By Murimi Gitari
The African Union (AU) in January this year adopted yet another comprehensive 10-year strategy aimed at revolutionising the continent’s agricultural sector and achieving food security by 2035.
This ambitious strategy, dubbed the Kampala Declaration, was unveiled during the African Union Extraordinary Summit on the PostMalabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) held in Kampala, Uganda. The Kampala Declaration on Building Resilient and Sustainable Agri-food Systems in Africa builds on the progress made on the commitments under the 2014 Malabo Declaration but sets more ambitious goals and introduces new initiatives.
These initiatives are set to be implemented from 2026 to 2035, and are expected to lay the foundation for a transformative shift in Africa’s agri-food systems. The new strategy is driven by the urgent need to address the challenges posed by Africa’s rapidly growing population, which is projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050.
In comparison, the global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion people. Recognising the immense pressure this will place on food demand, the heads of state and government committed to a series of measures aimed at significantly increasing agricultural production, productivity, food processing, and trade. One of the primary goals of the strategy is to increase Africa’s agrifood output by 45 percent by 2035.
To achieve this, the AU member states have pledged to intensify sustainable food production, promote agroindustrialisation, and facilitate trade.
These efforts are expected to not only enhance food security but also drive economic growth and development across the continent.
The strategy also sets ambitious targets for reducing post-harvest losses, tripling intra-African trade in agri-food products and inputs, and increasing the share of locally processed food to 35 percent of agrifood GDP by 2035. By addressing these critical areas, the strategy aims to create a more resilient and efficient agri-food system that can meet the continent’s growing food needs.
Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, a prominent advocate for agricultural development, delivered a powerful speech at the summit. He emphasised the importance of value addition in agriculture, urging African nations to move away from relying on food imports and instead focus on adding value to their own agricultural products.
“This Africa of having no food and begging is not the real Africa, but the colonial and neo-colonial Africa. It is a shame,” Museveni declared. He also called on leaders to eliminate nontariff barriers that hinder agricultural advancement and disrupt production. The former AUC Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, acknowledged the ambitious nature of the CAADP Programme, which has been in place since 2014 under the Malabo Declaration.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of progress and underscored the need for renewed efforts to achieve the set objectives.
Kenya’s President William Ruto emphasized the importance of transforming Africa’s agri-food systems to achieve food security and sustainable economic growth. He highlighted Kenya’s efforts to enhance food security, reduce poverty, create jobs, and promote sustainable growth. He reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to agricultural transformation, aligning with the country’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and Vision 2030 Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie underscored the urgency for collective commitment and action to realise Africa’s vision for a foodsovereign and prosperous continent. “This Summit marks a defining moment for Africa, where we will be able to chart out the course of the continent’s agri-food system,” he said. The former AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, Josefa Sacko described the Kampala Declaration as inclusive and comprehensive, with a clear roadmap and realistic strategic objectives that align with the agriculture transformation vision outlined in Agenda 2063.
Development partners, represented by Norway’s State Minister Bjørg Sandkjær, commended Africa’s new strategy for emphasising the critical role of agri-food systems in economic growth, food security, and improved nutrition. She noted that the bold