February 7, 2019, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The Republic of Rwanda and African Union Commission’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture will on Sunday February 10, 2019 host a high level side event on the Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard (AATS) at the margins of the February 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union.

The event themed, ‘Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard (AATS) as a tool for shared learning and driving progress and accelerating Agriculture Transformation on the continent,’ will explore the power of the scorecard to trigger transformation in Africa’s Agriculture and will launch a platform of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Champions to provide the required leadership to permanently shape and position the sector at all levels for Africa to maximize investment in Agriculture.

The 2014 Malabo Declaration and recommitment to the principles of CAADP on agriculture transformation by African Heads of State and Government heightened the importance of the agriculture sector as a driver towards shared prosperity and improved livelihoods. They committed to ‘Mutual Accountability to Results and Action’, and innovatively agreed to a biennial review of agricultural progress made against the Malabo Declaration. The Inaugural Biennial Review (BR) Report and Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard adopted by the January 2018 AU Heads of State and Government Summit now offers a unique tool for shared learning in order to accelerate agriculture transformation on the continent.

AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Josefa Sacko said “the high level side event with AU Heads of State and Government will culminate into agreed key actions for strengthening AU member states’ capabilities to drive the agriculture transformation agenda including strengthening data, evidence based planning for informed implementation and mutual accountability.”
It also provides a golden opportunity to bring agriculture on the agenda of the AU Heads of State and Government to discuss and take actions on important issues such as climate change, jobs for youth through agriculture, ending hunger, investments in agriculture trade and markets under the framework of CAADP and the Malabo Declaration.
The platform of Leaders for Agriculture Transformation which will be launched during the side event will champion the agriculture transformation agenda. On a national level, the champions will provide leadership to encourage performance improvement and prioritization of the agriculture sector as a driver of inclusive economic growth and shared prosperity. They will also provide regional leadership by encouraging high level peer review of agricultural performance that, in turn, encourages accountability, raises awareness and improves policy, partnership and resourcing. Continentally, the champions will provide leadership, in support of the AU CAADP Champion (Ethiopia), to encourage substantive high-level peer review of agricultural performance. Globally, the champions will provide leadership, advocating for Africa’s agriculture, and raising awareness of CAADP and the Biennial Review process.
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For more information contact:
Dr Godfrey Bahiigwa,
Director
Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture
BahiigwaG@africa-union.org

Communications Contact:
Ms. Carol Jilombo
Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture
Jilomboc@africa-union.org