" [1]Cape Town, 5/05/2011 – Last week, on the margins of the just concluded World Economic Forum for Africa, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, CEO of the NEPAD Agency met with President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania.
During the private meeting, President Kikwete welcomed the progress being made in the implementation of the NEPAD agenda in Africa. He urged Dr. Mayaki to widely engage stakeholders and to communicate the work that the Agency is doing.
President Kikwete noted NEPAD’s technical leadership and support in implementation of various programmes including infrastructure as well as agriculture development through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Noting Tanzania’s progress with regard to CAADP implementation (Tanzania’s national CAADP compact was signed in July 2010) President Kikwete called upon Dr. Mayaki to maintain NEPAD’s support on CAADP. He also specifically requested NEPAD to facilitate the necessary expert input and technical reviews to ensure that Tanzania’s investment plan is finalised and set for implementation.
In his remarks, President Kikwete highlighted that agriculture will remain central in Africa’s efforts to address poverty alleviation and in realising the continent’s food security targets. He noted that increasing productivity should be the central thrust in agriculture development.
Africa stands to gain a lot in terms of increased agriculture productivity from increased investments in irrigation, better and widespread dissemination of research outcomes and products, for instance, improved seeds, improved markets and micro-financing especially for the smallholder farmers.
President Kikwete reiterated his resolve and commitment to provide the necessary leadership to ensure Tanzania’s agriculture development agenda delivers food security and socio-economic development for the people of Tanzania.
He went on to express confidence in the CAADP implementation process, through which he felt Tanzania would be able to mobilise and align increased financing – including key private sector financing – to boost especially smallholder farming systems and to realise the value of agriculture development on food security and poverty alleviation.
The implementation of CAADP in Tanzania is set to complement the work that is being done by the Tanzanian government, farmers, civil society, business and development partners through the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor (SAGCOT), a public-private initiative to drive growth and productivity in Tanzania’s breadbasket regions.
Dr. Mayaki assured President Kikwete that the NEPAD Agency will take the necessary action to maintain support to CAAADP implementation in Tanzania. He also commended the President for his leadership and support in the implementation of the various NEPAD programmes.
Dr. Mayaki was accompanied to the meeting by Mr. Martin Bwalya, the Head of CAADP at the NEPAD Agency.
