African Union Summit on Agricultural Development towards a Sustainable Future
African Union Summit on Agricultural Development towards a Sustainable Future
In a move that reflects the African continent’s commitment to achieving a radical transformation in the agricultural sector, the Extraordinary Summit of the African Union on the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) was held in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, from January 9 to 11, 2025, where the summit witnessed a wide presence of heads of state and government, in addition to agricultural ministers, experts, and representatives of regional and international organizations.
Discussions centered on the adoption of the “Kampala Declaration”, which is a road map to enhancing food security and achieving sustainable development in Africa by 2035; Therefore, in this article, Earth Guards will discuss the details of this prominent event, and the resulting decisions and recommendations aimed at promoting agricultural development in the African continent.. so continue reading.
Historical Background
Since the launch of theComprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP)in 2003 during the Maputo Summit, African countries have committed to increasing investment in the agricultural sector to achieve sustainable growth. In 2014, the Malabo Declaration renewed these commitments, setting goals for 2025, including eliminating hunger and reducing poverty.
The African Union Agricultural Development Summit then aimed to adopt the Kampala Declaration, which sets out a new vision for the development of sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in Africa for the period from 2026 to 2035, with the adoption of the ten-year strategy and action plan of the Comprehensive Program for the Development of Agriculture in Africa, which aim to achieve specific goals to enhance agricultural productivity, food processing, and intra-regional trade.
Before adopting this new future plan, the declaration – the Kampala Declaration – had its steps that were achieved over the past years, as it stipulated in 2015 the establishment of the regional network for farmers in Africa; In order to enhance cooperation in making weather and climate-related information and services available to farmers. This was in cooperation between the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture in Uganda, the World Meteorological Organization, as well as in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development.
Then in 2023 – during the Earth Summit in Nairobi – member states signed the adoption of the Kampala Declaration resolutions on climate change, and these resolutions were to combat the phenomenon of population migration due to the effects of climate change throughout the continent.
Main themes and commitments
In the new phase, theKampala Declaration focuses on developing a flexible and sustainable food industry system in Africa, setting ambitious goals by 2035, including:
- Increased food industry production by 45%.
- Reducing post-harvest losses by 50%.
- Triple trade exchanges between countries of the continent in food industry products and inputs.
To achieve these goals, the declaration called for providing an enabling political and regulatory environment, and integrating modern technology – such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and digitalization – into agricultural operations. African countries also committed to stimulating investments and financing, while seeking to mobilize $100 billion in public and private investments by 2035.
Egypt’s role in promoting African agricultural cooperation
Egypt actively participated in the African Union Summit, where the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation – Mr. Alaa Farouk – conveyed the greetings of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and his affirmation of Egypt’s commitment to supporting African efforts to achieve sustainable agricultural development.
Farouk pointed out the importance of adopting comprehensive agricultural policies, encouraging investment in sustainable management, in addition to enhancing the use of modern technology, applications of artificial intelligence, and climate-smart agriculture. He also called for establishing African regional partnerships, enhancing intra-trade, and exchanging experiences in the fields of health and phytosanitary.
Challenges and Opportunities
There is no doubt that achieving the ambitious goals of the Kampala Declaration requires confronting multiple challenges, including climate change, lack of funding, and weak infrastructure. However, these challenges provide opportunities to enhance cooperation among African countries and adopt innovative and sustainable agricultural practices.
It is worth noting that focusing on developing the agricultural sector does not only contribute to achieving food security, it also contributes to creating new job opportunities and stimulating economic growth on the continent in a fair and comprehensive manner.
Regional and international cooperation
Achieving the goals set in the Kampala Declaration requires close cooperation among African countries, in addition to support from international partners. Regional cooperation can also contribute to exchanging experiences and technologies, enhancing intra-regional trade, and coordinating agricultural policies. To achieve integration and common prosperity. International support, through financing or technology transfer, can play a major role in accelerating the pace of agricultural transformation on the continent.
In conclusion,Earth Guardsbelieves that joint cooperation and the adoption of innovative strategies are necessary so that the continent of Africa can chart a bright future that provides food security, achieves Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and protects the environment for us and for future generations.
