Accra, Ghana, March 10, 2016 – “The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme and the 2014 Malabo Declaration on Accelerated African Agricultural Growth and Transformation (3AGT) have become the vehicle for directing agriculture development efforts and partnerships in Africa,” says Ghanaian Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Mohammed-Muniru Limuna.

Hon. Limuna was speaking today at the official opening of the 2nd Permanent Secretaries Leadership Retreat on CAADP implementation organised by the AUC and NEPAD Agency.

He said there was a need to improve on policies and strategic planning as well as presentation in order to attain the goals for poverty reduction as well as enhanced food and nutrition security, which he noted continued to be a challenge in Africa.

Speaking on behalf of AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Dr. Janet Edeme, AUC Acting Director for the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, emphasised the importance of accelarating the CAADP agenda and country ownership and leadership in realising the goals of the Malabo commitments.

She informed the meeting that guidelines had been formulated to help review progress in implementing CAADP in order to take corrective measures in line with mutual accountability principles.

“We are launching an important chapter for African agriculture, we will all be judged by the impact we will make to the rural populations, the women in agriculture and the african youth, the time is now to position agriculture to play its role in countries’ economies,” Commissioner Tumusiime said.

(Watch Commissioner Tumusiime’s video message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYJr2a2bsJQ&feature=youtu.be)

Also present during the opening session was Hon. Patrick Tarnue Worzie, Assistant Minister for Planning and Development from the Federal Republic of Liberia and NEPAD Head of Programme Development, Martin Bwalya.

The 1st PS CAADP Retreat, which was held in July 2015, identified key implementation aspects crucial to galvanise national action necessary to domesticate and operationalize the Malabo commitments and the CAADP Results Framework. More importantly, the Retreat reaffirmed the authority and leadership role of Permanent Secretaries in championing national actions in the implementation of the Malabo Commitments.

The 2nd PS CAADP Retreat comes at the pinnacle of the renewed launch of CAADP country implementation. Expected outcomes of the retreat include; To reflect on thematic and policy factors and issues presenting either opportunities or challenges to delivering on the Malabo commitments; Validate the revised Country CAADP Implementation Guidelines; and solicit country perspectives on, (i) the CAADP-Malabo Financing Architecture; (ii) the technical Networks arrangement to mobilise and make accessible expert support arrangements; and (iii) the revised CAADP Partnership architecture.

The aspirations in the Malabo Declaration underscore CAADP implementation as a national responsibility. It is therefore critical that Heads of Ministries as custodians of government policies and national development strategies and plans, including the National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans, fully embrace and internalise the responsibilities for driving the CAADP agenda.

CAADP is an African-led agenda designed to guide Africa’s agricultural transformation for sustained food security and socio-economic growth. The 2014 Malabo Declaration is a commitment adopted by AU Heads of State and Government to provide effective leadership for the achievement of specific goals by the year 2025, including ending hunger, tripling intra-African trade in agricultural goods and services, enhancing resilience of livelihoods and production systems, and ensuring that agriculture contributes significantly to poverty reduction.

To meet these goals, African leaders re-affirmed their commitment to the CAADP process and agreed to enhance investment finance and to a biennial tracking of progress and reporting mechanism as part of the mutual accountability commitment.

The 2nd PS Leadership Retreat has brought together over 100 participants - Permanent Secretaries and CAADP Focal persons of Ministries of Agriculture, Rural Development, Livestock and Aquaculture, Regional Economic Communities and Partners.

……… END ………

For more details and to arrange interviews contact:

Ms. Carol Jilombo
Africa Union Commission DREA
Email: Jilomboc@africa-union.org