African governments told to reflect on CAADPs commitments

The African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Tumsiime Rhoda Peace said the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Plan meeting (CAADP) under way in Durban is a good platform to reflect on the commitments of African governments on agriculture.

Speaking in Durban at the 10th CAADP Platform Partnership and Africa Conference on agriculture and rural development, Peace said, the meeting provides a visionary beacon of the desired change and impact from agriculture-centered investments on the trajectory of the broad-based socio-economic development and growth on the continent.

“In addition the CAADP meeting, being commemorated this year, where the African Union (AU) declared it as the year of agriculture, will serve as a benchmark alignment and harmonization at all levels for the priorities of intra and inter Africa trade, the CAADP results Framework therefore, integrates cross cutting themes with specific work streams,” she said.

The chief executive officer New Partnerships for Africas’ Development (Nepad) Planning and coordinating agency for the CAADP Project, Ibrahim Assane Mayaki said despite tremendous growth in the continent for the past decade, there are still challenges.

“The continent still faces major challenges including food and
nutrition, insecurity, unemployment particularly of youth and women and this situation is most acute in rural areas. Africa’s agriculture can and should significantly contribute to addressing these challenges,” she said.

She added that the last decade was marked by a major change in the situation on agricultural markets and a reversal of the downward trend in prices to the point that African agricultural production by value increased by more than 10 percent per year on average against less than 2 percent per year during the decade prior to the CAADP.

According to Mayaki the figures indicate that in terms of volumes, Africa still stands below the 6 percent target that was set for CAADP.

“Nevertheless, this illustrates a very positive development when compared to the 2 percent before the setting up of CAADP. This should be an encouragement to go further in our efforts,” he said.