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FINAL Communique for the 14th ADFNS and 19th CAADP-PP_08112023(1).pdf (7.5 MiB)

The 14th  Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) Commemoration and the 19thComprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform convened from October 30th to November 2nd, 2023, in Lusaka, Zambia. The event was structured under the theme, “Accelerating the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement in the Context of CAADP Commitments for Safer and Healthier Diets.” This vital assembly sought to explore the strategic synergy between implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and fostering healthier, safer diets through the prism of CAADP commitments.

• The 14th  Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) Commemoration and the 19thComprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform convened from October 30th to November 2nd, 2023, in Lusaka, Zambia. The event was structured under the theme, “Accelerating the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement in the Context of CAADP Commitments for Safer and Healthier Diets.” This vital assembly sought to explore the strategic synergy between implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and fostering healthier, safer diets through the prism of CAADP commitments.
• The Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS), commemorated every 31st of October, was declared on July 2010 by the African Union Heads of State and Government at the 15th Ordinary Session of the AU Summit in Kampala, Uganda. CAADP PP is the African Union’s main platform for policy dialogue, lessons sharing and accountability among the CAADP Stakeholders to advance the CAADP Agenda.
• These events were jointly organized by the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ). The event welcomed a diverse spectrum of stakeholders, including AU Member State Governments, Regional Economic Communities, NGOs, national Parliamentarians, Farmers’ Organizations, Civil Society groups, women and youth organizations, Youth Forums, Financial and Development Institutions, Research Organizations, Non-State Actors, the Private Sector, Media, and Development Partners. This diversity in participation catalyzed inclusive discussions, promoting a collective commitment toward enhancing food security, agricultural development, and nutrition across the continent. The varied representation facilitated the exchange of valuable insights, best practices, and the formulation of collaborative solutions to address the food and nutrition security challenges effectively.
• The meeting served as a rallying point to underscore how the CAADP agenda, and increased intra-African trade in agricultural products and services can accelerate the achievement of food and nutritional security through safer and healthier diets across Africa.
• The meeting was historic as it witnessed, for the first time, the joint hosting of the commemoration of the ADFNS and the CAADP PP. This was unprecedented; it presented the opportunity for collaborative synergies and engagements among experts in agri-food trade, food and nutrition security as well as agricultural development related and inter-dependent disciplines to advance the broad objectives of the AU Agenda 2063.
• By fusing these two influential initiatives, the event provided a platform for a more comprehensive exchange of ideas, experiences, and actionable strategies, fostering an environment conducive to exploring, understanding, and addressing the complex interplay between agricultural trade, food security, nutrition, agricultural development, and socio-economic well-being across the African continent.
• The collaboration elevated the dialogue, encouraging cross-pollination of perspectives and best practices that, in turn, widened the scope for innovative approaches to accelerate the implementation of strategies within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, ensuring safer and healthier diets for the continent’s population. This historic joint event opened new avenues for holistic discourse and action, serving as a catalyst for a more integrated and collaborative effort towards achieving common objectives and commitments.
• Structured under several key themes, the hybrid event, attended by one thousand four hundred participants, featured strategic plenary and parallel sessions. Topics discussed were success stories and policy lessons learnt in Food Security and Trade, the intersection of Nutrition, Food Security, and Trade, and the examination of the CAADP’s progress. With a detailed structure comprising five (5) thematic areas and multiple parallel sessions, the event addressed systemic capacity strengthening, intra-African agricultural trade, and partnerships’ role in achieving sustainable food systems.
• Participants passionately voiced a unified plea at the event for immediate concrete actions, not just rhetoric. From the welcome remarks to the keynotes, the urgent need to implement concrete actions for governments and stakeholders to walk the talk and turn words into actions was emphasized and re-emphasized. The gathering observed that though all wasn’t gloom and doom in the past two decades of implementing the CAADP/Malabo frameworks, significant weaknesses remained in the sector, and more efforts are needed to eliminate hunger among the 250 million Africans (one of every five Africans).
• Representing the African Union Commission (AUC), Her Excellency Amb. Josefa Sacko, the AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, and H.E. Minata Samaté Cessouma, the AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development presented welcome remarks. Other speakers included Mr Stanlake Samkange, the outgoing Chair of the CAADP Development Partners Coordination Group; Dr. Abebe Haile, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, FAO; H.E. Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, AUC Special Envoy on Food Systems, as well as Ms. Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong, Director, Agriculture, Food Security and Environmental Sustainability, AUDA-NEPAD, on behalf of Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas CEO, AUDA-NEPAD.
• Other notable dignitaries that spoke at the event included Her Honour the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, Mrs W. K. Mutale-Nalumango (MP) Hon. Reuben Mtolo, MP, Minister of Agriculture, Government of Zambia, and Hon. Makozo Chikote, MP, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Government of Zambia. Dr Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) made a keynote plenary presentation on Reaping the dividend of two decades of policy reforms for food and nutrition security in Africa; and Dr Ousmane Badiane, Founder and Executive Chairperson of AKADEMIYA2063, presented plenary keynote on Where we stand and what could be the target and pathways of the next CAADP cycle.
• In her keynote address, her Honour the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, Mrs. W. K. Mutale-Nalumango, outlined critical points regarding food and nutrition security in Africa. Her Honour’s speech emphasized the necessity for a paradigm shift, stressing the need for political will and financial commitments to address the challenges. Her Honour re-emphasised on the need for a change in the negative narratives and appalling statistics that have long characterized African agricultural development. The Vice President of the Republic of Zambia commended the alignment of the event with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and emphasized the importance of science, innovation, and research in achieving food security. Furthermore, Her Honour advocated for collaborations, increased financial allocation, and commitment to programmes like the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme to address malnutrition and contribute to the Africa Agenda 2063. The Vice President of the Republic of Zambia underlined the urgency of addressing the challenges and the importance of collective efforts, innovative solutions, and partnerships to achieve food security and improved nutrition in Africa.
• Her Excellency, Amb. Minata Samaté Cessouma, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, during her remarks highlighted the importance of Agenda 2063’s aspiration 1: “A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development” and the commitment to eradicate hunger and malnutrition as well as ensure a food secure continent as a key priority. She reminded all participants of the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is a game changer for the continent, aimed to offer an opportunity to promote economic growth, strengthen intra-African trade as well as improve food security and nutrition, but also stressed the importance of member states to ratify the free movement of Persons Protocol, a catalyst for free trade. She also welcomed the participation of the African parliamentarians to the event and made reference to the high-level dialogue on nutrition financing that was held early in 2023, and was led by the African Union Champion, His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho, where national elected parliamentarians pledged to advocate for an increase in investment in food security and nutrition in their respective parliaments. She, therefore, called on the parliamentarians in attendance, to support the mobilisation of political will and resources to meet the challenges on malnutrition and drive the CAADP commitments, particularly that of 10 percent national budget allocation towards agricultural development.

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