CAADP stands for Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme. It was established by the African Union Assembly in 2003, launched in Maputo, Mozambique. In 2013, CAADP marked 10 years of existence.
CAADP focuses on improving food security, nutrition and increasing incomes in Africa's largely farming based economis. It aims to do this by raising agricultural productivity by at least 6% per year and increasing public investment in agriculture to 10% of national budgets per year.
This week (17-18 March 2014), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, FARA organized a Community of Practice for the Agricultural Research for Development, AR4D at the Hilton Hotel in Durban, South Africa, to assess CAADP's achievements over the last decade and map out the repositioning of AR4D within the refreshed CAADP strategy, also known as "Sustaining the CAADP momentum: Operationliazing the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa".
Durban was described to be the perfect setting to host CAADP's 10 year's journey in view fo the fact that 60% of city's 3.1 million as confirmed by the city's Lord Mayor James Nxumalo was living in the rural area and the event could be a great opportunity for the Durbanites to learnt how to improve their livelyhood.
The historic Consultative Roundtable featured Former AU Commission Chairperson, Dr Jean Ping who is now Chairman of FARA's recently constituted High Level Advocacy Panel, NEPAD's Planning and Coordinating Agency, Dr Ibrahim A. Mayaki, FARA's Executive Director, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo while the AU Commission Chairperson has someone to represent her. Other participants include Researchers, policy makers, Partners mainly from the investment point of view and experts in the agriculatural related fields - some representing national and regional institutions and economic groupings while others attended in their individual professional capacities.
Stakeholders no doubt agree that CAADP has become a brand of agricultural development framework, which provides a path for AU member states in the context of the major outcomes and results areas in the long run. The Consultative Roundtable Concept Note as prepared by FARA highlights the CAAPD Results Framework objectives as including increased agriculture production and production, better functioning agriculture markets, increased market access and trade, increased availability and access to food and building resilience as well as improved management of natural resources for sustainable agriculture production. Although some countries have managed to commit 10% of their national budgets to agriculture - which is a commendable action and a sign of African leadership in taking agriculture development ownership, many countries are yet to do so.
Participants pointed out the need for national and regional institutions to coordinate properly in order to avoid duplications in terms and improve the efforts to share resources, research facilities/centres, staff and materials/data. They highlighted the need for a direction in terms of recommendations for Africa's research needs, which must guide the investment sourcing instead of individuals countries to do so on adhoc basis and through uncoordinated efforts. The issue of some missing actors or partners such as the media to help with the communication strategy of the agenda under discussion was acknowleged as well as the presence of farmers as the end users of the concept. It was made clear that policy documents or framework did not put food on the table of the consumers or end users who are in the case, the farmers, therefore, the efforst being made must therefore improve the livelihood of the rural farmers and ordinary African citizens.
In terms of risks, there is need to encourage and convince the African leadershp to invest more in Agriculture as failure to do so could result into donor dependency which could subsequently be donor-driven research instead of farmer or consumer or end-user research driven.
During the same week (from 19-20th March 2014), and as part of the main programme for CAADP Partnership Platform (CAADP PP), FARA organized a full day parallel session meant to formulate an action plan for the operationalization of the Science Agenda. The Science Agenda abbreviated as S3A is set to be tabled for endorsement by African Heads of State and Government at their next Summit in July 2014.
A media statement issued by FARA in Accra, Ghana, prior to the Consultative Roundtable (07 March 2014), emphasized the fact that vision of the Science Agenda is based on the observiation that Science for Agriculture in Africa is too important to be outsourced to international investors, African coutnries therefore must make domestic investments in science for agriculture, appropriate to their size and economic status.
The concept note further referred to the other context for the discussions as the Science Agenda's VIision which is stated as, "By 2030, Africa ensures its food and nutriion security becomes a recognizd global scientific player in agriculture and food systems and the worlds' breadbasket". Africa's economies are growing, the agriculture is rebounding, but there are still high expectations for agriculture because Africa is still the most food insecure continent and the environment is increasingly challenging. The world's population is growing to a point where it is projectedd that by 2040, Africa will be the only continent with sufficient land and water to make significant contribution to feeding the world - hence the long range vision. The Science Agenda is therefore a framework for establishing Africa as a player, contributor and beneficiary of global Science for agriculture. It is underpinned by principles of solidarity among African scientists, support for action at the national, sub-regional and continental levels, and open collaboration, horizontally among scientists and vertically with regional and global centres of excellence. The S3A proudly asserts that Africa is earning its place and will continue to strengthen its role globally, the concept note confirms.
The objectives for the CAADP PP therefore provids insight and recommendations on how to amongst others integrate the Science Agnda into the implementation of CAADP at national, regional and continental levels, build Science capacity at all levels in the long terms to become responsive to the changing needs of producers, consumers and entrepreneurs, strengthen solidarity and partnership in Science and technology and accelarate sharing of knowledge, staff and research facilities, within and amongst countries and increased commitment and investment into science and technology.
CAADP PP is an annual high level event that brings together key stakeholders such as African governments, policy makers, technical bodies, civil society and farmers' organizations to assess programme made in implementing the CAADP agenda and to refresh the agenda for the way forward.
The 10th CAADP PP is special because it is being held in the "Year of Africulture and Food Security in Africa", not only marking the 10th Anniversary of the adoption of CAADP, but also the launch year for the next decade of CAADP.
