Kampala - The Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union on the Comprehensive Programme for the Development of Agriculture in Africa (CAADP) closed on Saturday in Uganda with the adoption of the Kampala Declaration.
The Angolan Head of State chaired the work in his capacity as first vice-president of the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union (AU).
In his closing speech, João Lourenço acknowledged the progress made in the performance of CAADP in terms of compliance with the decisions and strategies outlined in forums of this level of importance.
The Kampala document allows for the endorsement of the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026-2035), which has been under development for the past 10 months, following the guidelines of the continent's Heads of State and Government.
The strategy, which aligns with the 2021 African Common Position for the United Nations Food Systems Summit, provides the 'blueprints' for advancing sustainable agri-food systems in Africa.
The project has undergone a review process, including evaluations by the AU Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE).
The CAAD Strategy and Action Plan aims to leverage resources to drive economic growth, increase food security, and improve livelihoods, while addressing the impacts of climate change, in alignment with the principles of this comprehensive program.
It also seeks to stimulate investment by fostering partnerships and empowering vulnerable smallholder farmers.
The document, stipulated for a period of 10 years, is also in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063, which envisions, among others, a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development.
The agenda emphasizes food and nutrition security, transforming agriculture into a key driver of economic growth and reducing the continent's dependence on food imports.
For three days, the event reviewed the memorandum of ministerial sessions on CAADP, its Draft Strategy and Action Plan for the period 2026-2036 and the Draft Kampala Declaration on Building Resilient and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Africa.
CAADP has been a key framework for the transformation of agriculture on the continent since its inception in 2003 with the Maputo Declaration, where African Heads of State and Government committed to allocating at least 10% of public expenditure to agriculture to achieve a 6% annual growth rate in agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP). HM/VC/DOJ
