Addis Ababa, March 24, 2013 - The African Union Commission (AUC) and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency have launched a Journalists Network, to promote agricultural development in Africa.

The Network, which was launched today on the eve of the 9^th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development (CAADP) Partnership Platform (PP) in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, aims to equip African journalists with a better understanding of CAADP, and the broader issues and debates related to agricultural development on the Continent.

CAADP is the AUC-NEPAD long-term plan to improve food security, nutrition, and increase incomes in Africa’s largely farming based economies. It does this by raising agricultural productivity by at least six per cent per year and increasing public investment in agriculture to 10 per cent of national budgets annually. Since its establishment in 2003, over 40 countries are actively engaged in CAADP at different levels and agricultural growth has spread to several African countries.

In her opening remarks, the AUC Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) Head of Division for Rural Economy, Dr Janet Edeme emphasised that the launch of the CAADP Journalists Network would significantly carry forward the agenda of agricultural development on the Continent.

“With the focus now on Sustaining the CAADP Momentum and stressing more on implementation, results and impact, we are more than happy to be forging stronger ties with the media as our voice to the world about CAADP,” Dr Edeme said.

NEPAD Agency Head of Directorate for Programme Implementation and Coordination (PICD), Mrs Estherine Fotabong said that as agents of change, this dedicated pool of journalists will be relied upon to create opportunities for the voices and needs of farmers, and all stakeholders in agriculture including women and youth, to be brought to light. 

Also speaking at the event, NEPAD Head of the CAADP Programme, Mr Martin Bwalya, promised to dedicate technical support to the pool of journalists in the different regions of Africa so as to strengthen collaboration and information sharing among African journalists.

The Partnerships platform, which will be attended by African Heads of State, Regional Economic Communities, ministries, the private sector, civil society and farmers’ organisations, will open tomorrow on March 25 to examine achievements and successes during the past 10 years of CAADP.

The meeting will take into account the creation of a platform for “CAADP at 10”, which will provide an opportunity to reflect on drawbacks in order to impress a new thinking and visioning on how to transition the CAADP agenda into the next decade.

For more information on the 9th CAADP Partnership Platform and the CAADP Journalists Network, please contact:

African Union Commission

Ms Carol Jilombo

E-mail: Jilomboc@africa-union.org

Mr Molalet Tsedeke

Email: MolaletT@africa-union.org

NEPAD Agency

Ms Mwanja Ng'anjo

Phone: +27 11 256 3600

E-mail: mwanjan@nepad.org

Ms Abiola Ajayi

Phone: + 27 767461272

E-mail: abiolaa@nepad.org