AUC and CTA sign MoU to strengthen agricultural policies in Africa

Addis Ababa, November 9, 2012 - The African Union Commission (AUC) and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen agricultural policies in Africa. The MoU was signed by the AUC’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) Commissioner, Mrs. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, on behalf of the AUC and Dr. Michael Hailu, CTA Director. During the signing ceremony, Mrs. Tumusiime welcomed the partnership with CTA as a timely move; as global attention was now focused on Africa’s resolve to shoulder its responsibilities of eradicating hunger and poverty. “This is a partnership that is being formally recognised on the heels of the commemoration of the African Day for Food and Nutrition Security Day, in which the issue of access to safe and nutritious food to all is a significant consideration. It is, therefore, essential that this partnership aims at supporting in concrete terms, the drive towards a hunger-free Africa,’’ she said. Mrs. Tumusiime commended CTA’s role in championing the causes of agricultural development, food and nutrition security and environmental sustainability in Africa. She stressed that DREA and CTA had already forged strong partnerships through collaborative efforts in popularising the AU’s Policy Framework on Pastoralism as well as engagements DREA has had with CTA organised Development Policy Briefings. Mrs. Tumusiime was further pleased to note that CTA’s current strategic plan had identified the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and related Africa-led Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) policy processes as its focus of engagement with Africa. Speaking during the ceremony, Dr. Hailu said CTA was committed to supporting agriculture and rural development particularly in Africa because of the various challenges the continent faces. Consequently, to effectively address Africa’s agricultural challenges, he said CTA had realigned its activities with prioritised activities identified by governments through CAADP programmes. Among other collaborative efforts, the MOU focuses on strengthening the cooperation between the two institutions to enhance agricultural policies in Africa for increased productivity, intra-regional trade in agricultural products, promote sustainable natural resource management and to accelerate the implementation of CAADP at national, regional and continental levels.