Friday 21st November 2025
by inAfrika Newsroom
The AU CAADP 10-year strategy moved a step closer to adoption as African leaders gathered in Kampala for an extraordinary African Union summit on agriculture and food systems. The meeting, convened in early 2025, aims to endorse a new Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan that will guide farm and food-policy reforms until 2034.
Officials said the AU CAADP 10-year strategy will update earlier commitments on public spending, productivity and resilience. It places greater emphasis on food systems, not only on farm yields. Therefore, the new plan links support for smallholders with nutrition, food safety, climate adaptation and agribusiness investment. It also seeks to align national strategies with Agenda 2063 and the UN Food Systems Summit “stocktake” process.
Moreover, the draft framework highlights the need for stronger continental coordination. Countries are encouraged to embed food-systems goals in broader industrialisation, trade and social-protection policies. In addition, the AU calls for better use of data, including digital tools that track yields, prices and climate risks in real time. Development partners at the summit signalled support but urged clear sequencing and realistic financing plans.
Under the AU CAADP 10-year strategy, governments would continue to aim for at least 10% of public budgets for agriculture and food systems. However, the focus is expected to shift toward research, extension, rural infrastructure and risk-management tools, rather than only subsidies. The plan also promotes regional trade in food, arguing that open borders can reduce the impact of local shocks.
Country “compacts” will remain central. Each state is expected to update its national agricultural investment plan and report progress through regular CAADP reviews. To support this work, the AU and partners plan technical assistance on policy design, monitoring and evaluation. Meanwhile, private-sector groups at the summit are pressing for predictable rules, simpler regulations and more investment in storage, cold chains and rural energy.
The AU CAADP 10-year strategy matters because it can turn fragmented food projects into a coordinated continental push. When investments in seeds, water, storage and markets work together, farmers can move from survival to growth. As a result, cities gain more reliable food supplies and fewer price shocks. Better nutrition also supports health and learning outcomes, especially for children. At the same time, climate-smart farming and greener value chains can protect soils, water and biodiversity. If the new plan links national budgets, private capital and global climate finance, it may unlock the scale needed for real transformation. That, in turn, would help Africa feed a fast-growing population and build competitive agri-businesses for regional and global markets.
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