Photo: excelsiorwineblog
PANA
Abuja, Nigeria – Agriculture in Africa has experienced an average of 4% annual Gross Domestic Production (GDP) growth in the last 10 years, well above what obtained in the previous decades, according to an African agriculture development programme official
Mr. Keizire Boaz, the Technical Adviser and Team Leader of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), announced the growth rate at the ongoing two-day CAADP Partnership Platform Business Meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.
“Over the last decade, through the instrumentality of CAADP, African agriculture and food security concerns remain high on the policy agenda at national, regional, continental and global levels,” Boaz told participants, which include development partners, Civil Society, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), farmers and the private sector, at the meeting.
“The performance of African agriculture has been encouraging, with annual GDP growth having averaged mainly 4% since 2003, well above the agriculture GDP growth rates for the previous several decades. It is absolutely necessary to sustain the momentum of such positive change and development taking place in Africa well into the next decade,” he added.
At the meeting, stakeholders in the implementation of CAADP framework gave their progress report, highlighting lessons learnt, prospects, challenges and future plan.
Parts of the discussion also centred on plans for 2014.
African leaders at their 19th Ordinary Session in Ethiopia last year declared 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa. The year will also mark ten years since the adoption of CAADP.
The proposed theme for the 2014 Year of Agriculture and Food Security is, “Transforming Africa’s Agriculture for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods, through harnessing opportunities for inclusive growth and sustainable development”.
CAADP is an African Union initiative to accelerate agricultural growth, improve food security and strengthening the resilience of the environment in Africa.
Endorsed by African Heads of State and Government at the 2003 AU Summit in Maputo, Mozambique, the programme is being led by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
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