Following the conclusion of a three-day World Without Hunger Conference, the leaders visited the successful achievements gained in household farms in the East Showa zone of Oromia region.

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio and Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah of the Republic of Guinea said that they have been desirous to emulate the achievements of Ethiopia, where it has tremendously embarked on activities of agricultural transformation.

The commitment of Sierra Leone and Guinea aligns closely with the CAAPs agenda, which aims to transform Africa’s agricultural sector through regional agro-industrial hubs. The CAAPs initiative, like Ethiopia’s agricultural reform, focuses on leveraging Africa’s natural resources, modernizing agriculture, and increasing food production to achieve food security, economic growth, ecological preservation and job creation.

Source and full report: Ethiopian News Agency

ABOUT The CAAPs
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) was initiated in 2019 as one of the concrete initiatives of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) to be implemented within the framework of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 in order to achieve the CAADP Malabo commitments, particularly the commitment to “triple intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services.”

For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps, join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi avodounhessi@faraafrica.org

The post African Leaders Vow to Replicate Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation in Ensuring Food Security appeared first on FARA Africa.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group approved a loan of €24.63 million to Côte d’Ivoire to boost the development of fisheries and aquaculture value chains. This funding will enable the country, which has been undergoing rapid growth, to increase the sector’s contribution to the blue economy, both nationally and locally.

Courtesy of this new project, fishing activities in coastal towns such as Sassandra will be able to expand significantly. In addition, the project plans to improve fishing methods by supporting public and private fish farms in the west and south of the country.

This initiative aligns strongly with the CAAPs agenda, as it prioritizes sustainable economic growth, infrastructure development, job creation, and enhanced local and national value chains within Africa’s natural resource sectors.

Through these shared goals, the projects support Africa’s ambition to harness its natural resources for sustainable growth, laying the groundwork for a more resilient and prosperous continent.

Source and full report: afdb.org

ABOUT The CAAPs
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) was initiated in 2019 as one of the concrete initiatives of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) to be implemented within the framework of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 in order to achieve the CAADP Malabo commitments, particularly the commitment to “triple intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services.”

For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps, join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi avodounhessi@faraafrica.org

The post AfDB grants loan of over €24 million to improve fisheries and aquaculture sectors appeared first on FARA Africa.

In a move to strengthen Africa’s agricultural sector, Afreximbank, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, and the World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support African farmers, agro-processors, and commodity traders with a minimum of $2 billion in financing by 2025.

Benedict Oramah, president/chairman of the Afreximbank board, announced this during the Farm, Food and Allied Technologies (FARMATECH) Expo 2024 in Abuja. According to him, the initiative aligns with AfCFTA’s objectives to bolster intra-regional trade and enhance food security across the continent.

This partnership, aligns with the CAAPs’ goals to promote agricultural productivity, enhance intra-regional trade, and support sustainable economic growth across Africa.

These initiatives aim to strengthen agricultural productivity and value addition, reducing Africa’s dependence on unprocessed commodity exports and enhancing its global competitiveness.

Afreximbank’s commitment to aligning with AfCFTA’s goals for intra-regional trade parallels CAAPs’ goal of creating efficient, interconnected agro-industrial zones that facilitate trade within Africa.

CAAPs prioritize capacity-building within agro-industrial parks, offering farmers and local entrepreneurs the tools, knowledge, and financial support needed to scale up their businesses and generate economic value. This is adequately addressed in the MoU.

Source and full report: businessday.ng

ABOUT The CAAPs
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) was initiated in 2019 as one of the concrete initiatives of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) to be implemented within the framework of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 in order to achieve the CAADP Malabo commitments, particularly the commitment to “triple intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services.”

For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps, join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi avodounhessi@faraafrica.org

The post Afreximbank, AfCFTA, WFP sign $2bn MoU to boost agriculture appeared first on FARA Africa.

The president of the African Development Bank Group Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and his counterpart at The World Bank Bank Ajay Banga, stressed the need for more global action against hunger, a goal slipping further away due to the combined effects of conflict, economic challenges and climate change.

“There is nothing more important than feeding the world. Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) play an important role in that,” Adesina declared. He stressed the crucial role of international financial institutions in helping achieve this task.

Addressing the topic of climate change and farmers’ livelihoods Banga noted that in Africa, only 4% of global climate financing goes to agriculture.

He stressed the need for scalable solutions to support Africa’s small farmers. “The focus must be on scale and ecosystems,” he said, pointing to the World Bank’s efforts to enhance farmers’ access to energy, internet, and credit guarantees, creating a comprehensive support network.

Both leaders highlighted the urgency of engaging Africa’s youth in agriculture. The African Development Bank’s “Enable Youth” program and the World Bank’s focus on youth employment initiatives, reflect a shared commitment to harnessing Africa’s demographic dividend for agricultural transformation and economic prosperity.

