The African Union Commission’s Extraordinary Summit on the Post-Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) kicked off today, January 9, 2025, in Kampala, Uganda, bringing together more than 2, 000 participants, including leaders of the continent, ministers of agriculture, private sector actors, civil society members, from at least 49 AU member states.
Under the theme of advancing inclusive agrifood systems transformation for sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity, the 3-day summit provides a platform for African leaders, regional bodies, and development partners to endorse the draft Kampala CAADP Declaration and the Ten-Year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035). These crucial documents aim to drive agricultural transformation across the continent, building on the successes and lessons of the Malabo Declaration (2014–2025).
Since its inception in 2003, CAADP has been a cornerstone of Africa’s agricultural transformation. It has driven efforts to achieve a 6 percent annual growth rate in the agricultural sector and encouraged AU member states to allocate at least 10 percent of their budgets to agriculture.
However, with the continent falling short of meeting the Malabo Declaration targets by 2025, this summit represents a pivotal moment for African leaders to chart a new course for inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems.
H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, the former Prime Minister of Ethiopia and current Board Chair of AGRA, is expected to deliver keynote speech at the summit.