FARA which organized the Community of Practice - for the Agricultural Research for Development is the apex organization chragd with the strategic role of coordinating agricultural research and developmnt in Africa. FARA weaves together key networks and stakeholders on the continent and globally to reinforce the capacity of Africa to imporove its agricultural science and innovatino for food secxurity and poverty reducation. FARA was established as an independent organization in 2002, just a year before CAADP's launch, and is based in Accra, Ghana. More information on this week's CAADP and Science Agenda related activies can be obtained from www.fara-africa.org
CAADP focuses on improving food security, nutrition and increasing incomes in Africa's largely farming based economis. It aims to do this by raising agricultural productivity by at least 6% per year and increasing public investment in agriculture to 10% of national budgets per year.
 |
| FARA organized Consultative Roundtable at the Hilton in Durban, SA |
Durban was described to be the perfect setting to host CAADP's 10 year's journey in view fo the fact that 60% of city's 3.1 million as confirmed by the city's Lord Mayor James Nxumalo was living in the rural area and the event could be a great opportunity for the Durbanites to learnt how to improve their livelyhood.
The historic Consultative Roundtable featured Former AU Commission Chairperson, Dr Jean Ping who is now Chairman of FARA's recently constituted High Level Advocacy Panel, NEPAD's Planning and Coordinating Agency, Dr Ibrahim A. Mayaki, FARA's Executive Director, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo while the AU Commission Chairperson has someone to represent her. Other participants include Researchers, policy makers, Partners mainly from the investment point of view and experts in the agriculatural related fields - some representing national and regional institutions and economic groupings while others attended in their individual professional capacities.
Stakeholders no doubt agree that CAADP has become a brand of agricultural development framework, which provides a path for AU member states in the context of the major outcomes and results areas in the long run. The Consultative Roundtable Concept Note as prepared by FARA highlights the CAAPD Results Framework objectives as including increased agriculture production and production, better functioning agriculture markets, increased market access and trade, increased availability and access to food and building resilience as well as improved management of natural resources for sustainable agriculture production. Although some countries have managed to commit 10% of their national budgets to agriculture - which is a commendable action and a sign of African leadership in taking agriculture development ownership, many countries are yet to do so.
 |
| Official event of the CAADP PP at the International Convention Centre in Durban |
Participants pointed out the need for national and regional institutions to coordinate properly in order to avoid duplications in terms and improve the efforts to share resources, research facilities/centres, staff and materials/data. They highlighted the need for a direction in terms of recommendations for Africa's research needs, which must guide the investment sourcing instead of individuals countries to do so on adhoc basis and through uncoordinated efforts. The issue of some missing actors or partners such as the media to help with the communication strategy of the agenda under discussion was acknowleged as well as the presence of farmers as the end users of the concept. It was made clear that policy documents or framework did not put food on the table of the consumers or end users who are in the case, the farmers, therefore, the efforst being made must therefore improve the livelihood of the rural farmers and ordinary African citizens.
In terms of risks, there is need to encourage and convince the African leadershp to invest more in Agriculture as failure to do so could result into donor dependency which could subsequently be donor-driven research instead of farmer or consumer or end-user research driven.
During the same week (from 19-20th March 2014), and as part of the main programme for CAADP Partnership Platform (CAADP PP), FARA organized a full day parallel session meant to formulate an action plan for the operationalization of the Science Agenda. The Science Agenda abbreviated as S3A is set to be tabled for endorsement by African Heads of State and Government at their next Summit in July 2014.
A media statement issued by FARA in Accra, Ghana, prior to the Consultative Roundtable (07 March 2014), emphasized the fact that vision of the Science Agenda is based on the observiation that Science for Agriculture in Africa is too important to be outsourced to international investors, African coutnries therefore must make domestic investments in science for agriculture, appropriate to their size and economic status.
The concept note further referred to the other context for the discussions as the Science Agenda's VIision which is stated as, "By 2030, Africa ensures its food and nutriion security becomes a recognizd global scientific player in agriculture and food systems and the worlds' breadbasket". Africa's economies are growing, the agriculture is rebounding, but there are still high expectations for agriculture because Africa is still the most food insecure continent and the environment is increasingly challenging. The world's population is growing to a point where it is projectedd that by 2040, Africa will be the only continent with sufficient land and water to make significant contribution to feeding the world - hence the long range vision. The Science Agenda is therefore a framework for establishing Africa as a player, contributor and beneficiary of global Science for agriculture. It is underpinned by principles of solidarity among African scientists, support for action at the national, sub-regional and continental levels, and open collaboration, horizontally among scientists and vertically with regional and global centres of excellence. The S3A proudly asserts that Africa is earning its place and will continue to strengthen its role globally, the concept note confirms.
The objectives for the CAADP PP therefore provids insight and recommendations on how to amongst others integrate the Science Agnda into the implementation of CAADP at national, regional and continental levels, build Science capacity at all levels in the long terms to become responsive to the changing needs of producers, consumers and entrepreneurs, strengthen solidarity and partnership in Science and technology and accelarate sharing of knowledge, staff and research facilities, within and amongst countries and increased commitment and investment into science and technology.
 |
| Participants of the group that worked on the operationalization of the Science Agenda streaming at Hall 4A at the ICC in Dubran |
CAADP PP is an annual high level event that brings together key stakeholders such as African governments, policy makers, technical bodies, civil society and farmers' organizations to assess programme made in implementing the CAADP agenda and to refresh the agenda for the way forward.
The 10th CAADP PP is special because it is being held in the "Year of Africulture and Food Security in Africa", not only marking the 10th Anniversary of the adoption of CAADP, but also the launch year for the next decade of CAADP.
FARA which organized the Community of Practice - for the Agricultural Research for Development is the apex organization chragd with the strategic role of coordinating agricultural research and developmnt in Africa. FARA weaves together key networks and stakeholders on the continent and globally to reinforce the capacity of Africa to imporove its agricultural science and innovatino for food secxurity and poverty reducation. FARA was established as an independent organization in 2002, just a year before CAADP's launch, and is based in Accra, Ghana. More information on this week's CAADP and Science Agenda related activies can be obtained from www.fara-africa.org
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