Kampala – Angolan President João Lourenço defended on Saturday, in Kampala, Uganda, greater attention to the strategic pillars that consist of promoting food production, agro-industry and sustainable trade on the continent.
João Lourenço, who was speaking at the opening of the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) on the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP), called on Member States to defend with determination and conviction the six pillars on which the Action Plan that makes up the CAADP is based.
He highlighted that the pillars constitute a roadmap that will certainly lead to good results, taking into account the need to adapt them to specific national contexts.
The plan also includes the need to stimulate investment and financing for transformation, ensure food and nutritional security for all, promote inclusion and equitable livelihoods, build resilient agri-food systems and strengthen the governance of agri-food systems.
According to the Angolan Head of State, this program should form the basis for attracting investments for agriculture, for the production of fertilizers, vaccines, tractors, agricultural implements and other inputs, in order to develop an agriculture that ensure self-sufficiency and food security.
“Fertilizers have a considerable impact on agricultural productivity, which is why they are explicitly reflected in the Nairobi Declaration on Fertilizers and Soil Health and the respective Ten-Year Action Plan, requiring very special attention from all of us to improve performance. of the African agricultural sector”, he highlighted.
He also added the vital importance of agricultural mechanization, the acceleration of the implementation of seed production and certification systems in countries that do not yet have them, the improvement of rural infrastructure and the development of irrigation systems, so that all these factors, as a whole, contribute to the promotion of modern agriculture, with high levels of productivity, competitive and with the capacity to export to foreign markets.
During his speech, as first vice-president of the African Union (AU) Assembly Bureau, the Angolan statesman highlighted that the decisions to be taken at this summit will define the future of agriculture in Africa and its role in economic prosperity. , social and environmental aspects of the continent.
João Lourenço defended, however, the need to place agriculture among the most important priorities of each nation, “as it lies the basis of the development of our economies, food security and the path to inclusive growth”.
“By prioritizing agriculture, we are investing in our people, empowering our young people and our women, creating jobs and opportunities for future generations”, he stated, adding that, together, Member States can make the vision of a resilient, prosperous Africa, with a significant reduction in poverty, hunger, misery and diseases resulting from child malnutrition.
On the other hand, João Lourenço highlighted the importance of promoting environmental protection and ecological restoration initiatives on the continent, such as the Muralha or Cortina Verde projects, with the aim of mitigating the advance of desertification and regenerating soil and springs degraded by human action and, as a result, climate change. HM/VC/DOJ
