Africa-Press – Tanzania. STAKEHOLDERS in the Agriculture sector have called for a coordinated approach in the implementation of the Malabo Declaration in efforts to end hunger and increase food security in the African Continent.
The stakeholders were speaking on Monday during the Malabo Policy Learning Event (MAPLE) which kicked off via a video conference that was followed directly by different stakeholders from across the continent.
In Dodoma, the event was followed directly by several smallholder farmers from the country’s capital, Dodoma majority of them from Chamwino district. The event in Dodoma was coordinated by ActionAid Tanzania.
At the meeting, stakeholders said there were still some challenges in the implementation of the Malabo declaration, among them the Joint Sector Review which had not been conducted for the past four years.
Another Challenge, they said was confusion on the National Agriculture Investment Plans (NAIPs) as there was no specification on what to follow considering that they were many plans including ASDP II, Kuliko Kwanza and Tanzania Food Security and Investment Plan (TAFSIP), among others.
African Union Commission (AUC), Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Godfrey Bahiigwa, said despite six years of the implementation of the Malabo Declaration, there were just a few countries which had domesticated it since it’s adoption.
The declaration was adopted in 2014 but it’s official implementation kicked off in 2015. The Malabo Declaration signed by African Governments in 2014 represented a re-commitment to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) principles and goals adopted earlier in 2003 under the Maputo Declaration.
In 2003, leaders of AU countries agreed in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, to allocate a minimum of 10 per cent of their total national budget to the agriculture sector to ensure food security and tame rural poverty by 2015. During the Maputo Meeting, back then, Tanzania was represented by Former President Jakaya Kikwete.
An initiative christened CAADP was forged and was geared at ensuring that the sector grows significantly.
CAADP is Africa’s policy framework for agricultural transformation, wealth creation, food security and nutrition, economic growth and prosperity for all. In Maputo’s AU Summit, leaders made the first declaration on CAADP as an integral part of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
Later in 2014, the Malabo declaration went further by identifying specific goals and targets to be achieved within a period of ten years. The targets include ending hunger, tripling intra-African trade in agricultural goods and services, enhancing resilience of livelihoods and production systems, and ensuring that agriculture contributes significantly to poverty reduction.
Yesterday, the Head of Agriculture and Environment from the AU Development Agency, Mamadou Diakhite, said many African countries were still grappling with policy adjustments as the world continues battling with Covid-19 pandemic.
He however, asked all AU member states to consider the Malabo declaration as a global agenda if ending poverty was anything to go by.
Speaking on behalf of the Private sector, Mr Nana Honey aid the private sector was the main engine in Agricultural activities and investment in the sector adding that to achieve this, more scientists who could conduct fruitful researches were needed.
“Africa has a useful population and thus we need local participation in the sector and for this to be achieved we need a coordinated approach between the private sector, African governments, civil society Organisations and other stakeholders,” he noted.
He further underscored the need to have enough financial resources, investment in resilient private sector as well as good systems to identify resilient nutrition systems.
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