African Agriculture Ministers Rally for a Decade of Food Security and Climate Resilience at Kampala Summit
Over 2,000 delegates, including African agriculture ministers, gathered this week in Kampala, Uganda, for a transformative summit aimed at reshaping the continent’s food production systems. The high-stakes meeting seeks to chart a bold 10-year roadmap to reduce Africa’s heavy reliance on food imports, boost resilience against climate change, and embrace modern agricultural technologies.
Urgent Call for Food Self-Sufficiency
Uganda’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja set the tone with a rallying call for self-reliance in Africa’s agriculture sector.
“As agriculture ministers, it is our duty to reduce Africa’s over-reliance on food imports,” Nabbanja declared. “We must future-proof our agricultural systems against climate change and fully integrate cutting-edge technologies.”
Africa’s agricultural challenges remain daunting, with climate change, droughts, floods, and conflicts driving up food prices. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed a stark increase in global food insecurity, surging from 512 million in 2014 to over 790 million by 2021, with Africa disproportionately affected.
Building a Path to Sustainable Food Security
David Nabarro, co-founder of the 4SD Foundation, expressed optimism about Africa’s potential to achieve food independence within a decade. He emphasized the role of regional collaboration and shared progress as essential to sustainable food systems.
“Africa has the potential to shift from dependency on food imports to self-sufficiency, even becoming a net exporter of food within ten years,” Nabarro stated.
Appolinaire Djikeng, director of the Institute of Livestock and Research Institute, echoed the sentiment, calling for bold coalitions and greater investment from African governments. He outlined the urgent need for policies that strengthen institutional capacity and develop skilled agricultural professionals.
“No single organization can solve Africa’s food system challenges alone. Governments must prioritize agriculture in their budgets and align resources with robust capacity-building strategies,” Djikeng emphasized.
Highlights from the CAADP Progress Report
The summit also spotlighted progress under the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). Countries like Benin, Ethiopia, Lesotho, and Malawi have led the way by allocating over 10% of their national budgets to agriculture, offering a blueprint for success.
The event is set to culminate on Saturday with heads of state endorsing a CAADP strategy and action plan designed to revolutionize Africa’s food systems from 2026 onwards. This ambitious initiative aims to forge a resilient, self-sufficient agricultural sector capable of tackling the continent’s escalating food security challenges.
