Statement
by
H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace
Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture
African Union Commission

on the occasion of the

High Level Planning Meeting on Scaling Agricultural Innovations in Africa
23 February 2015,
Nairobi, Kenya

Thank you Professor Ola Smith, facilitator,
Hon. Felix Koskei, Cabinet Secretary, Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries, Kenya,
Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
Dr Smith, Deputy Director General of BMZ,
Dr Ousmane Badiane, Africa Region Director of IFPRI,
Cecilia Kariuki, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries, Kenya,
Excellences, distinguished participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me first of all thank Hon. Koskei for being available always and moving most of our agenda together.
I wish to putting agriculture first in Kenya and for ably speaking for Africa globally. CAADP is here because many people contributed to the same.
BMZ was at the center to provide catalytic resources which set CAADP moving.

1. I want to welcome you all to this High level Planning Meeting on Scaling Agricultural Innovations in Africa. I also use the same opportunity to wish you a productive year, the outlook for agriculture in 2015 is bright and we all look forward to advancing the course of the sector.

2. I would like to register the appreciation of the Africa Union Commission to the Republic of Kenya for graciously hosting this important event.

3. In the same vein, I highly commend the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) under the leadership of Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo and the Federal Republic of Germany for offering this opportunity to discuss the critical issue on scaling agricultural innovation in Africa through the “One World-No Hunger” program. This program resonates very well with the Africa Union Renewed Partnership to End Hunger in Africa by 2025.

4. I must also commend FARA and its sub regional organizations, namely CORAF/WECARD, ASARECA, and CARDESA who are here present for the dedicated efforts they deploy in fulfilling their mandates to advance agricultural technologies and innovations through science in Africa. The different initiatives are rapidly fostering the upliftment of livelihoods of Africa Citizens. I am aware of, among others; the Sub Saharan Africa Challenge Program (SSA CP) that is promoting the Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) concept, the IAR4D concept is blazing the trail in generating agricultural innovations with immense socio-economic benefits for all stakeholders along the value chain. The development of the Innovation Platform (IP) for the implementation of the innovation systems approach in agriculture is a major institutional accomplishment in its own right. Many thanks to FARA, as the lead institution for CAADP Pillar IV on agricultural research and technology generation ad dissemination, for carrying out this duty on behalf of all agricultural stakeholders in Africa.

5. We cannot over emphasise the role of science and technology in sustainable agricultural development. This has been demonstrated over and over again, even in the history of the ancient civilizations, and in recent times in the development of nations. All known advances in humanity are based on appropriate investment in science and technology. It is, therefore, imperative for Africa to use science to transform its agriculture, in order to deliver the needed development outcomes.

6. In my view, investments in agricultural technology must emphasize two key issues: (i) Investment in targeted scientific endeavour to addresses jointly identified problems that are limiting the productivity of the sector, and (ii) the level of investments should be sufficient to orchestrate agricultural transformation. These two considerations are pertinent if our investment is to deliver the desired results and impacts. We want that when we make investment to generate technologies, these should be demanded by the end user. This will avoid a waste of such technologies as they will not languish on the shelves and suffer lack of adoption, but will be taken up and applied to spur agricultural development. That is why we advocate for channelling adequate investment in the right issues. Every effort will be taken for Africa to ensure that its investments henceforth are not misguided investments but targeted and demand driven.

7. Taking the example of the recent upsurge in the application of mobile technology in agriculture; this is an impressive development which is now used to share market information, technology transfer and other extension and advisory services including the distribution of inputs. Investment is needed to scale-out this technological advancement to benefit more stakeholders.

8. I also begin to observe three important milestones for technology-led change in Africa agriculture, (first) the need for identification of pertinent issues and development of appropriate technologies; I reckon that a problem that is well diagnosed is half solved. (second) is the need to channel resources to improve the delivery of existing technologies and processes and (Third) the streamlining of the processes for technology dissemination and adoption to ensure that agricultural technologies truly result in transformation for development.

