Kampala Declaration

Why in News?

The African Union Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program recently concluded in Kampala, with adopting the transformative Kampala Declaration for Africa’s agri-food systems.

• Kampala Declaration – It solely focusing on agricultural production to a broader "agri-food systems" approach.
• This holistic view considers the entire food value chain, from production to consumption, encompassing factors like nutrition, sustainability, and resilience.
• Adopted by – African leaders at the Extraordinary African Union Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP)  held in Kampala, Uganda, on January 11, 2025.
• Key Features of the Kampala Declaration:
• Sustainable and Resilient Agri-food Systems – The core objective is to create a food system that is not only productive but also environmentally sustainable and resilient to shocks.
• Addressing Malnutrition – The declaration emphasizes combating all forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition (stunting, wasting), micronutrient deficiencies, and even rising obesity rates.
• Climate-Smart Agriculture – Promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices is crucial. This includes adopting climate-smart technologies, improving water management, and enhancing soil health.
• Intra-African Trade – Boosting intra-African trade in agricultural products is seen as key to improving food security and economic growth.
• Empowering Smallholder Farmers – The declaration recognizes the critical role of smallholder farmers and aims to empower them through access to technology, markets, and finance.

Malabo Declaration is the previous framework for African agricultural development, fell short of its goals, particularly in eradicating hunger and malnutrition.

• Significance – The strategy will also see Africa reduce post-harvest loss by 50 %, triple intra-African trade in agro-food products and inputs by 2035.
• It will also raise the share of locally processed food to 35% of agro-food GDP by 2035.
• The adoption of the strategy is seen as a pivotal moment that will lay the groundwork for agro-food systems across the continent, and enable countries to act.

References

1. Down to Earth| 10-year Strategy to Transform Agriculture
2. UNFCCC| Kampala Ministerial Declaration