Africa: AGRA Welcomes AU’s Renewed Commitment to Agriculture
By NewsfromAfrica
ADDIS ABABA---On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the African Union, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) welcomes the organisation’s renewed commitment to the transformation of Africa’s agricultural sector.
Jane Karuku, President of AGRA, said: “We share the African Union’s vision for an Africa that is free of hunger; an Africa that boasts a strong agricultural sector that provides food, labour and wealth for all groups of society. The theme of this year’s summit – ‘Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance’ – is fitting. We are optimistic about Africa’s future, especially given the tremendous advances we are witnessing across the whole continent, in research laboratories, in the fields, in the marketplace and at the policy level.”
“Looking ahead to Africa’s journey over the next half century, we must not lose sight of the practical actions we can take today. Thirty African leaders have pledged to commit at least 10% of their budget to raise agricultural productivity under the AU’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme. The AU has designated 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security – the pressure is now on governments to live up to their commitments,” said Jane Karuku.
In March this year, Jane Karuku met with H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace (African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture) to agree on a number of partnership opportunities, notably to support women in agriculture and to sustain commitments and policy actions made under CAADP.