Events

The Kingdom of Lesotho signs CAADP Compact

Maseru, 6 September, 2013- The Kingdom of Lesotho on September 5 became the 34th African country and the 8th in Southern Africa to sign the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Compact after a successful roundtable conference culminating into the endorsement of the Compact.

Lesotho’s CAADP Compact set the context for joint sector policy, budgetary and investment dialogue and commitments to align, scale up and improve the quality of long term public investments and increased leverage of private sector investment financing in support of Lesotho’s CAADP and broader agriculture development priorities.

The Compact was signed on behalf of the Kingdom of Lesotho by the Rt Hon, Dr Motsoahae Thomas Thabane, Prime Minister and Head of Government. Other signatories to the Compact included representatives of, the AUC, NEPAD Agency, SADC, development partners and the UN Agencies, private sector, civil society organizations and farmer organizations.

During the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Thabane reiterated Lesotho’s commitment to ensuring a meaningful transformation of the Kingdom’s agriculture. The Prime Minister also recalled that the Kingdom had in the past taken a number of measures to foster private sector investment in agriculture and would continue to work with partners to ensure that the required enabling environment was provided for effective private sector participation.

Speaking on behalf of the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Agency, Mr Komla Bissi, AUC Senior CAADP Adviser on Markets, urged the Government and people of Lesotho and stakeholders in the agriculture sector to continue to work together in order to boost the growth and development of agriculture for the benefit of their people.

He described the signing of the CAADP Compact as a unique opportunity to complement government’s efforts and catalyse the contribution of the private sector to the development of the country’s agriculture.

By signing the Compact, Lesotho further strengthened its agricultural development efforts to achieve greater impact on the country’s economy and food security. More specifically, signing the Compact accorded Lesotho the opportunity to set the framework and parameters for long-term partnership in the agricultural sector and demonstrated the resolve and commitments of government, national stakeholders and development partners to engage jointly and collectively in advancing Lesotho’s agriculture development agenda.

The CAADP Roundtable that preceded the actual Compact signing was held on August 4, 2013 and was attended by more than 300 participants comprising senior Government officials from the Kingdom of Lesotho, representatives of the various ministries responsible for agriculture and rural development, agricultural experts, policymakers, representatives from farmer organizations, the private sector, development associations, Non-Governmental Organizations, representatives of the African Union Commission (AUC), The New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAP Agency), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Unlike many other countries that have signed the CAADP Compact, Lesotho’s pre-compact preparations were led by a locally established Country Team under the coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security with facilitation from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and with support from other development partners and the NEPAD Agency.

AUC holds Workshop on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

Arusha, Tanzania – 28th August, 2013: The African Union Commission (AUC), through its Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA), in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), held an interactive three (3) day workshop on mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in AU policies, programmes and plans, identifying stakeholder roles and responsibilities and making DRR an integral part of decision making.

Africa is faced with many climate and environmental challenges ranging from climate change, desertification, deforestation, biodiversity degradation, droughts, floods earthquakes and cyclones, amongst others that threaten to undermine the region’s sustainable development prospects and heavily impact population livelihoods. It is in this context that the workshop highlighted the importance of identifying key priority sectors within the AU 2014-2017 Strategic Plan and the necessity of integrating DRR in all decisions to strengthen frameworks and strategies at the continental level in view to mitigate the vulnerability of the Continent to natural disasters.

Hon. Jesca Eriyo, Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors of the East African Community (EAC), Dr. M.H. Khalil Timamy, AUC Head of Division on Environment, Climate Change, Water and Land Management and Ms Sophie Baranes of UNDP Regional Practice Coordinator opened the workshop by welcoming all participants.

Sessions focusing on topics ranging from Understanding DRR; Disasters, Climate Change and Resilient Development linkages; Economics of Disaster; Disaster Risk and Development in Africa; DRR Mainstreaming and more specifically into AUC Priority Sectors; Mainstreaming country examples were moderated by representatives from UNDP, the United Nations Center for Disaster Risk Initiative (UNCADRI) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the AUC.

The workshop stressed the need for proper risk and preparedness assessments on key entry points in order to build a comprehensive national and continental plan of action (NPA), based on the 2004 AU DRR Strategy and recommendations from the 4th Africa regional platform on the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), with aims to alleviate population exposure and vulnerability as well as increase resilience to natural disasters.

The workshop emphasized the need for proper coordination, resource allocation, sensitization and advocacy within private, civil and public sectors as well as the need to provide experience-sharing opportunities with concrete examples of successful implementations within the region. The workshop further tapped into ways of lobbying for DRR with concerned ministries and institutions by accurately showing the human, economical and environmental impacts and benefits.

Due to the cross-cutting nature of DRR mainstreaming, the workshop was attended by representatives of key AUC programmes and departments such as Agriculture, Food Security, Environment, AU-SAFGRAD, PATTEC, IBAR, PANVAC, Infrastructure and Energy, Peace and Security, Political Affairs, Economic Affairs and Information and Communication.

Symposium on Climate Change, Pan Africanism and African Renaissance calls for a united Africa in order to tackle Climate Change

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia, August 16, 2013– The Symposium on Climate Change, Pan Africanism and African Renaissance, held today at the African Union Commission (AUC) as part of the year-long celebrations commemorating the 50th anniversary of the OAU/AU.

The AUC’s Department for Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) organized the symposium with the objective of generating a continental debate on the implications of Climate Change (CC), for Africa’s Sustainable development and the prospects for an African Renaissance.

