Addis Ababa, March 25, 2013 – “The political imperative to create jobs and economic opportunities for the growing men and women in Africa is increasing. The global pressures on food and on-food products, climate change and others will continue to make Africa an important destination for investment, and place agriculture and CAADP at the centre of Africa’s development.”

These remarks were made today by the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Mrs Rhoda Peace Tumusiime at the opening session of the 9th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development (CAADP) Partnership Platform (PP) in Addis Ababa. 

Mrs Tumusiime emphasised that looking forward and based on experience, agriculture is going to be at the centre of Africa’s next development agenda. “Our success will be measured by how best we coordinate and build the necessary resilience to any of the factors that may destabilise Africa,” she said.

The 9^th CAADP PP is being held in a landmark year for both the AU, which is celebrating 50 years of its existence, and CAADP commemorating 10 years since it was endorsed in 2003.

The focus of the Platform is on sustaining the CAADP momentum into the next decade so as not to lose any of the gains that have been attained in agricultural and economic growth, as well as to achieve even better results in the years to come.

CAAPD is the flagship programme of the AU and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), designed to assist African countries accelerate economic growth, eliminate hunger, reduce poverty and enhance food and nutrition security, through agriculture-led development.

NEPAD Agency Head of Directorate for Programme Implementation and Coordination (PICD), Mrs Estherine Fotabong said: “Agriculture has a key role to play in bringing peace in our region, not only because it is the primary economic activity in rural areas, but also because it contributes to the maintenance of social equilibrium.”

Change and transformation in agriculture must start from within the continent and its men and women, especially with smallholder farmers that are the majority and have the highest potential for change, Mrs Fotabong said.

The Representative from the Pan-African Farmers’ Organisation (PAFO), Chief Alangeh Romanus Che added that CAADP is an all-inclusive approach, providing an opportunity for farmers to fast track economic growth.

The two-day meeting will give African leaders, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), ministries, the private sector, civil society and farmers’ organisations a platform to assess the role of agriculture in transforming the Continent.

Special emphasis will be placed on youth, smallholder farmers and women in the agriculture sector, as well as financing models for effective agricultural investments.

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