KAMPALA CAADP DECLARATION ON BUILDING RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE AGRIFOOD SYSTEMS IN AFRICA

We, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), meeting at an Extraordinary Summit in Kampala, Uganda, from 9 to 11 January 2025, reaffirm our commitment to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). We recognize the urgent need to renew our efforts to advance the development of resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems in Africa.

RECALLING Aspiration 1, Goal 5 of Agenda 2063, which aims to modernize agriculture for increased productivity and production.

FURTHER RECALLING the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Malabo Declaration, adopted during the Twenty-Third Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in June 2014, where Member States committed to inclusive agricultural transformation. The Malabo CAADP Declaration reaffirmed previous declarations, including the 2003 Maputo Declaration on CAADP and the 2004 Sirte Declaration on the challenges of implementing integrated and sustainable development in agriculture and water in Africa.

RECOGNIZING that Africa’s population is projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050 while the global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion people, and appreciating the challenges this will pose for food demand and the need for significant increases in agricultural production, productivity, food processing and trade.

ACKNOWLEDGING the significant effects of climate change on agriculture and food systems, particularly on vulnerable populations, and emphasizing the necessity for innovative responses that ensure access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food while reinforcing international cooperation and commitments to sustainability frameworks.

CONSIDERING the rapid urbanization and shifting consumption patterns toward ready-to-eat and processed foods, we recognize the crucial role of strengthening the food processing sector to connect smallholder and other farmers of any size with expanding domestic and regional markets. Although growing rapidly, the processing sector is still in its early stages. Africa, therefore, has the opportunity to shape a path that promotes food processing technologies and practices aimed at maximizing nutritional outcomes.

RECOGNISING the transformative impact of technological innovations, advances in digital agriculture, biotechnology, and precision farming to revolutionize Africa’s agrifood systems, along with the growing adoption of mobile phones and digital tools that are enhancing farmers' access to critical information, financial services, and markets.

NOTING WITH CONCERN the serious challenges posed by climate variability, environmental degradation, greenhouse gas emissions and social instability, Africa faces a complex set of issues that directly affect agricultural productivity and production. Changing rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and frequent extreme weather events Ext./Assembly/Decl./3(XIX) 3 highlight the critical need for sustainable land and water management, as well as climatesmart agricultural practices. Furthermore, addressing social instability, particularly migration caused by conflict, is vital as the continent grapples with both climate impacts and productivity shortfalls.

RECOGNIZING the critical role of gender dynamics in agriculture, empowering women, youth and vulnerable groups is fundamental because these groups form a large part of the agricultural workforce in many African countries. Removing barriers to accessing resources such as land, credit, and agricultural inputs is critical to significantly boosting productivity and improve food and nutrition security. Gender-sensitive policies and interventions are therefore essential for transforming the agrifood systems and building stronger and more resilient communities.

HIGHLIGHTING the immense potential of youth engagement, Africa's rapidly growing youth population presents an opportunity for driving agricultural innovation and growth. By equipping young people with training, mentorship, and access to vital resources, we can empower them as change agents in agrifood systems. This engagement not only addresses pressing issues like unemployment and rural-urban migration but also injects fresh perspectives and energy, fostering more dynamic and forward-looking agrifood systems.

NOTING that trade policies and regional integration initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are pivotal in transforming Africa's agrifood systems. AfCFTA seeks to increase intra-African trade by reducing tariffs, eliminating trade barriers, and harmonizing standards to enhance market access and foster stronger economic ties among African nations. This integration bolsters agricultural competitiveness and resilience, positioning Africa for sustainable growth.

RECOGNIZING the crucial role of inclusive agro-industrialization to drive economic growth, job creation, and shared prosperity, it is essential to integrate agricultural production into broader supply chains to combat food insecurity and improve nutrition. Achieving this, however, requires investment in technology innovation systems, efficient services, infrastructure, as well as policy, regulatory and institutional arrangements to enhance the performance and competitiveness of the emerging agrifood processing sector.

