CAADP partnership platform meeting underway in Ethiopia - The ninth edition of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) partnership platform meeting opened here Monday with a call on stakeholders to sustain and improve on the achievements recorded in the last decade of the programme.
“Significant achievements have been made by CAADP -- It created platform for stakeholders and provided a model for the rest of the continent. It also served as platform for agriculture transformation agenda on the continent,' African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Rhoda Peace Tumusiine, told African delegates at the opening ceremony.
“We now see greater cooperation, mobilization of resources to improve agriculture. There is increased Regional collaboration; CAADP has equally enhanced the Peer Review Mechanism and accountability. However, there is still more to be done. The systems for inter-agricultural trade will play a key role in economic integration. The political imperative to create jobs and economic opportunities for the growing young men and women in Africa is increasing”, she added.
The Executive Officer of NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, in his message, read by the Director of Programmes, Estherine Fotabong, said within the last decades, over 40 countries across the continent and 30 others have signed the CAADP Compact, with many of them in various stages of development of their National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans(NAFSIP).
“There is also a clear consciousness that the realization of the desired results of CAADP implementation can only be attained by moving beyond establishing plans and processes.
There is the need to concentrate on implementation through the creation of enabling policy and institutional framework. Forming partnership with non-state actors, particularly the private sector, greater collaboration and increased diversified sources of funding,' Mayaki advised.
A Representative of the Pan African Farmers Organisation (PAFO), Chief Alangeh Romanus Che, called for incentives for the remaining African countries that are yet to sign into the CAADP platform and for those still foot dragging on the issue.
He pledged the continued support of the organisation to the realisation of CAADP objectives, adding that there was the need to review the current technology platform, invest more in farmers capacity, researchers and provide enabling environment for members to operate.
The minister of state for Agriculture in Ethiopia, Prof. Tekalign Mamo, said his country had invested heavily in the agriculture sector, having taken the issue of agriculture seriously since the creation of CAADP in July 2003.
Ethiopia is one of the few countries that are investing more than 10% of their national annual budget on agriculture. It is presently putting close to 18% of the budget on agriculture. The country has also made significant progress on the 6% target for agricultural production growth.
“Ethiopia has made tremendous efforts and witnessed strong economic performance. The country’s multi-sect oral plans have contributed to strong progress across a wide spectrum of development areas. From human development, economic infrastructure and agriculture to rural development, building institutions and devolving government”, the minister added.
About 500 delegates, including 31 members states, four of the five Regional Economic Communities (REC) researchers, policy makers, farmers group, private sector, donor agencies, Development partners and the media are participating in the three day brainstorming, which ends on Wednesday.
'Sustaining the CAADP Momentum, Implementation, results and Impact' is the theme for this year’s meeting.
CAADP was set up in 2003 as a framework for achieving food security, nutrition and overcoming poverty.
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