At the African Union Summit held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in June 2014, a set of concrete agricultural goals was adopted to be achieved by 2025. These goals, known as the Malabo Declaration, were aimed at advancing the agricultural vision for Africa, emphasizing the critical role of agriculture in economic growth and poverty reduction.
The declaration outlined several commitments, including adherence to the principles of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), increasing investment finance in agriculture, ending hunger in Africa by 2025, halving poverty through inclusive agricultural growth and transformation, and enhancing intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services. Other commitments included strengthening resilience to climate variability, promoting accountability for actions and results, and reinforcing the capacity of the African Union Commission to support these initiatives.
A key commitment was to allocate at least 10% of public expenditure to agriculture while creating policies and institutional frameworks to support private investment in agriculture and agro-industries, with an emphasis on local investors. Another priority was the establishment of the African Investment Bank to mobilize and disburse funds for agriculture-related projects.
Despite consistent efforts, a recent report indicates that no African Union member state is on track to meet the Malabo Declaration targets by 2025. The report highlights the combined effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian-Ukraine conflict, supply chain disruptions, internal conflicts across the continent, and climate change as major obstacles. These challenges have reversed decades of progress in economic growth, social development, and food security.
The pandemic, in particular, disrupted food systems by affecting input and output markets and limiting the production of commodities, primarily managed by smallholder farmers. These disruptions have exacerbated hunger across the continent, undermining the progress made toward achieving the commitments outlined in the Malabo Declaration, Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Recognizing these challenges, a new declaration, the Kampala Declaration, has been adopted to succeed the Malabo Declaration. This new framework includes a 10-year CAADP Strategy (2026-2035) and an action plan to further agricultural transformation and food systems in Africa.
The ongoing challenges have significantly impacted the continent, where the proportion of the population facing hunger has increased more than in other regions. While these issues have had global ramifications, Africa has been disproportionately affected, highlighting the urgent need for renewed efforts and collaborative strategies to address food insecurity and build resilience in agricultural systems.