ACKNOWLEDGING the transformative potential of emerging technologies to boost productivity and resilience in Africa's agrifood systems, these innovations offer powerful solutions to pressing challenges such as food and nutrition insecurity, and climate change by improving farming techniques and optimizing resource management. The adoption of mechanization, digital agriculture, biotechnology, and other technological advancements is essential to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and scalability in the sector.

EMPHASIZING that sustainable water management, particularly in water-scarce regions, is fundamental to the transformation of Africa’s agrifood systems. Implementing efficient practices such as drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling is critical for increasing agricultural productivity in the face of climate change and population growth. Investments in water infrastructure and sustainable management practices are vital to Ext./Assembly/Decl./3(XIX) 4 strengthening the resilience of agrifood systems and ensuring their long-term sustainability.

NOTING that addressing the diverse needs of farmers, from smallholders to large-scale farmers, is key to achieving sustainable agrifood systems transformation. Smallholder farmers often struggle with limited access to resources, while medium and large-scale farmers face regulatory and logistical hurdles. Tailored policies and support systems are essential to address these varying challenges, empowering all farmers to enhance productivity and production, promote equitable growth, and strengthen food and nutrition security across the continent.

EMPHASIZING that the shift from an agriculture-led to an agrifood systems approach will address challenges across the entire agrifood system, while aligning policies with broader development goals. This holistic approach prioritizes environmental sustainability, promotes diverse and nutritious diets to combat malnutrition, and ensures economic inclusion for Africa’s largely agricultural population. The agenda also aims to expand market access and boost regional trade, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with a goal of significantly increasing intra-African agricultural trade.

RECOGNIZING the importance of post-harvest loss reduction, we emphasize the need to promote innovations in post-harvest handling, storage, and transportation to reduce food losses and improve food availability and incomes for farmers.

WELCOMING the resolutions of the Extraordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 23-25 October 2024. We, hereby, adopt the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan: 2026-2035 and the following Kampala CAADP Declaration on Building Resilient and Sustainable Agrifood Systems in Africa I. Commitment to Intensify Sustainable Food Production, Agro-Industrialization, and Trade We commit to increasing agrifood output by 45% by the end of 2035 through the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices to meet the growing Africa food requirements and global trade opportunities, reducing post-harvest loss by 50%, tripling intra-African trade in agrifood products and inputs by 2035 in line with the AfCFTA, and raising the share of locally processed food to 35% of agrifood GDP by 2035.

To achieve this, we resolve to:

a) Strengthen and ensure the functionality of agricultural input systems including seed systems, soil health and fertilizers, water management, and agricultural research and extension services, while promoting the widespread adoption of sustainable agricultural practices that conserve resources, protect ecosystems, and ensure long-term productivity and production. Ext./Assembly/Decl./3(XIX) 5

b) Create an enabling policy and regulatory environment that fosters the development and integration of emerging technologies, such as biotechnologies, artificial intelligence, digitalization, and precision agriculture.

c) Stimulate the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability of agro-industrial enterprises, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

d) Enhance the integration of smallholder farmers, women, and youth into value chains and regional markets, while developing and strengthening these chains to stimulate value addition at all stages and ensuring equitable participation and benefits across agricultural production and trade, all the while ensuring compliance with sustainability standards that meet environmental and social requirements to enhance economic growth and efficiency.

e) Strengthen market access and trade facilitation by removing trade barriers and improving infrastructure for t efficient movement of goods. f) Invest in regional value chains, post-harvest infrastructure, food baskets and trade corridors, enhance regional cooperation, increase trade to improve food and nutrition security across African Union Member States. II. Commitment to Boost Investment and Financing for Accelerated Agrifood Systems Transformation We commit to mobilizing a total of $100 billion in public and private sector investment in African agrifood systems by 2035, while ensuring that at least 10% of annual public expenditure is allocated to agrifood systems and that at least 15% of agrifood GDP is reinvested annually into the sector.

