Africa’s agriculture sector, often dubbed the cornerstone of the continent’s socio-economic transformation, remains critically undervalued despite its pivotal role. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), recently highlighted this pressing issue at the Validation Workshop for the Post Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Technical Working Groups in Lusaka, Zambia. Her concerns underscore the need for a strategic reassessment of the sector’s significance and the urgency of comprehensive reforms.
Sacko, an agronomist with two terms of service at the African Union Commission, has consistently championed the cause of agriculture as the linchpin for sustainable development in Africa. She asserts that the sector’s neglect is alarming, especially given its potential to drive socio-economic transformation across the continent. “This sector has never received the attention it deserves,” Sacko lamented, emphasizing that agriculture is essential for the socio-economic upliftment of Africa’s predominantly rural population.
One of the critical issues Sacko pointed out is the misguided notion of subsuming agriculture under the Department of Economic Affairs. She argues that such a move would have been detrimental, given that agriculture remains the primary livelihood for 70% of Africa’s rural population. “We haven’t achieved the peak of development in the sector,” Sacko noted, adding that relegating agriculture would have jeopardized sustainable development efforts.
The Commissioner’s observations come at a crucial time when Africa is grappling with significant challenges, including poverty and food insecurity. Sacko is unequivocal in her assertion that addressing poverty is impossible without focusing on the agricultural sector, which is the main socio-economic activity for the majority of the rural population. “You can’t say you want to solve the issue of poverty and end poverty, yet at the same time you are leaving 70% of the population in poverty, then you did not achieve anything,” she said.
Sacko’s vision for agriculture is holistic, encompassing crop farming, livestock keeping, fisheries, and land management. These components are integral to achieving food security and sustainable development. She highlighted the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) as a transformative framework designed to drive agricultural growth across the continent. As an Agenda 2063 flagship programme, CAADP is central to Africa’s development agenda, aiming to catalyze agricultural transformation.
The Malabo Declaration of 2014, which built upon the earlier Maputo Declaration, introduced ambitious commitments such as eradicating hunger, reducing malnutrition, halving poverty by 2025, tripling intra-African trade, and enhancing resilience to climate change. While significant strides have been made, Sacko acknowledged that the seven commitments of the Malabo Declaration are far from being realized, as evidenced by the Fourth Biennial Review Report. “This calls for robust interventions to support member states in building a resilient agricultural sector in the midst of a global food crisis,” she urged.
The Post-Malabo CAADP Agenda represents a critical opportunity to reshape Africa’s agricultural priorities. Sacko emphasized the importance of developing evidence-based solutions that can be scaled across the continent. “It will strategically adapt to tackle emerging challenges and align with global trends,” she said, calling for a concerted effort to draw lessons from past progress while addressing current and future challenges.
In conclusion, Sacko’s insights underscore the urgent need for a paradigm shift in how Africa approaches its agricultural sector. By prioritizing agriculture and implementing strategic, evidence-based interventions, the continent can unlock its potential for socio-economic transformation and sustainable development. The time to act is now, and Africa must seize this pivotal moment to get it right in the agriculture sector.
