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The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is the most ambitious and comprehensive agricultural reform effort ever undertaken in Africa. It addresses policy and capacity issues across the entire agricultural sector and across the entire African continent and is a valuable mechanism to reduce hunger and poverty. To learn more about CAADP, please refer to:

     www.nepad.org/2005/files/caadp.php    or    www.donorplatform.org/content/blogcategory/46/134/

Background

After years of neglect agriculture and rural development currently regain attention as crucial drivers of development and growth in Africa. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) framework reflects this recognition of agriculture as central for the alleviation of poverty and hunger and hence for reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Accordingly the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) have launched CAADP to drive agricultural growth and African politicians have committed to significantly increase the share of national budgets allocated to agriculture, in compliance with the  Maputo Declaration, to at least 10%. In this framework an overall African Union vision on agriculture has emerged on what should be achieved by 2015.

By that time the continent should have/be:

• improved the productivity of agriculture to attain an average annual production growth rate of 6%, with particular attention to small-scale farmers, especially women;
• dynamic agricultural markets within countries and between regions;
• integrated farmers into the market economy and have improved access to markets to become a net exporter of agricultural products taking into account Africa’s comparative and competitive advantage;
• achieved a more equitable distribution of wealth as a result of rising real incomes and relative wealth for rural populations through more equitable access to land, physical and financial resources, and the knowledge, information and technology for sustainable development;
• become a strategic player in agricultural science and technology development to meet growing needs and demands of African agricultural development;
• practising environmentally sound production methods and have a culture of sustainable management of the natural resource base through increased knowledge, information and technology application.

Four pillars constitute the core activity fields for the implementation of CAADP:

Pillar 1: Extending the area under sustainable land management and reliable water control systems

Pillar 1 focuses on soil fertility, the moisture-holding capacity of soils and an extension of the area under (small-scale) irrigation in order to raise output on a sustainable basis and contribute to the reliability of food supplies.

Actual State of Affairs Pillar 1

By 2003 more than one quarter of North Africa’s arable land was irrigated. However the overall rate of growth of irrigated land in Africa scores at less than 1% per annum since 1995. Much more rapid progress is needed following the progress report presented at the Africa Partnership Forum, October 2006. This would also call for stronger political signals on the importance of moving the irrigation agenda forward also by supporting it with Infrastructure Consortia for Africa, and other facilities/initiatives. A political focus was laid on increasing the fertiliser use to accomplish the Abuja Declaration of 2006. Amongst other things market operations and local production capacities should be improved in order to fulfil the targets of Pillar 1.

Pillar 2: Improving rural infrastructure and trade-related capacities for market access

The second pillar focuses on rural infrastructure improvements (roads, storage facilities, markets, packaging and handling systems, input supply networks) in order to raise the competitiveness of African production vis-à-vis imports, as well as in export markets. It also includes (export) quality issues and trade negotiation capacities.

Actual State of Affairs Pillar 2

Today only 30% of Sub-Sahara-African rural population has access to a all-season road within 2km distance. African States will need to accelerate efforts to improve these access rates, together with Development Partners. Some progress was achieved on regional integration, including customs procedures. However African States will need to accelerate regional integration and increase efforts to rationalise regional economic communities (RECs).

Pillar lead: Baba Dioum,
Head, Conference of Ministers of Agriculture for West and Central Africa (CMA/AOC)

Pillar 3: Increasing food supply and reducing hunger

The third pillar is concerned with increasing yields and farm productivity levels in general by i.a. facilitating access to improved technology (through improved support services and a supportive policy environment). It is closely linked to the FAO Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) and focuses on community-based programmes. In addition, it calls attention to disaster preparedness, including the need to prepare for food emergencies through the creation of safety-nets for example.

Pillar lead: Sheryl Hendriks, University of KwaZulu Natal

Actual State of Affairs Pillar 3

The majority of countries have made some progress in reducing malnourishment rates. Still, there is particular need to tackle the main drivers of food insecurity, which were identified to be: conflict, low productivity and vulnerability of livelihoods.

See related documents:

• NEPAD: CAADP 3rd Quarterly Report 2007 (July-September)
• NEPAD: CAADP 2nd Quarterly Report 2007 (April-June)
• COMESA Concept note on Pillar 3
• African Partnership Forum Report for further Information on Pillar 3 Performance.

Pillar 4: Agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption

Pillar 4 aims at an enhanced rate of adoption of new technologies to increase productivity (through better delivery systems and mechanisms that reduce the costs and risk of adopting new technologies), as well as the ability of the research systems to generate and adapt new knowledge and technology. The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is taking the lead in the implementation of CAADP Pillar 4 and has developed a strategic document, the Framework for African Agricultural Productivity (FAAP), which sets out the principles and orientations for agricultural research and extension in the near future. It aims to make research more relevant and to establish the capacity to implement an integrated agricultural research approach, ensuring that researchers work together with smallholders, pastoralists, extension agencies, the private sector and NGOs to increase impact on the ground.

Actual State of Affairs Pillar 4

Some successful specific initiatives (e.g. on cassava and rice) have been conducted. To promote regional and continent-wide approaches, to continue practical work on specific initiatives and to develop a database of current spending and activities to provide the basis for systematic monitoring will be major challenges in the near future.

See related documents:

• NEPAD: CAADP 3rd Quarterly Report 2007 (July-September)
• Presentation on Pillar 4, held by David Howlett, DFID, during the Platform General Meeting 2006
• African Partnership Forum Report for further Information on Pillar 4 Performance.

Pillar lead: Monty Jones, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)

FARA is an umbrella organisation bringing together and forming coalitions of major stakeholders in agricultural research and development in Africa. FARA complements the innovative activities of national, international and sub-regional research institutions to deliver more responsive and effective services to its stakeholders. FARA is taking the lead in the implementation of CAADP Pillar 4 and has developed a strategic document, the Framework for African Agricultural Productivity (FAAP), which sets out the principles and orientations for agricultural research and extension in the near future. It proposes i.a. more emphasis on cross-country collaboration through the mechanism of Sub-regional Research Organisations (SROs).