AU launches business plan to transform agriculture

AU Commissioner Rural Economy, Josefa Leonal Correia Sacko. PHOTO/Prosst Nandudu

The African Union (AU) has launched a joint business plan that will be used by member states to implement the CAADP-Malabo declarations. The plan that runs from 2017 to 2021 will support operations at a country level that will support agriculture transformation.

 The plan was launched on Wednesday at the official opening of the 13^th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) meeting taking place in Kampala.

Launching the plan, the commissioner Rural Economy at the African Union, Josefa Leonal Correia Sacko said using the plan, they will negotiate with development partners to mobilise financial support to member countries.

The plan outlines strategies and actions to operationalize Africa's Vision of a modern agriculture sector as expressed in the AU 2063 Agenda. It contains a package of innovative measures which will be shared across the whole CAADP networks for implementation.

"This plan focuses on programmatic and result oriented approaches but also presents a consolidated roadmap which outlines priority programs for catalysing strategic results," said Sacko.

Sacko said about 25 countries have already domesticated the Malabo commitments but many still lack resources to further carry out the works. With a business plan, AU will negotiate with development partners to invest directly in member countries using the business plan.

The ultimate goal at the end of it all is for the continent to beat the 2025 target of ending hunger which is being experienced in most parts of the continent through a business plan.

The three-day meeting is running under the theme strengthening mutual accountability to achieve CAADP/Malabo goals and targets.

CAADP is intended to provide a platform for experience sharing lesson learning from implementing countries to promote accountability and inform priority setting for CAADP implementation.