raise up - Trees in the forest near Lubuk Beringin village, Bungo district, Jambi province, Indonesia.  Photo by Tri Saputro for Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

Young people are called to contribute to the upcoming 10th CAADP Partnership Platform through the Non State Actors platform. CAADP stand for Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.  FANRPAN invites you(th) to give your input into the recommendations they will present to the Africa Agriculture Ministers. Get a voice; Take action!

Learn more through Sithembile Ndema's message, from Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN).

"In 2003, African Heads of States in Maputo made a commitment and declaration to invest at least 10% of their national budget on agriculture. Ten years on, only 8 out of 54 member States have met this commitment consistently. Several reports have shown that African governments still allocate an average of only 5 per cent of their national budgets to agriculture[1]

Recognising that African Heads of State and Government have designated 2014 as a Year of Agriculture and Food Security, we as citizens must engage our leaders and demand a change of attitude and move “From Rhetoric to Action” and ensure that the Year of Agriculture brings in some tangible achievement and recommitment.

As part of citizens engagement in the African Union processes for the Year of Agriculture, the Non State Actors team presented a joint recommendations generated from evidence on the status of agriculture in Africa to the AUC Commissioner Rural Economy and Agriculture Madam Rhoda Peace for onward transmission to the Heads of States.  

However, reviewing the processes so far in building stronger citizens voices and movement, we felt it was pertinent to broaden the inputs of all stakeholders especially farmers organisations at national and regional level  in reviewing the recommendations and making input where necessary  so we can present a stronger, viable and more comprehensive piece to the Africa Agriculture Ministers during their Conference in for adoption and then transmission to the Heads of State Summit in July 2014.

In the light of this, please find attached the joint recommendation as presented in Addis Ababa in January 2014 for your review and input. Feel free to make any suggestion on language as well as text to ensure it captures the demands of African farmers and civil society. Kindly track inputs and comments and send back to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday 7th March 2014 to enable us collate the several inputs and get your sign off by 19th March 2013.  

Please also feel free to share this with your partners and networks for input and sign on."


[1] FAO Director-General urges increase in agricultural investments’, 15 March 2011, http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/52745/icode/

Picture: Trees in the forest near Lubuk Beringin village, Bungo district, Jambi province, Indonesia - by Tri Saputro for Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).