AU Kampala summit to seek hunger, malnutrition solutions
According to the report, 20.4% of Africa's population is experiencing hunger and 58% facing food insecurity, and the continent continues to struggle to meet the basic food and nutrition security needs.
Delegates in a group photo during a media launch of the AU summit activities at Kampala Serena Hotel on December 19, 2024. (Photos by Wilfred Sanya)
NewVision Reporter
@NewVision
Heads of state and stakeholders in the Agriculture sector who will be converging at Speke Resort Munyonyo for the AU summit on the CAADP Agenda have been tasked to find solutions that will end hunger and malnutrition on the continent by 2025 or 2030.
The call was made by Amb Josefa Sacko, the commissioner for agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment at the African Union during a media launch of the AU summit activities at Kampala Serena Hotel on December 19, 2024.
Some of the media activities conducted so far include a field visit to some of the research stations under the National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO): The National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) and the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLRRI) all based in Namulonge.
Through an online presentation, Sacko said although Africa has witnessed significant economic and agricultural growth over the past two decades, many countries have not met the goals and targets in the Malabo Declaration of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
One of the targets was for all AU member countries to set aside 10% of their annual budgets towards agriculture.
“While 12 African Union (AU) member states have consistently improved their performance over four CAADP Biennial Review cycles, as of 2023, the BR report showed none is on track to meet the Malabo Declaration targets by 2025,” Sacko said.
Ministers Jeje Odong of foreign affairs, Frank Tumwebaze of agriculture and Kasura Kyomukama from the ministry of agriculture at the launch.
She added that the limited progress towards meeting the Malabo Declaration’s goals and targets are in line with the findings of the 2024 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report.
According to the report, 20.4% of Africa's population is experiencing hunger and 58% facing food insecurity, and the continent continues to struggle to meet the basic food and nutrition security needs.
Sacko added that the situation has been made worse by the rising costs of food which have made it hard for about 824.8 million to access healthy diets.
Due to limited access to healthy diets, Sacko added that obesity and related health issues are becoming more prevalent, adding to the continent's economic and health burden.
“These statistics make it clear that without intensified efforts, Africa will not meet its objective of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2025 or 2030,” she said.
The forthcoming summit, set for January 9-11, 2025, at Speke Resort Munyonyo is in response to the 4th CAADP biennial review recommendations of heads of state and government during the 37th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly.
Based on the poor performance of countries as per the CAADP targets, heads of state called for the development of the 10-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan: 2026-2035 whose focus will be on building a resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for a healthy and prosperous Africa.
The 10-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan aims to boost food production, expand value addition, boost intra-Africa trade, create millions of jobs for our youth and women, build inclusive agrifood value chains, and build resilient and sustainable agrifood systems that will withstand shocks and stressors now and in the future.
Officiating at the launch agriculture minister Frank Tumwebaze, who is also the chair of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (STC-ARDWE), explained that the summit will be conducted under three key sessions:
➢ January 9, 2025: Meeting of Ministers responsible for Agriculture
➢ January 10, 2025: Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs with Ministers in charge of Agriculture
➢ January 11, 2025: Extra-Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government
The extraordinary summit will be attended by all African Union member states at head of state and government level or their delegates.
Tumwebaze explained further that the summit that brings together over 2,000 participants in the agriculture space will run under the “Sustainable and Resilient Agrifood Systems for a Healthy and Prosperous Africa.”
The summit will also have two major side events on “Women and Youths in Agrifood Systems” and “Refugees/Forced Migration and Agrifood Systems in Africa”, and these will be held under the theme: “Building Resilience of Agrifood Systems through Commercialisation."
Is Uganda prepared?
On how prepared Uganda is to host the summit, Tumwebaze said the Government, through the ministries of agriculture and foreign affairs, has commenced preparatory works including the presentation of a Cabinet Paper on September 30, 2024, the constitution of the National Organising Committee and invitations to the African Union heads of state and government for the summit as well as ministers responsible for agriculture and foreign affairs among others.
Foreign affairs state minister JeJe Odongo called on all of Uganda’s diplomats and foreign missions in Africa to engage their governments to embrace the summit and also participate in it.