By Prossy Nandudu
African ministers under the African Union Commission have been asked to speed up the process of signing the Memoranda of Understanding to operationalise the Regional Animal Resources Seed Centres of Excellence.
The call was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, during the opening of the Session of Ministers of Agriculture at the ongoing African Union Extraordinary Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort and Conference Centre on Thursday.
Tumwebaze told fellow ministers that during the fourth session of the Specialized Technical Committees (STC) in 2021, member countries agreed to establish five regional animal resource seed centres of excellence.
The summit, which kicked off today, January 9, and ends on Saturday, is running under the theme “Building Resilient Agri-Food Systems in Africa.”
The event is organised jointly by the African Union Commission, Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE), African Union Development Agency-New Partnership African Development (AUDA-NEPAD), and the Ugandan Government.
Uganda was chosen as one of the host centres under the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB). However, this is not yet operational due to delays by member countries in signing the Memoranda of Understanding.
“To operationalise the centres, participating countries are required to conclude Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). We need to expedite this process in those regions where this remains outstanding, such as the Eastern Africa region,” he said.
Officiating as chief guest at the summit, the Prime Minister of Uganda, Robinah Nabbanja, called on all ministers across the continent to guide their governments on how to strategise in order to meet the targets of the CAADP program.
“You will note that CAADP is one of the strategies towards the realisation of the Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want. Therefore, let us work deliberately to get what we want as a continent. As the continent’s agricultural sector ministers, I urge you to deliberately work to reduce Africa’s over-reliance on food imports from outside the continent,” she added.
At the same time, Amb. Josefa Sacko, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, reminded the ministers that from the 4th CAADP biennial review report to African Heads of State and Government during the 37th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, it was noted that no single country was on track to meet the Malabo CAADP goals and targets by 2025.
That is how the Assembly directed the African Union Commission and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) to develop a post-Malabo CAADP agenda that would respond to the challenges and opportunities facing Africa’s agrifood systems.
In response, the African Union has led the development of a new 10-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan: 2026-2035, whose vision is to build resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for a healthy and prosperous Africa, in line with the aspirations of Agenda 2063.
She explained that under the leadership of Uganda’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, and the Chair of the STC on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment, Frank Tumwebaze, the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan and the draft Kampala CAADP Declaration were endorsed on October 25, 2024, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The two documents were then circulated by the Office of the Secretary to the Commission to all AU Member States in all six AU working languages.
Overall, the 10-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan, which will be endorsed by heads of state this Saturday at the end of the summit, aims to boost food production, expand value addition, increase intra-Africa trade, create millions of jobs for youth and women, build inclusive agrifood value chains, and develop resilient and sustainable agrifood systems capable of withstanding shocks and stressors now and in the future.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Delegates attending the summit. (Courtesy photo)
