The African Union (AU), has adopted a new agricultural development strategy that will see the continent increase its agrifood output by 45 per cent by 2035 and transform its agri-food systems as part of its new plan to become food secure in a decade.

This is after the African Union Extraordinary Summit on the Post-Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) held in Kampala, Uganda, adopted the 10-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan, and the Kampala CAADP Declaration on Building Resilient and Sustainable Agrifood Systems in Africa, which will be implemented from 2026 to 2035.

In the Kampala declaration, the 55 AU member states set forth six commitments that should transform and strengthen the agri-food system on the continent. The African Union heads of state and government noted that Africa’s population is projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050, while the global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion people. They appreciated the challenges this will pose for food demand, and therefore the need for significant increases in agricultural production, productivity, food processing, and trade. In this regard, they committed to intensify sustainable food production, agro-industrialization, and trade

The strategy will also see Africa reduce post-harvest loss by 50 per cent, triple intra-African trade in agrifood products and inputs by 2035, and raise the share of locally processed food to 35 per cent of agrifood GDP by 2035.The adoption of the strategy is seen as a pivotal moment that will lay the groundwork for agri-food systems across the continent, and enable countries to act.

Uganda's President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni urged the extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) to promote value addition, saying that Africa cannot continue importing food to feed her population. "This Africa of having no food and begging is not the real Africa, but the colonial and neo-colonial Africa. It is a shame. The battle for value addition has been a big one because lobbies want to keep Africa as a raw-materials-producing continent. Adding value to agricultural products ensures vertical integration in the agricultural sector—from the garden to the table and from the farm to the wardrobe," he said.

On the issue of non-tariff barriers (NTBs), he called on fellow leaders to open up the borders since they continue to undermine the advancement of agriculture in Africa. “Uganda easily produces all types of agricultural products. However, production is disrupted when some brother countries say they have bumper crops and delicense Ugandan products”, he added.

On his part, the AUC Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, noted that the ambitious CAADP Programme has been implemented since 2014 within the framework of the Malabo Declaration. He however, expressed dissatisfaction with the rate of progress.

"The various biennial evaluations of the commitments made by Member States, initiated in 2017 under this declaration, certainly show progress towards achieving the set objectives, but at an unsatisfactory pace," Mr Faki said.

The AUC chairperson welcomed the preparatory work undertaken by the African Union Commission, AUDA-NEPAD, the Regional Economic Communities, experts from Member States, and technical and financial partners in preparing the Kampala Declaration.

"It symbolises the sum total of all the efforts made upstream in identifying all the negative factors that lie at the root of the low rate of the attainment of our set objectives for the Agricultural sector on the continent," Mr Faki said.

Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie said there was an urgent need for renewed collective commitment and concerted action to achieve Africa’s shared vision for a food-sovereign and prosperous Africa.
"This Summit marks a defining moment for Africa, where we will be able to chart out the course of the continent's agri-food system," Taye said.

The AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, Amb. Josefa Sacko said the Kampala declaration was different from the Malabo and Maputo declarations in that it included a comprehensive strategy and action plan.

“This will allow member states to begin implementing immediately after the adoption,” she told the heads of state and government on the last day of the extraordinary summit held in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

“We now have a clear roadmap, a theory of change that outlines the pathway to transformation, realistic and implementable strategic objectives, a broad policy scope enhancing food system approaches, and targets that reflect the continent's aspirations,” she said, adding that the inclusive design process ensures that the continent is well prepared to work towards the agriculture transformation vision outlined in Agenda 2063.
Amb. Sacko said the adoption of the new CAADP strategy and action plan 2026-2035 in Kampala would shape the transformation of Africa’s agrifood systems over the next decade.

Norway’s State Minister and representative of development partners, Ms Bjørg Sandkjær, noted that Africa's new strategy emphasises the critical role of agri-food systems in economic growth and ensuring food security, improved nutrition and sustainable health outcomes for all.

"We commend this bold vision, which aligns with the continent's broader aspirations for prosperity, resilience and inclusive development through the AU Agenda 2063," Ms Sandkjær said.

-ENDS

About the CAADP
The Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) is an African Union Agenda 2063 continental initiative that aims to raise agricultural productivity, increase public investment in agriculture, and stimulate economic growth through agriculture-led development, thus helping African countries eliminate hunger and reduce poverty.

Launched in 2003 following the Maputo Declaration and reaffirmed in 2014 in Equatorial Guinea with the Malabo Declaration, it focuses on improving food security and nutrition and increasing incomes in Africa’s farming-based economies. CAADP is the most ambitious and comprehensive agricultural reform effort ever undertaken in Africa. It has emerged as the cornerstone framework for driving agricultural transformation across Africa and represents a fundamental shift toward development that is fully owned and led by African governments.

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