African Union Calls for Robust Interventions to Strengthen Africa’s Agricultural Sector Amid Global Food Crises
Kampala, Uganda – The African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Development, Ambassador Josefa Sacko, has called for robust interventions to support AU member states in building a resilient agricultural sector amid global food crises.
Ambassador Sacko made the remarks during the 3-day Validation Workshop of the Ten-Year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026-2035) that kicked off today at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Uganda.
The Commissioner said the validation workshop would hopefully culminate into the Kampala Declaration to succeed the 2014 Malabo Declaration. Following the Maputo Declaration in 2003, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) has become an Agenda 2063 flagship programme and the pivotal framework for catalyzing agricultural transformation across Africa.
“Progress has however been slower than anticipated due to immense challenges and shocks due to climate change, pandemics like COVID, and global economic disruptions. Our Member States are far from realizing the seven Malabo commitments as shown by our Fourth Biennial Review Report. This calls for robust interventions to support member states in building a resilient agricultural sector amid global food crises,” Ambassador Sacko stated.
The Executive Council Forty-Fourth Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February 2024 emphasized the need to develop a Post-Malabo Agenda that addresses sustainable food systems in line with the 2021 Food Systems Summit, where Africa was the only Continent that produced a Common Position, as well as emerging issues such as climate change.
Hon. Frank K. Tumwebaze, Uganda’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and Chairperson of the AU Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment, said the African Union Commission has led a widely consultative process to develop a successor Strategy and Action Plan for the period 2026 to 2035, which will be presented to the Extra-Ordinary Summit of the African Union that will be held in Kampala, Uganda in January 2025, for adoption.
The Minister urged governments to have plans for plants, animals, feed, and food security, and emphasized the need for an interplay between smallholder and large-scale farmers, with the government supporting mechanization and irrigation for large-scale farmers while supporting smallholder farmers to move into commercialization and food self-sufficiency.
