Background and Context
The 3rd Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Biennial Review (BR) Report was endorsed by the assembly of African Heads of State and Government during 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government in February 2022. The BR is the primary mutual accountability mechanism that the African Union and its Member States use to track the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development programme (CAADP) borne from the Malabo Declaration and the t Biennial Review Report is a fundamental instrument that shows outcomes of different agricultural efforts and interventions on the continent, to enable countries track, measure and report progress achieved against agreed result areas.
In the 3rd BR cycle, 51 countries (out of 55) reported performance across 46 indicators. The report is particularly significant as it is being released after two of the most difficult years for African agriculture: since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged health systems, depressed agricultural production, and disrupted market systems. Smallholder producers and SMEs, most of them run by women and youth, bore the brunt of COVID. But even before COVID, the fall armyworm infestation (between 2018 and 2019) was a serious concern, and a persistent desert locust outbreak from 2019 saw crops and pasture destroyed. In addition, African countries continued to deal with the vagaries of climate change with growing frequency of extreme weather events signaling the need for more aggressive mitigation and climate-related adaptions. Against this backdrop the 3rd BR report, titled “Accelerating CAADP Implementation for a Resilient
African Food System” will be an important basis for dialogue and action on agricultural development in Africa.
The Report is timely as it comes mid-way through the implementation of the Malabo commitments and goals to be achieved by 2025. It also comes shortly after the yearlong UNFSS process that focused attention on food systems in 2021. The objective of the BR report is to stimulate post-BR dialogues and action processes, that show performance of African countries towards achieving the Malabo Goals and facilitate dialogue, learning band action within countries and RECS.
The launch of the 3rd BR report is in line with efforts aimed at increasing awareness and advocacy among all stakeholder and to build momentum behind the CAADP Agenda for increased political, policy and financial commitment. The specific objectives are:
- To advocate for the increased utilization of the BR report for dialogue, to trigger action at country level and spur policy and investment responses designed to speed up the attainment of the Malabo Declaration goals and commitments.
- To generate calls to action by capturing a broad range of emerging issues on political & policy options that can strengthen BR processes.
Participation
The launch is open to all interest groups, organizations and individuals. These will include AU member states ministers, government officials, parliamentarians Regional
Economic Communities, youth groups, Non-State Actors. farmers and farmer organizations, media, civil society, private sector academic and research institutions,
development partners and technical partners.
Expected outcomes
It is expected that governments, civil society organizations, private sector, academia, think tanks, women and youth groups will all debate the results of the report and
collectively formulate policy and investments responses to address any challenges and build on opportunities presented by African agriculture.
This will also kick-start a year-long process of dialogue and engagement on the BR, to formally share and facilitate engagement on the results, and the policy implications
Language
The launch session will be conducted in English and French simultaneous interpretation.
Agenda
- Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Presentation of BR Results
- Brief Overview of the CAADP Communication Toolkit
- Formal Launch of the BR Report & Toolkit
- BR Best Performance Awards – Recognition of Countries & Experts
- The CAADP Business Plan – Overview & Launch
- Calls to action: Brief remarks from stakeholders and participants:
- Member states
- RECS
- Development Partner
- Private sector
- CSO
- Farmer organizations
- Next steps and Closing