The symposium also drew attention to the link between climate change and gender issues, especially its impacts on the advancement of women and youths, who continue to bear the brunt of the problems occasioned by climate change and climate variability.
Officially opening the symposium, DREA Commissioner, H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, represented by AUC Commissioner for Trade and Industry, H.E Fatima Haram Acyl, stressed the Commission’s determination towards addressing the challenges posed by climate change, by seizing the opportunities offered by the renewed sense of optimism generated by Pan Africanism and African Renaissance.

She noted that that climate change and climate variability remained the biggest obstacles to Africa’s development as African economies are predominantly dependent on climate sensitive sectors like agriculture, exposing the continent to food insecurity, poverty and under development.

“However,the current status of knowledge on climate change and the level of technical expertise in Africa and in the African Diaspora provide ample optimism for the continent to build, and consolidate its resilience to climate change,“Mrs.Tumusiime said. “Building on the spirit of Pan Africanism would go a long way in addressing the capacity gap as it would enable Africans to share experiences and resources to effectively adapt to climate change,” she added. (The full speech of the commissioner is available on www.au.int).

Delivering the key note presentation, Advisor to the Minister of Environmental Protection and Forests, of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Dr.Tewolde-BerhanGebre-Egziabher, called on Africa to stand united in order to fight Climate Change.

“We must maximise our strength, we must unite Africa in a single and economic unit that can fight Climate Change,” he said.

Dr.Tewolde-Berhanfurther called on African States to double productivity by enforcing gender equality across all sectors noting that gender inequality, doubles the vulnerability to the effects of Climate Change. (The complete speech is available on www.au.int).

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Press Release Nº123/2013

Sudan signs CAADP Compact

Khartoum-Sudan, July 31, 2013–The Republic of Sudan yesterday become the 32nd African Country to sign the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Compact.

The signing ceremony was officiated by Sudanese Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Hon. Abdelhaleem Ismail Al-Mutaafi, AUC Commissioner for the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace and COMESA Secretary General, Sindiso Ngwenya.

A CAADP Compact spells out a County’s priority areas for investment in the agriculture sector agreed upon by stakeholders to address national priorities. It is also meant to define actions, commitments, partnerships and alliances to guide country policy and investment responses.
Dr. Al-Mutaafi, reaffirmed Sudan’s commitment towards CAADP implementation and pledged to mobilize more stakeholders to support the process.

The Sudan CAADP Compact takes into account the country’s Agriculture Revival Propramme (ARP) and the Economic Recovery Programme 2012-2014.

Commissioner Tumusiime, congratulated Sudan for signing the Compact, assuring Sudan that, “This significant step promises sustained economic growth, food and nutrition security in The Sudan,” as CAADP was not only a reaffirmation of commitment by AU Heads of State and Government to the development of Africa, led by sustained investment in agriculture, food and nutrition security, but also envisioned as a fundamental engine of economic growth based on catalysing comprehensive and broad-based public and private sector investment in the entire agricultural value chain.

She further stated that the AUC was cognizant of the high potential of The Sudan to become one of the leading pillars for realizing ‘the African Dream’, taking CAADP to another level and meeting the vision of Africa becoming food-sufficient and a net exporter of agricultural and agro-processed commodities to the rest of the world.

The Sudanese CAADP Compact was signed by Sudanese Ministers of Agriculture and Irrigation, and Finance and National Economy respectively, the AUC, NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency, COMESA, representatives from the Sudanese Farmer’s Union, private sector, civil society and development partners.

AUC and FARA sign MoU to enhance strategic partnership in Agriculture, Science and Technology

Accra, July 18, 2013 –The African Union Commission (AUC) and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) yesterday July 18, in Accra, Ghana, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to broaden the strategic partnership between the two organisations in strategic areas including agriculture, Science and Technology, among others.

The MoU was signed by AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA), H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace and FARA Board Chairman, Dr. Tiemoko Yo, during the opening ceremony of the Comprehensive Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) day celebration held at the on-going Africa Agriculture Science week in Accra, Ghana.

Several African Ministers of Agriculture officiated at the event in addition to other senior leaders from governments, international organisations and think tanks in the agricultural sector.

By signing the MoU, AUC committed to provide leadership and coordination support in the implementation of the jointly agreed initiatives, while engaging FARA to provide technical support in the design, development and implementation of continental initiatives on promoting agricultural research and innovation for development in Africa and in support of CAADP country plans.

FARA on the other hand agreed to provide strategic advice to the AUC on promoting African agriculture transformation for economic growth and development through enhancing agricultural research, innovation, science and technology. Through the MoU, FARA will further provide strategic guidance and support to the development and implementation of the Agriculture Science Agenda for Africa and Agriculture Education and Training.

The MoU will remain in force for four years effective from its date of signing.
During the official opening of the CAADP Day, AU Commissioner Tumusiime said the CAADP Day was a major event in the African Agriculture Transformation Agenda, which aims to raise further awareness and the profile of CAADP as an African owned and African led priority framework.

“The theme of the CAADP Day “Africa feeding Africa” sets the scene for reflecting on how to improve agricultural production to eradicate hunger and poverty in the continent. The CAADP Day is an important event to reflect and discuss for an improved delivery on CAADP implementation for the African people,” said Mrs. Tumusiime.

She also congratulated the Government of Ghana for having achieved the Millennium Development Goal Number 1, of Ending hunger and reducing poverty by half by 2015 and having passed the stage of becoming a Middle income country.

Several ministers reiterated their commitment to support the implementation of CAADP in their respective countries. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security in Sierra Leone, Dr. Sam Sesay, for example, called for a review of CAADP commitments mainly the 10% public spending and 6% agricultural growth. The Ministers specifically further called for the need to be concrete on how to guide African Heads of State as they look to recommit themselves in 2014, the AU declared Year of Agriculture and Food Security and Commemoration of 10 years of CAADP.