“If we don’t put finance behind young people’s ideas, that’s the biggest risk,” Adesina warned.

Source: AfDB

ABOUT The CAAPs
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) was initiated in 2019 as one of the concrete initiatives of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) to be implemented within the framework of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 in order to achieve the CAADP Malabo commitments, particularly the commitment to “triple intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services.”

For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps, join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi avodounhessi@faraafrica.org

The post Adesina and Banga lead the charge to end hunger in Africa at 2024 Borlaug Dialogue appeared first on FARA Africa.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Alliance for Agroecology in West Africa (3AO), West Africa Organic Network (WAfrONet) and ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) have reached an agreement to develop a sustainable security system for food sovereignty in West Africa.

The organisations at a Stakeholders ‘Forum on Agroecology and Organic Agriculture in West Africa’, on Monday in Abuja said the collaboration is through the implementation of public policies and interventions that value the structural solutions provided by resilient practices derived from agroecology, organic farming and climate-smart agriculture.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, said the collaboration became necessary because food systems in West Africa are currently facing several and severe crises, including the effects of climate change.

He lamented that the conventional models of agricultural production adopted to date have shown little resilience to the effects of climate change and sometimes contribute to soil impoverishment, thereby exacerbating food insecurity, income depletion and the vulnerability of populations.

He said despite contributing very little to global warming, with just

1.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, ECOWAS countries are at the heart of the climate change challenges facing the first half of the 21st century.

He also said the most pessimistic scenarios, between now and 2060, West Africa will experience a temperature rise of +2.3°C, i.e., a warming of +0.6°C per decade.

“The number of days of potentially lethal heat could reach 50 to 150 per year for a global warming of 1.6°C and 100 to 250 per year for a global warming of 2.5°C, with the greatest increases in coastal areas.

The risk of heat-related mortality is now 6 to 9 times higher than the 1950-2005 average at 2°C global warming,” Touray said.

The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Mr Andrew Mamedu, said the forum was of strategic importance, especially as it provided an opportunity to share and analyse, with all the agricultural and political players in the region.

“The Strategic Partnerships for Agroecology and Climate Justice in West Africa (SPAC-West Africa) project, which spans three countries-Liberia, Nigeria, and Senegal- is currently demonstrating the power of agroecology in transforming the lives of women and young people across the region.

“This three-year project, funded by ActionAid International’s Transformative Impact Fund (TIF), seeks to improve the lives of 250,800 smallholder women farmers and young people, reaching over 1.5m household members. Its ultimate objective is to deliver food and nutrition security, climate-resilient livelihoods, and a transformed agricultural landscape across West African communities,” Mamedu said.

He noted the importance of the mechanisms and opportunities for increasing funding for the three approaches to sustainable agriculture, instruments that can be mobilised, their effectiveness and efficiency; and pragmatic support policies in the region.

Source: Daily Trust

ABOUT The CAAPs
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) was initiated in 2019 as one of the concrete initiatives of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) to be implemented within the framework of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 in order to achieve the CAADP Malabo commitments, particularly the commitment to “triple intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services.”

For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps, join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi avodounhessi@faraafrica.org

The post ECOWAS, ActionAid, others partner on sustainable food sovereignty in W/Africa appeared first on FARA Africa.

Nigerian ministers gathered in Abuja with state representatives and other stakeholders to push for accelerated delivery of the SAPZ program in Nigeria. October 2024

The African Development Bank Group has reached an agreement with participating Nigerian state governments to speed up implementation of a program designed to develop eight new agro-industrial zones in the country. The agreement emerged from a two-day meeting in Abuja, on 7 – 8 October, attended by senior government and bank officials and representatives of financing partners and the private sector.

The Nigeria Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program, launched in 2022, aims to create new hubs that integrate the production, processing and distribution of targeted crops and livestock to achieve food security, increase incomes, improve livelihoods, and support economic diversification. By significantly reducing dependence on food imports and boosting exports, SAPZs are expected to boost the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

To implement the first phase of the SAPZ project in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory, the program has mobilized $538m in co-financing from the African Development Bank Group, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun who attended the meetings, said, “With inflation coming down, the reserves growing and the exchange rate stabilizing, success is being seen under the macroeconomic stabilization efforts of President Bola Tinubu. That is why the SAPZ program cannot and must not disappoint.”

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said, “The need to align all our efforts at the federal and state levels as well as with our development partners is germane, so that the momentum we gain here translates into tangible outcomes for the target beneficiaries, particularly those in rural areas where the SAPZs will have their greatest impact.”

According to the Director General of the African Development Bank’s Nigeria Country Department, Dr. Abdul Kamara, the meetings were aimed at strengthening collaboration among key stakeholders, including the private sector. Participants shared ideas and lessons learned, goals, and agreed on practical next steps to accelerate the implementation of Phase 1 of the program. The next phase of the programme will expand to include other state governments.

