African heads of state gathered in Kampala, Uganda on Sunday, January 12, 2025, to adopt new agricultural policies aimed at transforming the continent’s food systems, with Kenyan President William Ruto calling for increased investment in farming infrastructure and technology.
The extraordinary African Union summit marked the end of the Malabo Declaration on agriculture, replacing it with the new Kampala Declaration that commits member states to modernising their agricultural sectors.
“This is our moment to commit to a bold and transformative agenda for Africa’s food systems,” Ruto told the assembled leaders.
“Together, we can build a robust and enduring foundation for sustainable agriculture.”
The summit focused on implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which requires member states to allocate 10% of their national budgets to agriculture and achieve 6% annual growth in the sector.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni highlighted the need to shift from subsistence to commercial farming.
“Uganda has managed to transform its agriculture into a money economy, thus reducing poverty levels,” he said, while proposing to harness the River Congo’s water resources for irrigation in drier regions.
Ruto reported that Kenya has exceeded the AU’s irrigation development targets by 147% since the previous declaration.
He committed to incorporating the new Kampala Declaration into Kenya’s agriculture strategy through 2029.
African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, identified youth disengagement from agriculture and urban migration as key challenges to food production.
The summit drew participation from leaders of Angola, Burundi, Somalia, Sahrawi, and Ethiopia, among others.
By Winston Mwale, AfrcaBrief
