African nations have adopted a new strategy aiming at advancing agricultural development and food systems across Africa thereby improving the livelihood for the continent’s population.
According to a declaration released by the African Union over the weekend, 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.
Under the new framework, African countries committed to intensifying sustainable food production by increasing agri-food output by 45 percent and reducing post-harvest losses by 50 percent by 2035.
They also agreed to boost investment and financing in the agricultural sector, aiming to raise $100 billion in public and private investments by 2035.
African countries are urged to pursue 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 percent of their national budgets to agriculture, with a focus on increasing investment in the sector.
MG/as/APA