African Union Unveils Agricultural Development Plan for the Next Decade
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Kampala, Jan 12 (NationPress) African nations have launched a fresh initiative aimed at enhancing agricultural development and food systems, which are vital for the livelihoods of the continent's populace.
The 10-year strategy and action framework to implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), along with a consensus document known as the Kampala Declaration, was unveiled on Saturday during the African Union Extraordinary Summit on CAADP in Kampala, Uganda's capital.
Through this new initiative, African countries are dedicated to amplifying sustainable food production by elevating agri-food output by 45 percent by 2035 and curtailing post-harvest losses by 50 percent, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
They also committed to enhancing investment and financing in the agricultural sector, targeting a total of 100 billion US dollars in public and private investments by 2035.
To realize these objectives, African nations are calling for a unified commitment from governments, parliaments, food producers, the private sector, and civil society to convert decisions into concrete outcomes.
"Together, we can transform Africa's agri-food system into a sustainable and inclusive future," stated the Declaration.
CAADP was established in 2003 to eradicate hunger and combat poverty. At its inception, African countries pledged to allocate 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture, with an emphasis on boosting investment in the sector.
During the summit on Saturday, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urged African nations to adopt commercial agriculture and value addition as a route to economic prosperity.
"Fully commercialize agriculture to ensure food security and increase household income by engaging in agricultural enterprises. For families managing four acres or less, implement an intensive agriculture strategy. For those with larger plots, adopt an extensive agriculture approach," Museveni remarked.
The three-day summit attracted over 2,000 delegates, including agricultural specialists, ministers, and heads of state from more than 40 AU member nations, to deliberate on the continent's agricultural challenges and future.
