AU adopts agricultural development strategy for next decade
Kampala: African nations have adopted a new strategy to advance agricultural development and food systems, a key source of livelihood for the continent’s population.
The 10-year strategy and action plan to implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), along with a consensus document titled the Kampala Declaration, were announced on Saturday at the conclusion of the African Union Extraordinary Summit on CAADP in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, on Saturday.
Under the new framework, African countries committed to intensify sustainable food production by increasing agri-food output by 45 per cent by 2035 and reducing post-harvest losses by 50 per cent, reports Xinhua news agency.
They also agreed to boost investment and financing in the agricultural sector, aiming to raise 100 billion US dollars in public and private investments by 2035.
To achieve these goals, African countries urge collective commitment from governments, parliaments, food producers, the private sector and civil society to translate decisions into tangible results.
“Together, we can transform Africa’s agri-food system into a sustainable and inclusive future,” the Declaration said.
CAADP was established in 2003 to end hunger and fight poverty. At its inception, African countries pledged to allocate 10 per cent of their national budgets to agriculture, with a focus on increasing investment in the sector.
Speaking earlier at the summit on Saturday, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urged African nations to embrace commercial agriculture and value addition as a pathway to economic prosperity.
“Fully commercialize agriculture to achieve food security and homestead income by undertaking agricultural enterprises. For families with four acres or less, adopt an intensive agriculture strategy. For families with larger landholdings, use an extensive agriculture approach,” Museveni said.
The three-day summit brought together over 2,000 delegates, including agricultural experts, ministers and heads of state from more than 40 AU members, to discuss the continent’s challenges and future in the agricultural sector.