What's on this page?
On this page you can find out what Pillar 2 is, what its objectives and strategy are, what progress has been made, who is leading the pillar and what documents are available.
What is Pillar 2?
Pillar 2 aims to increase market access through improved rural infrastructure and other trade-related interventions.
Pillar 2 objectives
The objectives of Pillar 2 are to:
- Accelerate growth in the agricultural sector by raising the capacities of private entrepreneurs (including commercial and small-holder farmers) to meet the increasingly complex quality and logistic requirements of markets; and
- Create a regulatory and policy framework to facilitate the emergence of regional economic spaces that will spur the expansion of regional trade and cross-country investments.
Pillar 2 focuses in improving local infrastructure such as transportation, storage and packaging systems, retail facilities information technology and supply chains.
It also focuses on improving competitiveness through sound trade policies at the national, regional and continental level.
Pillar 2 aims to strengthen capacity in Africa to participate in trade negotiations and meet market access requirements for world trade and build strategic alliances to expand domestic and foreign direct investment in agriculture.
What progress has been made so far?
In Pillar 2 work is going ahead on the vision and framework simultaneously. The Secretariat has facilitated and coordinated the final technical review and validation processes for the CAADP Pillar 2 Framework on increasing market access through improved infrastructure and trade-related interventions. The framework is ready for widespread distribution and will have to take the due process for political endorsement by the AU Heads of State and Government.
Fertiliser Programme: Following up on the Abuja Declaration, NEPAD has worked closely with the African Union Commission and the African Development Bank to establish the Africa Fertiliser Financing Mechanism. Already over US$35 million has been mobilised and will be directed to countries through country roundtable processes.
Regional trade: Facilitation programmes are currently being funded in the COMESA and ECOWAS regions to promote the integration of regional markets and raise the competitiveness of local products in these markets.
Other initiatives: The UK's Research Into Use Programme recently launched the African Enterprise Challenge Fund to finance agribusiness joint ventures and other business-to-business alliances. The US African Growth and Opportunities Act streamlines the rules for African exports.
Who is leading Pillar 2?
Lead technical agency:
Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of West and Central Africa (CMA/AOC) -
