Language barrier within EAC "major challenge" for Burundi researchers

Language barrier within the East African Community (EAC) constitutes a "major challenge" for Burundian researchers who wish to collaborate with counterparts from other member states of the sub-regional organization, the director of Burundi Agricultural Research Institute (ISABU) Dieudonne Nahimana has said.

Burundi is the only Francophone country within the EAC, whereas the other four member states, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya are Anglophone.

"As Burundians continue to improve their English language, young researchers from ISABU face a lot of problems when participating in regional forums with their colleagues from the other EAC member states," Nahimana told Xinhua in an interview over the weekend.

He said language barrier is a crucial problem that has made Burundi's effective integration in the EAC very difficult.

He deplored the "suspension" of a project by Belgium to reinforce the capacities of ISABU researchers in English language, after the latter froze its aid to Burundi.

To address the challenge of language barrier, Nahimana said, Burundi has started partnering with the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) which is based in Uganda.

Through support from ASARECA whose role is to coordinate research in multinational projects, Burundi has succeeded in eradicating pennisetum disease that attacks plants.

ISABU has also partnered with Kenya and Uganda in a cross-breeding project that has seen different breeds of animals reared in the southern Burundi town of Bururi. Endit