To this end, we resolve to:

a) Increase both public and private sector investment in agrifood systems to drive sustainable growth and innovation.

b) Expand public sector investment to support critical infrastructure and initiatives within agrifood systems. c) Strengthen capacities to develop and implement flagship programs and bankable projects, ensuring that investments lead to impactful and scalable outcomes.

d) Improve access to financing for agrifood systems transformation, facilitating greater participation from stakeholders across all sectors, ensuring that adequate levels of climate finance reach farmers and small and medium scale food producers and processors. III. Commitment to Ensure Food and Nutrition Security We commit to achieving zero hunger in all African Union Member States by 2035 and reducing stunting by 25%, wasting by 25% and overweight by 25%, ensuring that 60% of the population can afford a healthy diet. To this end, we resolve to: a) Promote agrifood systems that enhance human nutrition and health outcomes, promoting diets that contribute to overall well-being. Ext./Assembly/Decl./3(XIX) 6 b) Boost the production and consumption of nutritious traditional and indigenous crops, animals, fish and fisheries products through specific policy and regulatory reforms and financing strategies for those value chains. c) Strengthen nutrition policies, programs, education, and consumer awareness to eliminate micronutrient deficiencies. d) Enhance sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS) and implement One Health protocols to safeguard food safety and protect human, animal, plant and environmental health. e) Invest in disease surveillance and reporting, strengthen veterinary laboratories, increase vaccine production, prioritize eradication of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) by 2030, and improve cooperation on transboundary animal diseases. f) Prioritize research and development of improved fodder crop varieties and promote alternative feed sources to enhance livestock nutrition and reduce dependency on traditional feeds. g) Strengthen fisheries and aquaculture value chains while promoting sustainable practices, resilience building, and effective and sustainable management of aquatic resources. h) Develop innovative social safety nets that effectively tackle malnutrition and promote food and nutrition security. IV. Commitment to Advancing Inclusivity and Equitable Livelihoods We commit to reducing the number of people living in extreme poverty by 50%, reducing the yield gap between men and women farmers by 50%, and empowering at least 30% of women, 30% youth and 30% vulnerable groups in agrifood value chains by 2035. To achieve this, we resolve to: a) Improve infrastructure and access to social services in rural areas and vulnerable communities. b) Reduce the yield gap between male and female farmers. c) Facilitate access to productive resources including friendly financial services, innovation, technology and access to land for women, youth, and vulnerable groups. d) Facilitate climate resilient and green jobs for youth, women and vulnerable groups through initiatives that support enterprises focused on climate smart agriculture, renewable energy in agribusiness, carbon markets and climate adaptation. e) Implement inclusive social protection programs that address the needs of vulnerable populations. V. Commitment to Building Resilient Agrifood Systems We commit to ensuring that Africa's agrifood systems are resilient to climate, socioeconomic, and environmental shocks. We commit to have at least 30% of agricultural Ext./Assembly/Decl./3(XIX) 7 land under sustainable management and 40% of households protected from shocks by 2035. To achieve this, we resolve to: a) Increase investments in human and physical capacity for research to generate agricultural technologies and innovations that mitigate climate change. b) Strengthen early warning and response systems for various shocks while implementing national resilience strategies that integrate resilience into plans and policies, ultimately mobilizing resources for capacity building in agrifood systems. c) Enhance the absorptive capacity of agrifood systems to minimize damage, protect livelihoods, and support recovery efforts following shocks or disruptions. d) Promote adaptation strategies within agrifood systems and livelihoods to reduce vulnerability to major shocks and stressors. e) Increase mobilization of climate finance and technical assistance to support farmers, particularly smallholders and transition to low-carbon farming practices. f) Promote indigenous knowledge and practices, recognizing their role in fostering environmental stewardship and resilience. VI. Commitment to Strengthening Agrifood Systems Governance We commit to ensuring that by 2028, all Member States of the African Union and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) integrate the Kampala CAADP Declaration into their national and regional agrifood systems investment plans and adopt best practices in governance of agrifood systems based on CAADP principles. Furthermore, by 2030, all countries will incorporate the CAADP Biennial Review process into their national agriculture joint sectoral review platforms. To achieve this, we resolve to: a) Maintain the CAADP principles that include agrifood-led economic growth for inclusive and sustainable development; regional complementarity and cooperation; and, inclusive participation of all stakeholders, especially women, youth, and vulnerable groups. b) Promote evidence-based decision-making and mutual accountability, ensuring that actions are guided by reliable data. c) Strengthen the African Union Commission, AUDA-NEPAD, and regional economic communities to enable them to fulfill the roles and mandates outlined in this declaration. d) Develop a financial instrument designed to support the effective implementation of this Declaration. e) Empower national, regional and continental parliaments, and their committees, to ensure consistent alignment of legislation and national budgets to the objectives of the Kampala CAADP Declaration, and to provide oversight for the effective implementation of relevant policies Ext./Assembly/Decl./3(XIX) 8 f) Strengthen producer organizations to enable them to fulfill their role in developing and implementing national and regional policies, as well as the mandates outlined in this Declaration. VII. A Call for Action We, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, recognize that to achieve the goals and targets set out in this declaration will require the commitment of many parties to transform these decisions into tangible results.