9. In pursuit of investment in technological change, partnerships with the private sector is vital, it is the key that will ensure that the public investment and interventions will translate to true impact and development. Partnerships with the private sector will create the conditions for higher investments in agriculture in general and more specifically in agricultural research and development. To accomplish this, the AU Member States are always encouraged to invest more in the creation of public goods and make innovative interventions on property rights which will allow the agro-industries to benefit from technologies generated from their own research endeavours. Incentives should also be created to support private sector entities that develop technologies and innovations for the benefit of the most vulnerable groups. Smallholder farmers particularly women and youth should not be left behind in the technological drive towards the Africa green revolution. I am particularly pleased with ongoing programmes led by FARA such as the incubator UniBrain that should also be upscaled to nurture and boost the domestic private sector to advance value chain development.

Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, Honorable Minister
10. The African Union truly embraces the subject of this high-level meeting as it addresses issues that are pertinent to the delivery of the Malabo declaration. Let me reflect on them. I know you know this but I don’t tire to remind people about them. As any of you may be aware, the core commitments of the Malabo declaration include: (i) Recommitment to the Principles and Values of the CAADP Process, (ii) Commitment to Enhancing Investment and Finance in Agriculture, (iii) Commitment to Ending Hunger in Africa by 2025, (iv) Commitment to Halving Poverty by the year 2025, through Inclusive Agricultural Growth and Transformation, (v) Commitment to Boosting Intra-African Trade in Agricultural commodities and services, (vi) Commitment to Enhancing Resilience of Livelihoods and Production Systems to Climate Variability and other related risks, (vii) Commitment to Mutual Accountability to Actions and Results.

11. Through the multi-stakeholder consultations which were coordinated by the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, an Implementation Strategy and Roadmap was developed and the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government adopted it in January this year to translate the 2025 vision in the context of the Agenda 2063. Indeed, Agenda 2063 is the long term vision for the Africa we want, including industrialisation based on agriculture and ensuring a food and nutrition secure, and poverty free Africa.

12. The IS&R has packaged the Malabo Goals into 4 thematic strategic action areas, which include (1). Increasing production and productivity, (2). Enhancing market, trade and value chains, (3). Increasing resilience and livelihood, and (4). Strengthen governance of natural resources. Science, technology and innovation are at the center

13. These will be supported by 7 Strategic Action Areas focusing on strengthening the systemic capacity of the Member States to achieve the Malabo Goals.

14. Partnership and collaboration between government and all the other actors in the agricultural science, technology and innovation in Africa will continue to be vital in advancing the IS&R as requested by our Leaders in June 2014. In Malabo, Africa leaders called on the agricultural Research and Knowledge Institutions to support the implementation of the declaration based on national structures and capacities and on the Development Partners to harmonize the technical and financial support for achieving the outlined Goals.

15. We all look forward to a higher level collaboration with FARA and its sub regional organizations; the Agricultural Universities and Colleges, the Extension system and the development partners to the established agricultural research and development organization in the AU Member States to achieve the set out goals in the Malabo declaration. At the same time, to ensure sustainability, we continue to encourage AU Member States’ governments to institutionalise and enhance the research, technology and innovation mechanisms within their countries.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen
16. I want to welcome the officials of the Federal Republic of Germany that are leading the “One World – No Hunger” initiative, to Africa. The goals and the ideals of this initiative are laudable especially, the platforms it offers for partnerships to foster the scaling of agricultural innovation in Africa. I wish to thank the Government and the people of Germany for the sound investment they are making in supporting the development of Africa agriculture. I am convinced that Africa will realise its looming green revolution earlier than predicted.

17. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between FARA and the Federal Republic of Germany to significantly improve the life of our millions of rural poor, particularly women, youth and smallholder farmers on the continent through the alignment of the “One World - No Hunger “ program to the Malabo Goals that reflect AU Member States priorities to achieve Agricultural transformation in Africa in the next decade within the broader context of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Agenda (CAADP).

18. As I speak, the AUC, NPCA and RECs are presently meeting in South Africa to finalise the Program of Work required to operationalize the IS&R that will enable each actor to identify their own roles and responsibilities in order to effectively contribute in the achievement of the Malabo Goals. AUC, NPCA and RECS will very soon give to FARA, other Africa Knowledge and Research institutions and Development Partners further guidance on the different areas where they can make efficient and appropriate contributions in the implementation.

19. Once again, I want to express my joy and great excitement about these two days meeting and wish every one of us a fruitful deliberation.

20. Thank you and I wish you productive deliberations in these two