Kampala Declaration for Africa’s Agri-Food Systems Transformation

African leaders adopted the Kampala Declaration for Africa’s agri-food systems transformation from 2026 to 2035 at the Extraordinary African Union Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) in Kampala, Uganda.

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About Kampala Declaration

• Successor: The declaration succeeds the Malabo Declaration, whose implementation concludes in 2025.
• Focus: It emphasizes transformative agri-food systems to address Africa’s food security and agricultural challenges.
• Alignment: Integrates with Agenda 2063 (Africa’s development blueprint) and the Africa Common Position on Food Systems.
• Vision: Advocates for sustainable and resilient agri-food systems for a healthy and prosperous Africa.
• Approach: Introduces a shift from agriculture-led growth to an agri-food systems approach that considers the entire food value chain.
• Agri-food systems approach: FAO defines agri-food systems as all the interconnected activities and actors involved in getting food from field to fork.
  • This broad definition encompasses everything from agricultural production and processing to distribution, consumption, and waste management. 
  • It also highlights the critical role of economic, social, and environmental factors in shaping how food reaches our plates.
• Roadmap: Provides a detailed framework with clear implementation and monitoring strategies.

Background of CAADP and Previous Declarations

• Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP):
  • Launched in 2003 under the Maputo Declaration to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty through agriculture-led development.
  • Aimed to achieve 10% budget allocation to agriculture and 6% annual agricultural productivity growth.
• Malabo Declaration (2014):
  • Expanded CAADP to include goals such as eradicating hunger, tripling intra-African trade, and enhancing resilience.
  • Despite efforts, the 2024 Biennial Review Report revealed Africa remains off-track in meeting key commitments like ending hunger by 2025.

CAADP Priority Areas

Persisting Challenges in Africa’s Agriculture Sector

• Food Security: According to FAO , Africa remains the region with the largest estimated proportion of the population facing hunger  at 20.4 percent.
• Malnutrition: Despite progress in reducing stunting, malnutrition continues to hinder development and increase mortality rates.
  • Rising obesity and related health issues add economic and health burdens.
• External Shocks: COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, the Russia-Ukraine war, and climate change have disrupted agricultural systems.

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Way Forward

• Strategic Shift: The post-Malabo agenda (2026–2035) introduces an integrated agri-food systems approach addressing challenges across the entire food value chain.
  • Prioritizes sustainability, resilience, and combatting malnutrition through diverse and nutritious diets.
• Climate-Smart Innovations: Focuses on adopting climate-smart technologies to close agricultural productivity gaps.
  • Ensures food security for Africa’s projected 2.5 billion population by 2050.
• Resilience Building:Aims to strengthen the ability to adapt to and recover from shocks like climate change and pandemics.
  • In 2023, only two African countries were on track for resilience-building targets.
• Leadership Commitment: Leaders from Kenya, Ethiopia, Angola, Burundi, and Somalia emphasized the importance of modernizing agriculture for food security and economic growth.