By Nelson Mandela Muhoozi
The African Union (AU) Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Summit, held at the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo in Kampala from January 9 to 11, 2025, concluded with a historic endorsement of the CAADP 2026-35 Strategy and Action Plan.
The summit also marked the adoption of the CAADP Kampala Declaration, which lays out a roadmap to address Africa’s long-standing agricultural challenges.
The declaration aims at transforming the sector into a driver of economic growth, food security and sustainable livelihoods.
Themed around accelerating agricultural transformation, the summit brought together over 2,000 delegates, including heads of state, policymakers, agricultural experts and representatives of international organisations.
Delegates from 48 member states engaged in discussions that underscored the urgency of boosting agricultural productivity and addressing food insecurity.
Museveni’s address
In his keynote address on Saturday, President Yoweri Museveni emphasised the importance of eradicating non-tariff barriers and promoting value addition within the continent’s agricultural sector.
“It is possible for Africa to grow, we have got everything; it is just ideological, philosophical and strategic mistakes that make our countries lag behind. Therefore, if we meet and share ideas like we have done now, we are going to sort out all this,” he said.
Museveni added: “We must also remove the non-tariff barriers in the Continental Free Trade Area to unlock the full potential of regional trade. There is no doubt that they (non-tariff barriers) undermine the advance of agriculture in Africa.”
He highlighted Uganda’s progress in integrating its population into the money economy, with 67% of homesteads now participating in income-generating activities.
He also called for a paradigm shift away from exporting raw materials, urging African nations to invest in value addition.
“A kilogramme of raw coffee fetches $2.5, while the same kilogramme, processed and packaged, earns $40 abroad. Africa has been a major donorto cleverer foreign markets for far too long,” he lamented.
Angola’s President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço echoed similar sentiments.
“Africa’s agricultural transformation is not just about food security; it’s about sovereignty and reducing dependency on imports,” Lourenço stated.
He highlighted Angola’s recent investments in irrigation and mechanisation as examples of how nations can build resilience against climate shocks.
Hunger, malnutrition
Ambassador Josefa Sacko, the AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, provided a sobering assessment of Africa’s progress.
She said despite significant economic and agricultural growth over the past two decades, African countries have not met the Malabo Declaration’s goal to end hunger by 2025.
Sacko attributed the shortfall to insufficient investment, weak governance and climate-related challenges. She urged countries to prioritise gender-responsive policies, noting that women, who constitute the majority of agricultural labour, remain disproportionately marginalised.
“We must address barriers to financial access, cultural constraints and the lack of gender-disaggregated data to ensure inclusivity and equitable development,” she asserted.
Invest in agrifood systems
Agnes Kalibata, the president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), emphasised the role of investment in driving agricultural transformation.
“Hosting this summit positions Uganda as a key player in shaping Africa’s agricultural policies,” Kalibata said.
She commended Uganda’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Project and Agricultural Cluster Development Project for their contributions to resilience and food security.
However, she noted that there is a need to understand the need for farmers and provide them with what they need, instead of thinking for them regarding their needs and taking programmes for them without consulting them.
Charles Opiyo, the resilient livelihoods programme manager at Oxfam in Uganda, highlighted the systemic issues that undermine agricultural progress.
“Barriers, such as ineffective engagement in policy-making, limited access to financial resources and cultural constraints have perpetuated inequalities, particularly for women and youth,” Opiyo explained.
He called for gender-responsive budgeting and participatory governance frameworks to address these challenges. Constance Ogadimma Okeke, the international project manager ActionAid International, said the role of non-state actors is to ensure that the strategy benefits everyone by pushing for its effective implementation.
Recognising that the public sector alone cannot achieve CAADP’s objectives, Okeke said the framework envisions a collaborative approach involving governments, civil society, farmers, pastoralists, agribusinesses and other private sector players.
Role of peace, security
President Lourenço emphasised the intersection between peace, security and agricultural development. Without peace, he said no agricultural transformation is possible.
“Stability allows farmers to invest in their land and ensures that markets function efficiently.”
The summit participants agreed that resolving conflicts and addressing insecurity are essential to fostering a conducive environment for agricultural growth.
Food and nutrition security emerged as a recurring theme during the summit.
Kalibata highlighted the importance of adopting climate-resilient practices, such as irrigation and crop diversification, to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Agro-industrialisation
Agro – industrialisation, governance and accountability dominated the summit’s focal points, especially adding value to agricultural produce to increase profitability and create jobs.
Although Uganda has made significant strides in this area through public-private partnerships and infrastructure development, delegates said Africa’s potential to be the global breadbasket lies in investing in agro-industrial value chains.
They said this will enhance trade, create employment, and improve livelihoods. Ambassador Sacko said strengthening governance is a cornerstone for achieving the CAADP goals.
“Governance is the backbone of effective policy implementation,” she said.
SDG on food security
As the summit reviewed progress towards meeting Sustainable Development Goal 2 — ending hunger by 2025 — participants acknowledged the failure to meet this ambitious target.
Factors contributing to this shortfall included inadequate budget allocations to agriculture, with most countries failing to allocate the recommended 10% of their national budgets to the sector.
Presidents, agriculture and foreign affairs ministers agreed that they must take responsibility for their shortcomings by allocating 10% of their national budgets to agriculture.
Agriculture minister Frank Tumwebaze said: “Let us focus on agricultural research, technology adoption and mechanisation to foster agricultural development. We now have only 38 years to achieve the AU Agenda 2063,” he said.
According to Sacko, only four countries performed well based on set benchmark.
She said Rwanda scored 8.07 out 10, Morocco 6.99 and Egypt had 6.83. She said 18 other countries were ranked as progressing well, including Uganda.
Unified vision
The CAADP 2026-35 Strategy and Action Plan outlines six key objectives; intensifying sustainable food production, boosting investment in agrifood systems, ensuring food and nutrition security, advancing inclusivity, building resilient systems and strengthening governance.
These objectives aim at boosting agricultural productivity, establishing value chains and enhancing trade while prioritising women, youth and marginalised groups.
They also emphasise addressing climate change and strengthening accountability frameworks. President Lourenço’s closing remarks captured the spirit of the summit: “This 10-year strategy is not just a document; it is a call to action. Together, we can transform Africa’s agriculture and secure a prosperous future for generations to come.”
Africa as continent has between 65% to 75% of the world’s arable land. However, the continent combined spends over $100b on food imports annually.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Nelson Tugume (left), the chief executive officer Inspire Africa Group, shows heads of states and other dignitaries some of the coffee produced in Uganda. On the right is Museveni. (PPU photo)
