Wednesday 31 March 2010

Signature of the Uganda CAADP Compact

30th to the 31st of March 2010. Kampala, Uganda. Close to 100 agricultural experts, policymakers, and representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and other international organizations convene for a roundtable on NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). The ultimate aim of CAADP, which is spearheaded by African governments, is to accelerate agricultural growth, reduce poverty, and achieve food and nutrition security. The programme was created to facilitate the commitment of resources and policies necessary to revitalize African agriculture.
The CAADP roundtable in Uganda came just after the country had completed the revision of its agricultural sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan (DSIP). Uganda’s DSIP will be implemented over the next five years (2010/11-2014/15). The plan will help increase the incomes of people employed in the agricultural sector and improve rural livelihoods, thereby contributing to overall economic growth, social transformation, and poverty reduction objectives of Government’s National Development Plan. DISP aims to increase agricultural productivity and production, expand agro-processing, facilitate increased private investment in agriculture; and improve the public institutions that manage the agricultural sector.

The principal output of the roundtable was the Uganda CAADP Compact signed by the representatives of the key stakeholders. "This demonstrates mutual ownership of the DSIP and generates common commitment towards its implementation,” Hon. Hope Mwesigye, Minister of Agriculture, said. “The roundtable will facilitate the creation of partnerships among the government of Uganda, the private sector, farmer institutions, civil society and the development partners towards its successful implementation,” the Minister added.


Reference:
Policymakers, Researchers, Join Hands with NEPAD to Spur Agricultural Growth in Uganda