JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – Regional economic communities (RECs) and farmer organisations have welcomed the official launch of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan and Kampala Declaration following its approval by the African Union Head of State and Government in January 2025 wherein they pledged to contribute their expertise to the success of the initiative.
In his solidarity remarks during the CAADP launch in Johannesburg, South Africa, yesterday, Domingos Zefanias Gove, the Director of Food Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, hailed the fact that the ceremony took place during a special moment when the continent, and the region, through the Republic of South Africa is chairing the G20, where agriculture is one of the critical areas being addressed by this Chairmanship.
“Agriculture is a cornerstone of our economies, contributing between 4 to 27 percent of national GDP and about 13 percent of the total export earnings. The SADC region is engaged in many of these country program projects, including the regional development project of the SADC, which has been designed and implemented to the region’s regional objectives. In 2014, the SADC region approved an Indigenous Agricultural policy to transform agriculture with the CAADP strategy, with the support of various partners including AGRA, AUDA-NEPAD and the new Regional Agriculture Investment Plan 2025-2030 is expected to be approved by the Ministers responsible for Agriculture in this month of May.
“Following the process, we have planned to immediately engage with the SADC member states to update their National Agriculture Investment Plans to align them with the updated RAIP and the CAADP strategy and action plan 2026-2035. This meeting is for the continent and the region to reiterate their political commitment and to fast-track the review of national and regional instruments so that by 2026 we are ready to fully operationalize the new CAADP strategy and implementation plan. We are hopeful that this time we will be able to turn our dreams into reality by transforming our agri-food systems with significant impacts on improved food and nutrition security, and combating poverty,” Domingos said.
In her intervention as a Women Farmers Representative at the CAADP Kampala Launch under the theme” Empowering Women Farmers for a Food-Secure Africa,” Tiwonge Gondwe, the SADC Chairperson of the African Kilimanjaro Women Farmers Forum (AKIWOFF) – a member of CAADP Non-state Actors, said millions of women across Africa rise with the sun to feed their families, communities, and nations yet continue to face barriers that limit their full potential.
“We are the backbone of Africa’s agriculture. Women produce up to 70% of food in some African countries. We till the land, save the seeds, grow the crops, and nourish the continent. But we often do so with fewer resources, little recognition, and limited decision-making power. We welcome the renewed momentum of CAADP,” Gondwe said.
She said CAADP must truly deliver for women based on several priorities including securing their land rights. Too many women still farm on land they do not own and can be displaced at any time. They need legal protection and enforcement of land rights for women.
Gondwe urged stakeholders to invest in appropriate support for smallholders. This includes access to quality seeds, climate-resilient technologies, extension services tailored for women, and affordable credit without burdensome collateral. The women’s rights advocate said women must have a seat at the table—from village committees to national policy platforms and CAADP implementation bodies.
“There is a need to put nutrition and soil health at the center. We call for policies that support agroecological practices, restore our soils, and promote nutritious, diverse crops—because food security is not just about quantity, but quality. There is also a need to support our climate resilience. Women farmers are on the frontlines of climate change. We need targeted financing and knowledge to adapt and thrive.
“This is not a request—it is a right. If Africa is to achieve the goals of CAADP and Agenda 2063, women farmers must not be an afterthought. We must be partners, leaders, and decision-makers in every step of the journey. We are ready. Ready to lead. Ready to innovate. Ready to transform agriculture and food systems for a sustainable future. All we ask is for policies, resources, and respect that match our commitment. Let CAADP in Kampala mark the beginning of a new chapter—one where women farmers are no longer marginalized, but recognized as key drivers of Africa’s agricultural transformation,” she added.
Elizabeth Nsimadala, the President of the East African Farmers Federation and Board Member of the Pan African Farmers Organisation (PAFO), said she was happy that the new document has brought in new themes, new thinking, and new approaches with a focus on sustainable food systems and how it will address transformation/ value addition, trade, investments, food and nutrition security; and most importantly how the food systems will be governed having in mind inclusivity and equitability as principles
She said the role of member states is clear to provide a conducive environment to operationalize CAADP – in their investment plans and policies.
Nsimadala said farmers will play their rightful role of production by embracing the right practices, and innovations and adapting to climate change.
“We will need to create awareness among our members of the new framework. We will encourage our members to participate in the development of the national and regional compacts and investment plans. We will also participate in the BR processes as has been the norm.
“Being a new framework, we hope that the energy we had post-Maputo will be back with all of us. We are living in a new era of unsurmountable challenges such as climate change, geopolitical shocks; a slowing global economy; significant soil degradation in Africa, youth migration for lack of employment, and an ever-increasing food import bill.
“We will have to do things differently. We will need good and focused leadership in this process. We will need to demonstrate ownership by all. We will need to form deliberate partnerships within the continent – we need to grow our intra-Africa trade intentionally, we will need to understand and participate in global policy discussions that affect the continent with a view of correcting them, we will need unity of purpose; we will finally also need to be honest with ourselves when things are working and most importantly when they are not,” she added.
