Yaoundé, Cameroon - The seventh edition of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform meeting ended over the weekend in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with a call on the participating countries to work towards the realization of the goals of CAADP. “As we conclude this meeting, our challenge is two-fold and that is, to ensure we keep up this standard and country-orientation in future meetings of CAADP PP,” the African Union Commission (AUC) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Tumislime Rhoda Peace said. ”And the second is to take forward the letter and spirit of what we have undertaken to move Africa’s agriculture, food and nutrition agenda to the greater heights,” Peace added.

The theme for this year’s meeting centered on,’’Mutual Accountability in the formulation and implementation of country CAADP investment plans” and delegates to the meeting included agriculture experts from the public, private sector, farmers' groups, researchers, development partners, scientists and the civil society from across Africa and beyond.

Progress Report on CAADP implementation came from the five Regional Economic Communities (REC), intergovernmental agencies, country levels, non-state actors, scientists and experts.

The AUC Commissioner expressed delight that the meeting has provided avenue for experience sharing among the development partners and CAADP members, adding that the meeting gave particular attention to deepening mutual accountability for results and resources at all levels.

Peace affirmed the commitment of the AU Commission to continue to take leadership in collaboration with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, other pan-African institutions and partners in keeping up the momentum and pursuing the mutual accountability agenda vigorously in the course of implementing CAADP.

Also speaking at the closing ceremony, the representative of the development partners, Julie Howard, said that very clearly, CAADP has been successful in mobilizing national, regional organizations, the private sector and farmers for development in the continent.

Howard stressed that ”sustaining the momentum, however, remains a challenge. CAADP holds the potential to improve people’s condition across Africa. Getting the implementation of the CAADP agenda is also crucial and urgent. Bridging nutrition gap, improving on the environment and addressing the challenge of climate change cannot be ignored.”

President of the Pan African Farmers Organization (PAFO), Elizabeth Atangana, while commending the contributions of the participants at the meeting, said the farmers’ organization provides voice for the grassroots.

Atangana said CAADP development plan must ensure that women, children and youth are adequately catered for in the centre of implementation.

She advocated that the issue of capacity building, funding and access to land be given priority, adding that African leaders need to show commitment to investing ten per cent of their annual budget to agriculture.

CAADP was endorsed by the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in 2003 as the framework to rationalize and revitalize African agriculture for economic growth and lasting poverty reduction results.

The annual CAADP Partnership Platform meeting has evolved into a key instrument for peer interaction and sharing among the core institutions and partners involved in CAADP implementation.

Pana 28/03/2011