African Union Ministers of Agriculture Convene in Kampala for Landmark Summit to Advance Food Security
As the summit progresses, stakeholders remain hopeful that the collective vision of a food-secure and prosperous Africa will become a reality through concerted action and unwavering commitment.
Ministers of Agriculture from the African Union's (AU) 55 member states have gathered in Kampala, Uganda, for a three-day Extraordinary Summit. This significant event aims to solidify commitments to achieving food security, economic growth, and resilience through the adoption of the Kampala Declaration and a landmark 10-Year Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan. The strategy, which will run from 2026 to 2035, is a critical step towards implementing the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods, initially adopted in 2014.
Developing the 10-Year CAADP Strategy
The strategy has been meticulously developed over the past 10 months under the directives of African Heads of State and Government. The drafting process involved diverse stakeholders, including the Regional Economic Communities, farmers’ organizations, private sector players, development partners, parliamentarians, researchers, women, and youth groups. It underwent extensive review by the AU's Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water, and Environment (ARDWE) to ensure its inclusivity and feasibility.
Aligned with the 2021 African Common Position to the United Nations Food Systems Summit, the strategy aims to advance sustainable agri-food systems across Africa. Its primary goals include driving economic growth, enhancing food security, mitigating climate change impacts, and improving livelihoods.
The strategy focuses on:
Stimulating Investment: Mobilizing resources to boost agricultural productivity and resilience.
Promoting Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Developing systems that can withstand climate change and other shocks. Improving
Infrastructure and Reducing Food Waste: Enhancing post-harvest management and food processing capacity.
Enhancing Regional Trade: Facilitating intra-African trade in agricultural goods to reduce the continent's dependence on food imports.
By targeting these areas, the strategy aligns with the AU's Agenda 2063, which envisions a prosperous Africa driven by inclusive growth and sustainable development.
Addressing Food Security Challenges
Africa’s food security challenges are critical, with over 280 million people experiencing chronic hunger. Factors such as climate change, conflicts, rapid population growth, and economic disruptions exacerbate the issue. The CAADP Strategy and Action Plan seeks to address these challenges by fostering partnerships, empowering smallholder farmers, and leveraging technological advancements in agriculture.
Speaking at the summit, Uganda’s Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, highlighted the continent's potential, emphasizing its rich soils, abundant arable land, and water resources. However, she expressed concern over Africa’s reliance on food imports, which costs USD 100 billion annually.
“For us to guarantee our future as Africans, we must feed ourselves,” she stated, urging participants to propose actionable solutions.
H.E. Ambassador Josefa Sacko, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, underlined the transformative potential of the strategy.
“The 10-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan aims to boost food production, expand value addition, create millions of jobs, and build inclusive agrifood value chains. Inclusivity is at the heart of our approach, ensuring equitable participation by women, youth, and marginalized groups,” she remarked.
Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Dr. Girma Amente, shared Ethiopia’s success in integrating CAADP into its National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP). The plan has enhanced public investment in agriculture, improved resilience to climate shocks, and achieved consistent growth in food production.
Uganda’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, emphasized the urgency of transitioning from planning to implementation. “We must move, not with the times, but ahead of the times. This requires advances in technological research, resilient agricultural systems, and agro-industrialization,” he asserted.
The summit’s second day, January 10, will focus on deliberations by Ministers of Foreign Affairs, while the concluding session on January 11 will bring together Heads of State and Government.
The Extraordinary Summit of the AU in Kampala represents a pivotal moment for Africa’s agricultural transformation. The adoption of the 10-Year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan and the Kampala Declaration promises to steer the continent toward sustainable food systems, economic growth, and climate resilience. As the summit progresses, stakeholders remain hopeful that the collective vision of a food-secure and prosperous Africa will become a reality through concerted action and unwavering commitment.
