Kampala, Uganda – January 9, 2025 – Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, has arrived in Kampala to participate in the Extraordinary Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). The three-day summit, from January 9 to 11, brings together African leaders, ministers, and stakeholders to chart a transformative path for the continent’s agrifood systems, aiming to drive sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity.

At the heart of the summit is the endorsement of the draft Kampala CAADP Declaration, which envisions the transformation of Africa’s agrifood systems from 2026 to 2035. Delegates will also deliberate on the 10-Year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035), a detailed roadmap for achieving these ambitious objectives.

Since its inception in 2003, CAADP has been a cornerstone of African agricultural development, focusing on enhancing food security, nutrition, job creation, and rural poverty reduction while promoting environmental sustainability. Key targets include achieving a 6% annual growth rate in agriculture and ensuring that African Union (AU) member states allocate at least 10% of their national budgets to the sector.

Reflecting on Two Decades of Progress

CAADP’s first phase, guided by the Maputo Declaration (2003–2013), witnessed significant milestones, including:

• The signing of CAADP compacts by 45 AU member states.
• The development of 31 National Agricultural Investment Plans (NAIPs).
• The completion of four regional investment plans.

Despite these achievements, challenges such as resource constraints, policy burdens, and limited cross-sectoral collaboration persisted, highlighting the need for a more robust approach.

The Malabo Declaration of 2014 reinvigorated CAADP’s vision, setting bold targets for 2025. These included eradicating hunger, reducing malnutrition, tripling intra-African agricultural trade, and fostering accountability through biennial reviews. It also emphasized infrastructure and rural development as critical drivers of agricultural success.

Liberia’s Commitment to Agricultural Transformation

Dr. Nuetah’s participation underscores Liberia’s unwavering commitment to CAADP’s goals. As the nation seeks solutions to shared challenges, it also aims to contribute its experiences and innovations to the broader African agenda.

The summit follows concerns raised during the 37th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in February 2024, when leaders expressed apprehension over Africa’s progress in achieving CAADP targets. The Kampala meeting offers a timely platform to recalibrate strategies, strengthen partnerships, and implement innovative solutions to ensure Africa’s agricultural aspirations are realized.

Charting the Future

As the summit unfolds, it is expected to solidify Africa’s collective commitment to reshaping its agrifood systems, ensuring long-term growth, and meeting the vision set for 2025 and beyond.