Context
Agriculture provides a livelihood for almost two thirds of the African population. Nevertheless, many countries have cut their agricultural budgets in recent years and international assistance for this sector has also fallen. To reverse this trend, in 2003 the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) set up the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). By joining CAADP, AU member states commit themselves to invest at least 10% of their annual budget into the agricultural sector and thus to achieve an annual growth rate of at least 6% of the agricultural GDP.
The NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), which is based in Midrand, South Africa, shares responsibility for coordinating and implementing CAADP with the AU Commission. The focus of both these institutions has recently shifted toward the provision of support to member states for the country-level implementation of CAADP. The challenges have also changed accordingly, and the need for support at country level has increased considerably.
Objective
Skills, resources and capacities for the country-level implementation of CAADP have been developed at the AU Commission and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, and in the regional economic communities.
Approach
On behalf of the German Government, GIZ has been supporting the NPCA in carrying out the CAADP initiative since 2007. The main emphasis of this support is on policy advice, agricultural education and the adaptation of agriculture to the effects of climate change. Using training measures and knowledge transfer, the project is assisting the NPCA and the AU Commission to meet the need for policy advice which CAADP implementation entails, and to carry through the reform agenda in a participatory manner.
In response to the steep increase in the need for support at country level, the project is carrying out capacity development measures at the AU Commission and NPCA, and in the regional economic communities. This is intended to improve the policy and institutional framework for CAADP implementation at country level.
Results achieved so far
Thanks to German support, CAADP has taken huge strides towards achieving its objectives. It has established itself as a benchmark programme for agricultural development on the continent. Through participatory processes, 40 African countries have agreed on reform agendas and 28 countries have begun implementing agricultural investment plans. The advisory skills of NPCA and AU have been strengthened and countries have once again increased their agricultural budgets. According to recent World Bank figures, 8 countries have already met or exceeded CAADP’s 10% target. On average, public agriculture expenditures have more than doubled since CAADP’s launch. In many countries, this has resulted in higher agricultural productivity.
At the AU Summit in June 2014, African Heads of State and Government adopted the so-called "Malabo Declaration" – an ambitious agricultural reform agenda for the next ten years (2015 – 2025), which will be implemented in the context of CAADP. The broad political support, which is expressed in the "Malabo Declaration", has given the CAADP process a new boost.