PRESS RELEASE Nº 175/2015

Second Africa Ecosystem based Adaptation for Food Security Conference kicks off

Description: IMG_0670Nairobi 30 July 2015- H.E. Mrs. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, the Commissioner for the Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union delivered a keynote address as Guest of Honour at the solemn occasion of the official opening of the Second Africa Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) for Food Security 2015 Conference. The theme of the Conference is “Re-imagining Africa Food Security through Harnessing Ecosystem based Adaptation (EBA) Approaches- Now and into the Future under Climate Change”.

In her statement, Commissioner Tumussiime highlighted the relevance and timeliness of the theme of the Conference in the context of the forthcoming adoption of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the expected conclusion of a binding global agreement on climate change. She said this was particularly critical for Africa “which is home to a variety of ecosystems ranging from deserts and wetlands to forests and woodlands, highlands and plateaux, all of which provide home to diverse flora and fauna that make Africa a destination of choice for habitation and tourism as well as investment.”

“To operationalize the African Union Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Africa Agriculture Growth and Transformation, the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency in consultation with multiple stakeholders and partners, developed the Implementation Strategy and Roadmap as well as the Programme of Work. Within these strategic documents, eco-system based adaptation (EBA) driven agriculture is recognized as being among priority mechanisms for delivering the 2025 Vision on CAADP, a remarkable milestone for EbA” added the Commissioner.

Description: IMG_0702The Conference attracted about 1,500 participants from all over Africa as well as development finance and technical partners from all parts of world. The key objectives of the Conference include to determine how EbA can be harnessed to protect and restore Africa’s ecosystems as well as integrate it into policy frameworks to enable improved agricultural production and productivity, identify scaleable and inclusive business models for EbA driven agriculture that can create opportunities in the entire agricultural value chain, and understand the benefits of EbA for job and wealth creation and the achievement of the proposed SDGs and what Africa will lose as a continent if EbA is ignored or given little support in the context of increasing population and rapid urbanisation coupled with climate change.

High level speakers at the opening session included Dr. Patrick Kormawa, FAO SRC Eastern and Representative to AU and ECA; Dr. Cosmas Ochieng, Executive Director, ACTS; Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director, FARA; Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA; and Mr. Mounkaila Goumandakoye, Regional Director, UNEP/ROA reiterated the appropriateness of the Conference and highlighted relevant activities their respective organization are undertaking and expressed their commitment to partner with DREA/AUC and UNEP in matters related to ecosystem based adaptation to better synergize and enhance complimentarily towards attaining our common goal of enhancing food security, and sustaining our ecosystem in view of the changing climate and other challenges as well as opportunities associated with globalisation.

For further information:

Ayalneh Bogale (Prof.)

Adviser: Climate Change and Agriculture

Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture

ayalnehb@africa-union.org

Media Contact

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke; Directorate of Information and Communication, AUC; 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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