurer
21. The structure of the association
22. Elections to committees
23. Branches of the association
24. The job of the branches
25. Approval of the constitution
26. Amendment of the constitution
1. Introduction
The Somali country, which lies on the northeast cost of Africa, is predominantly an agricultural country. Its economy is mainly based on the raising of livestock by nomads (who comprise about 60% of the country’s population) and on subsistence agriculture. The agricultural sector including crops, forestry and fishing engages about 80% of the labor force. Agricultural development is a process which enhances the capacities of farm people to produce more goods and services and increases their standard of living and general well being seventy percent of Somalia’s population lives in rural areas but a significant number of the population had shifted from rural areas into towns, together with inter-clan conflict over the past decade which had destroyed much of the infrastructure that served the productive sector and displaced a large number of people, had lead the country to become structurally food insecure.
Coincidently, the food insecurity was contributed by the successive years of drought, poor environmental conditions that caused poor harvests as well as the ban by Gulf States on Somalia’s livestock.
With all these hardships, that faced the country, a group of agronomists set up an institution named Somali Agronomist association.
The association officially launched on ………………after a series of deliberations and discussions among founding members, which had started from 18 May 2003. The formation of the association stemmed from the need of the Somali agronomists to know each other, share skills and information as well as coordinate their activities.
All members are well experienced and have been involved in different ways in the field of agriculture and development for at least last ten years.
The members of the association after several meetings have agreed to set up a special criterion for the membership of the association, as well as, they have unanimously endorsed to adopt the
Following constitution.
2-Name:
The name of the association shall be THE SOMALI ACRONOMISTS ASSOCIATION (S.A.G.R.A)
3-Emblem: Two Banana, Sorghum, Maize and Star on the crops, abbreviation of the name association write down below the crops SAGRA.
4-Address:
Email: sagro_5@yahoo.com <mailto:sagro_5@yahoo.com>
Tel: 251216/937719
5. Objectives
ü To upgrade the capability of the agronomists and advance agricultural services
ü Maintain and uphold the ethics of the agronomist in Somalia
ü To restore the agricultural research stations and related sections
ü Environmental preservation and its development
ü To establish relation and cooperation with other professional associations in the regional and sharing and exchanging scientific findings and agricultural information
ü To safeguard the rights and professional interest of its members
ü To provide a venue for information exchange and SAGRA members
6-Nature of the association
The association is a professional, which is:
ü Apolitical
ü Non profit
ü Not tribal or clan based
7. Type of membership
A. Ordinary Membership
1. Must be Faculty of Agriculture graduate or at least agricultural secondary level or equivalent experience related in Agriculture.
2. The membership of the association is open for all agriculture professionals
3. Must be able to the payment of membership fee and yearly subscription charges
B. Honorary Membership
1. May be offered to non-agronomist whom the association deem to have rendered outstanding service to the agriculture professionals in Somalia
2. Shall be for life attended but they have not vote
8. Rights to Membership
1. A member of association has the right to vote or to be elected
2. A member has the right to forward its idea, proposals and counter proposal
ü Has the right to forward his/her candidacy and run for the election of all positions in the association
9. Duties of the membership
1. Respect of the association by laws
2. Strive for the interest of the association
3. Has to pay the service and subscription fee
10. Fees and its payment
Fees can be divided into two types:
a. Registration fees which are paid by the ordinary members and its payment is required only at once and is 40,000 Shillings
b. Every ordinary member has to pay the amount of So Sh20,000 monthly
c. Honorary members have not to pay fees
11. Termination of membership
1. Failure of payment fee in period of six month
2. Failure to observe the rules of the association
3. Health reasons and death
4. Violation of professional ethics that may damage the association’s reputation
12. The Association properties
1. The safeguard of the associations’ property is a must. These properties shall be derived or consists from mobile and immobile assets
2. The responsibility of the safeguard of association properties can be entrusted only to those members of the association who are selected for their integrity, honesty, loyalty and hard working
3. Cash shall be kept in a proper safe
4. Properties shall be recorded in proper register
5. The plan and authorization for disbursement/payment are the responsibility of the executive committee
6. Daily expenditures shall be authorized and shall bear the signatures of the chairman, treasurer, cashier
7. Expenditure on weekly or monthly shall be followed by internal audit.
13. Suspension of membership
1. Failure to pay the registration fee
2. Failure of fulfilling all required conditions for membership
14. Resignation from Membership
1. Members may resign from their membership by a written notice to declare the reasons for his/ her resignation.
2. The acceptance of the resignation will be subject to the approved of 2/3 of the general assembly
15. Meetings
There shall be three types of meetings:
1-General assembly meetings will be convened on yearly basis
2. The council’s meetings
ü Ordinary meetings of the council will take place quarterly
ü Emergency meetings whenever is seemed to be necessary
3. Executive committee meetings
ü Their meetings should take place regularly on monthly basis.
16. The responsibility of the chairman
1. Preside over and leading of the executive committee members
2. Plan and design the work of the association
3. Supervising and make follow up the work of the executive body
4. Initiating and developing projects for the development of the association
5. He chairs the meetings and represents the association
6. Signs agreement with other organizations on the behalf of the association
7. The chairman will be in position for one year.
17. Responsibility/Duties of the vice chairman
1. He is the adviser of the chairman
2. He chairs the executive committee in case of absence of the chairman
18. Responsibility of council
1. Arbitration of internal conflicts
2. Laying down the associations policy plans
19.Responsibility of Secretary
1. He is responsible for the collection and to safeguard the association’s documents
2. Prepare and organize meetings of the association
20. Responsibility of Treasurer
ü Treasurer is responsible for all financial affairs of the association
ü He collects and keeps the service fees and subscriptions
ü He is one of the signatures of the expenditures
21. The structure of the association
ü The general assembly: comprise all members of the association and decides all matters that related to legal issues of the association
Council: consists (15-20) members and elected by general Assembly
Executive committee: are elected from the council and consists of:
ü The chairman
ü Vice chairman
ü Secretary general
ü Heads of the four depts.
ü Cashier
The executive committee shall be responsible for the implementation of policies and resolutions adopted by the general assembly as well as for the direction of the day-to day Affairs of the association.
Structural association is below:

22. Elections to committee
ü All committee members are elected in the general assembly
ü Council members are elected by general assembly
ü Executive committee are elected by the council
ü Auditing committee are elected among the council of the association
23. Branches of the association
National Level: includes all members registered of the regional and districts of Somalia and central office is Mogadishu
Regional Level: consists of the registered members who could find in the region or nominated by the association. Their member has not been decided yet
24. The job of the branches
ü They transmit the collected data and information to the central office
ü They are responsible for the collection of the service fees from the members of these branches.
Branches heads at regional level are automatically members of the council
They should collaborate with other branches of the other regions.
25-Approval
The constitution, shall come into force with effect from the date of the approval by the general assemble.
26. Amendment of the constitution:
The power to make amendment is vested in general assembly with the casting of majority vote

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