To achieve this, we call upon: a) Member States to:

● Integrate and reflect commitments in this declaration in national policies, strategies and budget frameworks, for effective implementation through National Agrifood Systems Investment Plans (NASIPs) and ensure that effective implementation programs and tools are in place to deliver on NASIPs.

● Develop and implement comprehensive and coherent policies that foster private sector investment in agrifood systems transformation while ensuring effective public sector support for these systems.

● Increase investments in infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services to support accelerated agrifood systems transformation.

● Ensure effective coordination systems are in place and there is inclusive participation in agrifood systems governance with special attention to women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

● Ensure adequate capacity and designate an apex monitoring and evaluation team, supported by Africa-wide knowledge systems, technical experts, and robust digital platforms for effective performance measurement and data management. b) African Union (AUC and AUDA-NEPAD) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to:

● Support AU Member States and RECs to incorporate the commitments in this declaration into National and Regional Agrifood Systems Investment Plans (NASIPs and RASIPs).

● Facilitate regional collaboration, economic integration, and harmonization of policies across African Union Member States to boost intra-African trade.

● Establish a private sector-led advisory council to enhance private sector engagement.

● Conduct a biennial Agricultural Review Process, beginning the year 2027, and report on progress to the AU Assembly during its January/February Ordinary Session starting in 2028. Ext./Assembly/Decl./3(XIX) 9

● Enhance the utilization of the results of the CAADP biennial review report to inform planning and decision-making at national, regional, and continental levels. e) Farmers and rural producers to:

● Adopt innovative practices and emerging technologies to boost agricultural productivity, sustainability and resilience.

● Invest in boosting agricultural production innovations and cost competitiveness to capture a larger share of domestic and regional markets. f) Civil society organizations to:

● Create a dedicated framework to oversee the National and Regional Agrifood Systems Investment Plans (NASIPs/RASIPs), ensuring transparency and accountability in their implementation.

● Advocate for resource allocation for agrifood systems development, enhancing funding opportunities and support for NASIPs/RASIPs initiatives.

● Promote sustainable and equitable agricultural practices in agrifood systems transformation. g) Private sector to:

● Invest in technology, innovation, market development and value chain integration to drive agrifood systems transformation.

● Increase investments in sustainable value chains to boost food production, agro-industrialization and trade. e) Parliamentarians to:

● Support the African Union Member States and RECs in the development and implementation of Agrifood System policies and investment plans at national and regional levels, through appropriate legislation, budgetary allocations and institutional oversight

● Ensure that at least 10% of annual public expenditure is invested in agrifood systems and monitor its efficient utilization at national and regional levels. h) Development partners and international organizations to:

● Commit to support implementation of the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan: 2026-2035 and the Kampala CAADP Declaration by aligning their technical and financial resources to the continental priorities.

● Support AUC, AUDA-NEPAD and regional economic communities to provide the necessary support to Member States to integrate the Kampala CAADP declaration in NASIPs/RASIPs. Ext./Assembly/Decl./3(XIX) 10

● Support data systems and mutual accountability efforts at continental, regional and national levels.