Emphasising the urgency of overcoming delays that have dogged program implementation, the Senior Special Adviser to the Bank President on Industrialisation, Prof. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, said the rapid implementation and take-off of SAPZs provides a solution to the declining contribution of manufacturing and manufacturing exports to Nigeria’s GDP.

The second day of the meeting featured a workshop that brought together officials from the federal and state governments, representatives of partner institutions, and private sector investors to discuss the program’s financial, procurement and operational processes, as well as an accelerated implementation plan. The federal and state governments committed to implementing transparent and competitively driven procurement processes, including the independent selection of vendors.

The sessions, moderated by Dr. Victor Oladokun, Senior Advisor on Communications and Stakeholder Engagement to the president of the African Development Bank, also provided a platform to highlight the complementary roles of stakeholders. While governments and financing institutions are expected to play a catalytic role, the private sector will focus on investing in the construction and operation of the key components of the zones: Agro Industrial Processing Hubs (AIHs) and Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs).

The first phase of the Nigeria SAPZ program is expected to unlock about $1 billion in private sector investments, benefiting an estimated 1.5 million households, including private agribusinesses, agro-processors, smallholder farmers, agripreneurs, and agrodealers, and creating a minimum of 400,000 direct jobs and 1.6 million indirect jobs, especially for women and youth.

Source: African Development Bank

ABOUT The CAAPs
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) was initiated in 2019 as one of the concrete initiatives of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) to be implemented within the framework of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 in order to achieve the CAADP Malabo commitments, particularly the commitment to “triple intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services.”

For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps, join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi avodounhessi@faraafrica.org

The post African Development Bank and partners agree to fast-track implementation of Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones program appeared first on FARA Africa.

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

ABOUT The CAAPs
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) was initiated in 2019 as one of the concrete initiatives of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) to be implemented within the framework of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 in order to achieve the CAADP Malabo commitments, particularly the commitment to “triple intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services.”

For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps, join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi avodounhessi@faraafrica.org

The post Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos appeared first on FARA Africa.

The need for Uganda to increase investments in agro-based industries to spur economic growth came into sharp focus at the Regional Industrialization Conference held from 24^th to 25^th September in Kampala, Uganda.

In a keynote address at the conference, the AGRA Uganda Country Director, Mr. David Wozemba, highlighted the important role of agro-industrialization in promoting economic development in the country. He noted that AGRA’s areas of work are integrated, allowing it to contribute to fostering a sustainable food system that creates long term impact.

The two-day conference brought together policymakers, development partners, and industrialization experts to explore climate smart solutions for sustainable industrialization.

He noted that despite agriculture’s declining contribution to GDP, now at 24% compared to 50% in 1995, the sector remains crucial to the economic growth of the country as it employs about 70% of Uganda’s working population.  Mr. Wozemba noted that agro-industrialization has the potential to address unemployment, boost exports, and ensure food security. This requires investment in food processing and packaging industries to address shifting consumer demands to capture emerging market opportunities.

The conference comes at a time when the government has begun implementing the Parish Development Model (PDM), an initiative aimed at stimulating economic growth, by channelling resources to the parish level to empower local communities to identify and develop their own ventures based on local resources and market demands.

The Minster of State for Investment and Privatization, Hon. Evelyn Anite, who was the chief guest at the conference, noted that, PDM is designed to provide local communities at parish level with increased access to credit, improved inputs, and training on modern farming practices to improve livelihoods and create employment opportunities at a local level. “PDM is expected to boost agricultural production and encourage value addition at the local level which will increases farmers’ incomes and strengthen the agricultural value chains, in the long run,” Hon. Anite said.

However, Mr. Wozemba noted that PDM is still facing challenges, including data gaps and the need for comprehensive community and market profiling that requires adequate funding.

He observed that the key to Uganda’s economic strategy is diversifying agricultural exports beyond primary commodities to enhance the country’s economic resilience and competitiveness on a global scale.

He emphasized the importance of skills development, entrepreneurship promotion, and a supportive policy environment to actualize the employment opportunities.

Mr. Wozemba called for collaboration between policymakers, private sector actors, and development partners to address challenges such as inadequate infrastructure and market access. “As development partners, we seek strategic alignment between national plans and investments that foster job creation, poverty reduction, and food security,” he noted.

As a call to action, he asked stakeholders to urgently rationalize and prioritize the value-chains that are the focus of the future national agro-industrialization efforts under the 4^th National Development Plan (NDP IV). “Large and persistent agricultural productivity gaps, in almost all agricultural enterprises, must be narrowed if adequate raw materials are to be made available to existing and planned agro-industries,” Mr Wozemba said.

