Livingstone, Zambia - From April 30 to May 3, 2024, the most prominent African agriculture experts and stakeholders gathered at the Radisson Blu in Livingstone, Zambia, for the Continental Stakeholder Dialogue Meeting. This pivotal event, organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), was a significant step in shaping the future of agriculture policy in Africa. It focused on reviewing the results of the 4th Biennial Review (BR) and strategizing future actions for agricultural development across the continent.
During the opening ceremony, Bernice McLean, Senior Programme Officer at NEPAD, addressed the attendees on behalf of Madame Estherine Fotobong, Director of Agriculture, Food Systems and Environmental Sustainability of AUDA-NEPAD. McLean highlighted the meeting's importance against the backdrop of one of Africa's most spectacular natural wonders, emphasizing that the discussions would enhance the technical experts' capacity to guide policy implications derived from the BR results. This, in turn, would contribute significantly to the post-Malabo agenda.
The event had several key objectives. It aimed to foster a shared understanding among the participants about the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) process, the BR cycle, and its linkage with national and regional agricultural investment plans. The meeting also focused on understanding and discussing the policy implications of the 4th BR results, identifying practical strategies to accelerate agricultural development based on these findings, and enhancing the communication of these outcomes.
The Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) t, through the EU-funded CAADP-XP4 program, participated in this continental meeting. The organization was represented by Dr. Baitsi Podisi, the CAADP-XP4 Programme Coordinator, Ms. Futhi Magagula, the CAADP-XP4 Programme Officer, and Mrs. Bridget Kakuwa-Kasongamulilo, the CAADP-XP4 Information, Communication, and Knowledge Management Officer. Their involvement underscored the organization’s ongoing efforts to sensitize countries about the Malabo Declaration commitments and enhance knowledge management across the region. The CCARDESA team’s participation further enriched the discussions, aligning with their extensive work promoting agricultural development and cooperation among southern African countries.
The Communication, Advocacy, and Knowledge Management Thematic Working Group (TWG-9) expressed its commitment to increasing the visibility and understanding of the BR results. To this end, it planned to develop various communication products and utilize digital tools.
Dr. Godfrey Bahiigwa also spoke at the event, noting the ongoing preparations for the post-Malabo CAADP agenda and inviting all stakeholders to help shape the strategy for the next decade. This collaborative approach ensures the strategy is robust and reflects the collective expertise and aspirations.
CAADP-XP4 Coordinator Dr. Podisi highlighted a key insight in the 4th BR results: " There appears to be a mismatch between the socio-economic status and the BR scores of some countries. This discrepancy suggests that some current scores may not truly reflect the realities on the ground. There is a need to align the data submitted by countries more closely with what is happening in these countries so that the data does not convey a positive picture compared to what obtains in the country."
The sessions were rich with presentations by BR Team leaders who discussed the policy implications across various commitment areas, fostering an engaging exchange of ideas and experiences.
A livestock Expert from the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), Dr Mary Ossiah, proposed that donors be included in such meetings so that they see the need to support the sensitization and dissemination of results in member states of the Malabo commitments.
With ambitious goals for the meeting, the gathering marked a pivotal moment for setting a concrete path forward for African agriculture. In his closing remarks, a representative of the SADC Secretariat, Mr Duncan Samikwa, echoed that "This gathering is not just about discussions; it's about setting a concrete path forward for African agriculture,”. He also mentioned that countries must be fully supported to meet their commitments. The outcomes of this dialogue are set to influence agricultural policies and practices across Africa, aiming for improved governance, capacity building, and coordination in the agricultural sector, particularly in areas such as the harmonization of phytosanitary measures and food market regulations.
This meeting, which attracted participants from across the continent, ended with a presentation of a comprehensive roadmap for regional dialogues and preparations for the upcoming 5th BR cycle. An update was also shared on the progress made on the consolidation of new post-Malabo commitments, which are to be endorsed by African Heads of State in a meeting planned to be held in Kampala in January 2025.
