Press Release No.084/2014

Experts’ session of AU’s Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Aquaculture charts the way forward for the next decade of agricultural transformation
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 28 April 2014–Today, the African Union (AU) Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Aquaculture officially opened in Addis Ababa at the AU Headquarters. The conference is organised in two segments; the Experts meeting from 28-30 April 2014 and Ministerial Session 1-2 May 2014.

The theme for the meeting is: “Transforming Africa’s Agriculture for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods through Harnessing Opportunities for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development.”

The joint conference aims to highlight the importance of agriculture as a vehicle for economic growth and poverty eradicationin the African continent. This conference will also take steps towards finalising strategies that will catalyse African-led solutions for African problems through agriculture and the rural sector for the next 10 years.

“Agriculture has been showing a growth performance of about 4% per annum over the last decade of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), this is indicative that agriculture and the rural sector are at the centre of the transformation agenda”, said AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace during her opening remarks. “The Decision of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government to commemorate 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security and marking the 10th Anniversary of the Adoption of CAADP, provides us all with a unique opportunity to engage ourselves in an exercise of honest assessment and reflections of the progresses made thus far, the lessons we have learnt, and chart clear set of goals and targets for implementation in the next decade in a context of transformative agenda to get rid of hunger, malnutrition and poverty from our continent”, she added. (The full speech is available on www.au.int).

Officially opening the conference, H.E Wondirad Mandefro, State Minister of Agriculture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, represented by Mr.Zena Habtewold Director, Planning and Programming, Ethiopian of Ministry of Agriculture, said, “CAADP has played a crucial role in improving coordination among various players on agriculture strategy development and mobilizing resources to support development endeavours.” (The full speech is available on www.au.int).

The five day meeting aims to finalise consensus on strategic goals and improved coordination of programmes linking agriculture and rural development and strengthening policy and institutional capacities for advancing agricultural transformation.
The Ministerial Session of the AU Joint Conference of Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Aquaculture will be held 1-2 May 2014. Journalists are invited to attend the opening session of the Ministerial meeting on Thureday1st May 2014 at 9:00am as well as the press conference at 11:00am at the AU Headquarters.
For interview requests and more information, please contact:
Ms Carol Jilombo
Department of Rural Economy and Agricultrure, AUC
E-mail: Jilomboc@africa-union.org

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke
Directorate of Information andCommunication, AUC
E : mail: Molalett@africa-union.org
For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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