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0 News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Roger A. Agana, https://newsghana.com.gh/ecowas-commission-backs-new-continental-agricultural-action-plan-at-african-union-summit/
A high-level delegation from the ECOWAS Commission, led by Mrs. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, participated in the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of the African Union in Kampala, Uganda.
The summit, which convened the leaders of African Union member states, as well as ministers and experts in various fields, focused on a key issue: transforming agriculture to drive sustainable economic growth on the continent.
The summit saw the adoption of two significant documents: the Ten-Year Strategy and Action Plan of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP 2026-2035) and the ‘Kampala Declaration,’ which builds upon earlier declarations from Maputo (2003) and Malabo (2014).
The CAADP initiative, established in 2003, has been central to Africa’s efforts to enhance food security, reduce rural poverty, and stimulate agricultural growth. The updated strategy aims to push the agricultural sector towards an annual growth rate of 6%, and calls for African Union member states to allocate at least 10% of their national budgets to the sector. The new action plan, designed for the decade 2026-2035, will be crucial in guiding agricultural policies across the continent in the years to come.
In her speech, Mrs. TOURE-LITSE applauded the African Union for conducting an inclusive, multi-stakeholder consultation process that incorporated input from African governments, regional bodies, and non-state actors. This comprehensive approach, she emphasized, led to the development of a new agricultural agenda that aligns with the aspirations of ECOWAS citizens and the broader goals set out in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Vision 2050. She stressed that the newly adopted action plan would significantly influence agricultural transformation not only in Africa but also within the ECOWAS region, providing a clear roadmap for development.
Highlighting the need for unity between continental and regional frameworks, Mrs. TOURE-LITSE reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to integrating the new continental agricultural strategy with the ongoing review of the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP 2025). This review will begin in 2025 and will seek to ensure that ECOWAS member states’ agricultural policies align with the updated goals of the CAADP framework. She underscored the importance of ensuring cohesion between continental, regional, and national strategies to avoid duplication and fragmentation of efforts.
Mrs. TOURE-LITSE also called for enhanced collaboration among all partners to ensure the successful implementation of the 2026-2035 action plan. She stressed the need for coordination, respect for the principles of subsidiarity, complementarity, solidarity, and sovereignty in the execution of agricultural initiatives, in order to maximize the impact of collective action and avoid conflicts in policy objectives.
The outcomes of the summit represent a decisive step forward in Africa’s agricultural transformation. However, as Mrs. TOURE-LITSE pointed out, the key to success will lie in the effective, unified implementation of these ambitious plans across all levels of governance, from the regional to the national.
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Roger A. Agana, https://newsghana.com.gh/ecowas-commission-backs-new-continental-agricultural-action-plan-at-african-union-summit/
