By Carol Jilombo,

Nazareth, Ethiopia, August 28th 2009 - The Government of Ethiopia has today signed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Compact, during the country’s Roundtable meeting.

The Compact is a mutual commitment between the Government of Ethiopia and the various national, regional and international agencies that are committed to agriculture led development through CAADP.

Ethiopia becomes the third country in the COMESA region to sign the CAADP Compact after Rwanda, which signed in 2007 and Burundi, which signed on August 24 2009. Ethiopia has already exceeded the CAADP budgetary target of 10% to the agricultural sector and agricultural growth target rate of 6% per year.

The CAADP Compact in Ethiopia supports a comprehensive agriculture and rural development strategy consistent with the national Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP). The Compact will assist in the design of future national development planning frameworks and, in particular, inform and influence the preparation of the next phase of the PASDEP.

The Compact targets key sub-sectors like the livestock sub-sector in which Ethiopia leads the region. Within the Pillars of CAADP, the Compact will promote integrated watershed management under Pillar I. Within CAADP Pillar II, the Compact will promote rural-urban linkages, cooperative marketing, agriculture and food policy research, WTO accession and implementation, and the promotion and facilitation of regional and international trade and investment. All existing food security and nutrition programmes will be expanded under Pillar III. Some of the areas of focus of Pillar IV will include dairy and meat research, camel research, and water resources development and research.

The Compact was signed by Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, H.E Ato Tefera Derbew, State Minister of Finance and Economic Development, H.E Ato Ahmed Shide, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Rhodah Tumusiime and COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Stephen Karangizi on behalf of COMESA Secretary General Mr. Sindiso Ngwenya. Other Signatories were Dr. Edmond Wega representing development partners, Mr. Tsegaye Abebe representing the private sector and Dr. Solomon Belete, representing civil society.

The Roundtable meeting attracted agricultural experts, policymakers, and representatives from the Government of Ethiopia, the African Union (AU), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the private sector, civil society and development partners.

CAADP is a shared framework for the development of the agriculture sector in Africa. Its main objective is to help African countries achieve higher economic growth through agriculture-led development, thereby eliminating hunger, reducing poverty and food insecurity, enabling the expansion of exports, and supporting environmental resilience.
For further information, please contact:

Carol Jilombo
COMESA CAADP Communications manager
COMESA Secretariat
P.O. Box 30051
COMESA Centre
Ben Bella Road
Lusaka, Zambia

Tel: +260 21 1 229725 Ext 537
Fax: +260 21 1 225107
Email: cjilombo@comesa.int

By Carol Jilombo

President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi

Bujumbura, Burundi— The Government of Burundi today (August 24, 2009) signed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Compact. The signing was conducted during the Country’s roundtable meeting, which opened today with the President of Burundi, His Excellency, Pierre Nkurunziza as guest of honour.

The roundtable meeting attracted agricultural experts, policymakers, and representatives from the Government of Burundi, the African Union (AU), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the private sector, civil society and development partners. The Compact is a mutual commitment between the Government of Burundi and the various national, regional and international agencies that are committed to agricultural-led development through CAADP.

The Compact was signed by Burundi’s Minister of Finance, Hon, Clothilde Niragira, the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Ferdinand Nderagakura, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Madame Rhodah Tumusiime, Professor Richard Mkandawire head of CAADP at NEPAD and COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Stephen Karangizi. Other key signatories included, Mr. Bleoue Ehoue, a representative of the development partners, Mr. Hermenegilde Ndikumasabo representing the private sector and Mr. Pacifique Nininahazwe, representing the civil society.

Burundi becomes the second Country in the COMESA region to sign the CAADP Compact after Rwanda, which signed in 2007. The CAADP Compact in Burundi will target sectors that effectively reduce poverty.

CAADP’s agenda reflects a fundamental shift in the way Africa’s leadership looks at agriculture and its potential contribution to ending poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. It aims to achieve growth and national development in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Carol Jilombo
COMESA CAADP Communications manager
Tel: +260 21 1 229725 Ext 537
Fax: +260 21 1 225107
Email: cjilombo@comesa.int

By Donna Bryson of the Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG — Amid signs the rest of the world may be recovering from the global financial crisis, Africa is still being hammered. South Africa’s economy, the continent’s largest, shrunk by another 3 percent in the second quarter, an omen that things may get even worse before they improve.

South Africa, among Africa’s most diversified economies, had already seen a plunge in demand for the cars, machinery and other goods it produces.

Africa’s larger economies are more directly affected by the crisis, but even smaller economies are feeling pinched, said Richard Mkandawire, an economist at the African Union’s development agency.

On a continent where most people live in abject poverty, any downturn is magnified. Some African countries are seeing tourist dollars drop as foreigners cut back on exotic travel. In countries like Ghana, there is evidence expatriates working in the West are sending less money home, Mkandawire said.