He called for clarity on the appropriate role of Government of Uganda in promoting agro-industrial sector growth. “There is need for increased budgetary support to create a more-enabling environment, including electricity grid expansion, land tenure security, effective regulatory environment for agricultural inputs, cost-effective agricultural research and extension, testing facilities”. He also emphasized the need to urgently address the uncertain state of agricultural and agro-industrial sector statistics.

Source: AGRA

ABOUT The CAAPs
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) was initiated in 2019 as one of the concrete initiatives of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) to be implemented within the framework of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 in order to achieve the CAADP Malabo commitments, particularly the commitment to “triple intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services.”

For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps, join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi avodounhessi@faraafrica.org

The post AGRA Calls for Increased Investment in Agro-Industrialisation to spur economic growth appeared first on FARA Africa.

Accra, Oct. 3, GNA- The implementers of the Common African Agro-Parks (CAAPs) programme, aimed at reducing food imports and fostering innovation in Africa, have called for increased partnerships and investments to enhance agricultural transformation on the continent.

The CAAPs initiative, part of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, aims to help Africa reclaim the approximately $50 billion in annual food imports that are currently sourced from outside the continent.

During a presentation at the Development-Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) CONNECT programme held in Accra, Mr. Anselme Vodounhessi, Coordinator for CAAPs, said that agro-parks would function as hubs for transformative technologies.

He explained that those technologies would support essential processes, ranging from precision farming to climate-smart agriculture, and enable Africa to increase productivity, minimize post-harvest losses, and enhance sustainability.

Mr Vodounhessi, who is also the Head of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), said the initiative would also foster public-private partnerships that bring together governments, private investors, and international organisations to mobilise capital and expertise to scale-up innovations.

Projections from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) suggest that Africa’s annual food imports are set to rise dramatically, increasing from $15 billion in 2018 to $110 billion by 2025—seven times higher. Additionally, the current figure of $43 billion is expected to triple in that timeframe.

Mr Vodounhessi said it was time for Africa to “lead the future of agriculture.”

“By creating this fertile investment environment, the CAAPs are poised to attract billions of dollars in financing, driving agricultural growth and creating millions of jobs.

“With strong political support from the African Union and key stakeholders, the CAAPs initiative is not just about transforming agriculture—it’s about positioning Africa as a global leader in sustainable, innovation-driven agri-business,” he said.

The DeSIRA, which featured Western Africa, Central Africa, and Madagascar was organised by the European Commission through the DeSIRALIFT initiative and the FARA.

Participants shared lessons and outcomes from DeSIRA projects and discussed measures to scale up innovations in the agricultural sector.

The DeSIRA Initiative aims to promote innovation in agricultural and food systems to support sustainable transitions and improve resilience to climate change in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Through participatory research and multi-stakeholder engagement, DeSIRA projects drive innovation to enhance food security, nutrition, and livelihoods.

Source: GNA

The post Africa can cut food imports through Common Agro-Parks Programme -CAAPs appeared first on FARA Africa.

The investment deals were finalized during the Cashew Sector Investment Forum, held by the CCA on September 23 in Abidjan.

TORQ Commodities, a UK-based commodity trader, committed USD 10 million to the project. In addition, a consortium formed by India’s Zantye Agro Industries and Austria’s Münzer agreed to invest USD 11.2 million, while Agricas Global, an agricultural commodities trader from the UAE, pledged USD 7.5 million.

These investments aim to support Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to process more of its cashew nuts locally. “The added value we could achieve through local processing remains under-exploited,” said Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, the Minister of Agriculture.

He emphasized that only 21% of cashews produced in the country are currently processed locally, falling short of the government’s ambitious goal of processing 50% by 2030.

Côte d’Ivoire’s government has placed considerable emphasis on increasing the local processing of cashew nuts, a move seen as critical for job creation and economic growth.

According to the General Directorate of Customs, Ivorian exports of cashew nuts and almonds generated USD 1.3 billion in revenue in 2023. However, only USD 217 million of this amount came from processed cashew kernels.

Minister Adjoumani acknowledged the gap between production and processing, stressing the need for further investment to meet national targets. “Our processing rate in 2023 is still far from our goal. With more investment, we believe this will change over time.”

The global cashew market is dominated by processing giants like Vietnam and India. These countries benefit from advanced technology and lower production costs, making it harder for African producers to compete.

Despite these challenges, Côte d’Ivoire is positioning itself as a leader in African cashew processing, ranking third globally.

According to projections from the CCA, the country is expected to harvest 1 million tons of cashew nuts in 2024.

As Côte d’Ivoire continues to increase production, its government is working to enhance the local industry through both public and private partnerships.

This includes the promotion of policies aimed at attracting more foreign investment, improving local processing facilities, and ensuring the sector remains competitive.

Source: FreshProduceMEA

The post Côte d’Ivoire secures USD 28M investment to boost cashew processing industry appeared first on FARA Africa.