By Nelson Mandela Muhoozi
The African Union (AU) Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Summit has officially commenced at the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.
The three-day event, running from January 9 to 11, 2024, has brought together over 2,000 delegates, including heads of state, agriculture stakeholders and development partners, to finalise the CAADP 2026-35 Strategy and Action Plan.
Speaking during the opening session, Uganda’s agriculture minister Frank Tumwebaze, who also chairs the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water, and Environment (STC-ARDWE), emphasized the urgency of implementing the CAADP strategy.
“We now have only 38 years to achieve the African Union’s Agenda 2063. If we are to realise this vision, we must move beyond planning to full implementation of the CAADP,” Tumwebaze stated.
He commended stakeholders for their technical support and thanked AU Commissioner Josefa Sacko for her leadership in driving agricultural development.
Tumwebaze encouraged delegates to explore Uganda’s offerings, including exhibitions and tourist sites, while also emphasizing the importance of execution over planning.
“The planning phase ends with this summit. It is through focused execution that we can make a meaningful contribution to the continent,” he added.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja opened the summit and started by congratulating delegates on the milestone achievement of the summit and called for deliberate action to address Africa’s reliance on food imports.
“It is shameful that a continent blessed with 65% of the world’s remaining arable land imports $100 billion worth of food annually. This trend must change,” she said.
Nabanja urged African ministers to prioritise policies that promote irrigation, mechanisation, and value addition to agricultural products while removing trade barriers to unlock regional economic development.
“We must mobilise our populations for production and invest in regional trade to deliver the Africa we want. Let us focus on implementing the program and stop exporting raw materials—adding value to our products is key,” Nabanja stressed.
She highlighted the need to enhance inclusivity and equity in agriculture, especially for women, youth, and marginalized groups, to create a resilient, food-secure continent.
CAADP key objectives
The CAADP 2026-35 Strategy and Action Plan is built around six key objectives, including intensifying sustainable food production and agro-industrialization, boosting investment in agri-food systems, and ensuring food and nutrition security.
Other key objectives include advancing inclusivity and equitable livelihoods, building resilient agri-food systems and strengthening governance.
The objectives aim to boost agricultural productivity and establish value chains that enhance trade and drive economic growth, exploring innovative financing mechanisms to unlock the potential of the sector and emphasizing access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food for all.
Additionally, the summit aims to ensure that women, youth, and marginalized groups will be prioritized in agricultural development, measures to address climate change and other shocks to ensure sustainability reviewed and adopted in addition to considering policies and frameworks that enhance accountability and effectiveness in agri-food systems.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Uganda’s agriculture minister Frank Tumwebaze. (File photo)