(more…)

By Carol Jilombo

Lusaka, Zambia- Agricultural experts, policymakers and representatives from Africa and the international community, will convene in Bujumbura, Burundi and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from August 24-25, 2009 and August 27-28 2009 respectively, for roundtables culminating into signing the African Union (AU)/ New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Compacts. 

The purpose of the CAADP roundtables, to be hosted by the Governments of Burundi and Ethiopia in conjunction with COMESA, is to reach consensus among key stakeholders on the countries’ agricultural development agendas, forge the necessary partnerships to implement them and secure commitments and resources from partners to make the necessary investments.

CAADP’s agenda reflects a fundamental shift in the way Africa’s leadership looks at agriculture and its potential contribution to ending poverty and hunger. The program is the centerpiece of efforts by African countries to achieve growth and poverty reduction in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“The large majority of the people in our region derive their livelihood from agriculture, therefore it is important to urgently conclude plans that will ensure increased productivity and incomes,” said outgoing COMESA CAADP coordinator Cris Muyunda.

(more…)

By Sheka Tarawalie, Freetown / The Patriotic Vanguard / Sierra Leone News Portal

A four-man delegation from the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development [NEPAD] yesterday 3rd August 2009 met with President Ernest Bai Koroma at State Lodge in Freetown.

According to the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Sam Sesay, who accompanied the delegation, the purpose of their visit was to assess and have first-hand information on agricultural development in the country.

Dr Sesay said government, together with experts, has put together comprehensive data on agriculture and its related fields in order to achieve the 6% annual growth rate to alleviate poverty. He added that government has made agriculture its number one priority and at the same time increased its budgetary allocation.

Briefing the President, head of delegation Prof. R M Mkandawire said he is proud to note that the nation is on the march towards recovery and no doubt has made a significant impact in the agricultural sector.

This, he said, is as a result of the nation’s huge resource capacity and good leadership skills demonstrated by the President.

Prof Mkandawire commended President Koroma for championing the difficult cause of alleviating poverty in Africa, as it demonstrates a good example for an African leader.

He said he is certain that the country will reach the 10% margin as set out in the MAPUTO Declaration and promised to continue to engage donors to appreciate the major gains attained in Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector.

Responding, President Koroma welcomed the delegation and thanked them for appreciating the nation’s agricultural gains, adding that “it is because government has put agriculture top of her priority list, to help in the alleviation of poverty.”

He maintained that with such agricultural strides, exports would be increased and the economy positively charged, supported by good roads infrastructure, for national development. He explained that government has increased the budget allocation to agriculture from 1.6 % to 7.7 % in order to demonstrate its commitment to the improvement of the sector, buoyed up by the setting up of a Task Force on Agriculture.

President Koroma promised to continue to encourage the international community to cooperate in Sierra Leone’s development and to align their programmes with the government’s Agenda for Change. He declared that the nation hopes to attain her food security target by 2015, as Sierra Leone would provide an example in Africa.

Other members of the delegation included FARA’s Director of Advocacy and Resource Mobilisation, Samira Hotobah During and the Senior Partnership Advisor for NEPAD, Angelline Rudakubana.

By Charles Mkoka

Accra, Aug 04, 2009 — African universities must embrace agricultural research and development - and ensure such research is translated into policy and meets the needs of its farmers, a meeting has heard.

Richard Mkandawire, head of the Comprehensive Agricultural Action Programme (CAADP) at The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), said African tertiary institutions continue to be perceived as ivory towers in many countries.

“The post-colonial state has failed to embrace tertiary institutions in national development,” Mkandawire said at a dialogue between universities and agricultural organisations in Accra, Ghana, this week (28-31 July).

He urged African universities to work together through the African Universities Forum Network to embrace the CAADP action plan, agreed by African heads of state in 2003.

The plan was endorsed as a vision for the restoration of agricultural growth, food security, and rural development in Africa. CAADP seeks an average annual growth rate of six per cent in agriculture - yet to be met by most African governments.

Sheryl Hendricks - head of agricultural science and agribusiness at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - says institutions should carry out evidence-based research and disseminate both research results and examples of best practice to farmers and policymakers.

But Monty Jones, executive director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), says that the continent will need a US$4.4 billion annual investment to effectively carry out agricultural research and development - almost double its current budget.

“Africa’s entire research and development budget is US$2.2 billion annually. Regional bodies such as NEPAD, the African Union and FARA provide close to a further US$500 million a year and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research provide US$250 million to sixteen research centres,” he told SciDev.Net.

“As a continent we would love to benefit from the G8 allocation of US$20 billion allocated to the developing world to make up the shortfall,” he says (see G8 pledges $US20 billion for agriculture).

Jones says there is also an urgent need to build institutional support and human capacity by training plant breeders, agronomists and plant pathologists - and that governments should improve infrastructure so that food can move faster from the producer to the consumer, for example.

The meeting was jointly organised by FARA, The ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation of the Netherlands and the Association of African Universities.

Source: SciDev.Net/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX News Network