AU's renewed commitment to agriculture

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa: AGRA welcomes AU's renewed commitment to agriculture - As the 50th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)/African Union (AU) is being observed across the continent, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has welcomed the organisation’s renewed commitment to the transformation of Africa’s agricultural sector.


“We share the African Union’s vision for an Africa that is free of hunger; an Africa that boasts a strong agricultural sector that provides food, labour and wealth for all groups of society,' a statement made available to PANA here Friday quoted AGRA President Jane Karuku to have said.

She said the theme of this year’s summit – ‘Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance’ – is fitting, adding: 'We are optimistic about Africa’s future, especially given the tremendous advances we are witnessing across the whole continent, in research laboratories, in the fields, in the marketplace and at the policy level.”

Looking ahead to Africa’s journey over the next half century, Karuku said Africans must not lose sight of the practical actions they can take today.

'Thirty African leaders have pledged to commit at least 10% of their budget to raise agricultural productivity under the AU’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). The AU has designated 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security – the pressure is now on governments to live up to their commitments,” she said.

In March, Karuku met with the AU's Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, and both agreed on a number of partnership opportunities, notably to support women in agriculture and to sustain commitments and policy actions made under CAADP.

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