DECLARATION OF THE HIGH-LEVEL MEETING
Toward African Renaissance: Renewed Partnership for a Unified Approach to End Hunger in Africa by 2025 under the Framework the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme
Within the framework of the High-Level Meeting on Renewed Partnership for a Unified Approach to End Hunger in Africa jointly convened by the African Union, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Lula Institute:
We, the Heads of State and Government of African Union Member States, together with representatives of international organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, cooperatives, farmers, youth, academia and other partners concerned with ending hunger in Africa, meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 30 June to 1 July 2013, to commit to innovative and appropriate ways to end hunger in Africa;
Recognizing that Africa has recently witnessed economic growth of unprecedented proportions, coinciding with improved governance contributing to significant achievements in the fight against hunger in a number of countries;
Recognizing that about 25 percent of the African population (around 245 million persons) do not have enough food to meet their basic nutrition needs, and between 30 to 40 percent of children under 5 years continue to suffer from chronic malnutrition including micronutrient deficiencies;
Recognizing that a large number of households continue to face food insecurity and malnutrition due to low food availability, low income, unemployment, risk and vulnerability, poor access to basic services, including health, water, sanitation and education;
Recognizing that women smallholder farmers constitute the majority of food producers, but remain vulnerable and require targeted support;
Reaffirming the significant role of education, training, research and development in the evolution of African agricultural science, technologies and innovation platforms in advancing the vision of a food-secure Africa;
Noting that, despite the tremendous potential of Africa for improving food and agriculture (crops, livestock, fishery and forestry), productivity in the continent remains, on average, the lowest among developing regions, with only 6 percent of cultivated area under irrigation in the whole continent, compared to 20 percent at the global level;
Noting that the African private sector is an under-utilized resource that needs to be mobilized to fully participate in African agricultural transformation;
Recognizing that the problems of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa are multi-faceted, multidimensional and likely to persist, unless we, as leaders, work together with key stakeholders in society to ensure that bold, urgent, determined and concerted actions are taken by our Governments and societies, given the anticipated increase in Africa's population, pressure on natural resources and the threat of climate change;
Recalling the 1996 Rome Declaration on World Food Security and the World Food Summit Plan of Action for achieving food security for all through an on-going effort to eradicate hunger in all countries, as well as our commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
Recalling the July 2003 Maputo Declaration, which adopted the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) as the framework for addressing Africa’s agricultural development and food security challenges in a coordinated fashion;
Recognizing that the development of CAADP was a unique collective framework of Africa with the aim of reducing hunger and poverty through agricultural development;
Taking note of the United Nations Secretary General’s 2012 Zero Hunger Challenge and recognizing the successes of hunger eradication programmes in various parts of the world and the crucial role of social protection in achieving this objective;
Recognizing that sustainable food and nutrition security and social inclusion require that our economies grow and that we eradicate poverty;
Recognizing that ending hunger in Africa requires renewed partnerships, a unified approach and high level political commitments;
Noting that the African Union, FAO, the Lula Institute and broader Non-state Actors are committed to actively support implementation of this Declaration;
1. DECLARE our resolve to end hunger on our Continent by 2025 by sustaining the CAADP momentum.
2. PLEDGE our political commitment to end hunger and, to this end, UNDERTAKE to:
a) Work with and mobilize our societies and institutions, both public and private, for a new renaissance in Africa that generates prosperity for all Africans;
b) Strengthen systems for inter-sectoral collaboration among institutions and for co-operation with non-state actors (farmers’ organizations, civil society, academia, and private sector) for implementation of this agenda;
c) Increase and reprioritize public investment in agricultural development, especially to catalyze private investment in the sector;
d) Complement measures for increased food and agricultural productivity with social protection, with special attention to nutrition while ensuring environmental sustainability.
e) Commit targeted budget lines within national budgets for social protection to enable the poor to better engage in economic activity;
f) Increase support and remove obstacles for youth, women as well as smallholders to make the sector more attractive as a guarantee for future agricultural prosperity;
g) Guarantee the right of access to land and water resources and improve capacity for their sustainable management.
3. REAFFIRM our commitment to:
a) implement the Maputo Declaration of July 2003 on Agriculture and Food Security in Africa, as outlined in the CAADP framework;
b) Promote access to national funds as well as existing funds that support CAADP, and encourage member states to voluntarily contribute to the catalytic Africa Solidarity Trust Fund for Food Security, launched in Brazzaville in April 2012 at the FAO Africa Regional Conference.
c) Initiate and strengthen joint actions to mainstream and operationalize the partnership for a Renewed Unified Approach to End Hunger in Africa through CAADP and related processes.
d) Ensure increased citizen participation and accountability in the design, development and implementation of policies and interventions as well as in monitoring realization of commitments.
4. REQUEST the AUC, FAO and the Lula Institute, with the full engagement of Non-state Actors to:
a) Support the building of the Renewed Partnership to End Hunger in Africa by the year 2025;
b) Support Member States in the adoption, adaptation and up-scaling of best practices, as appropriate, to advance agricultural progress across Africa;
c) Promote South-South co-operation by public institutions and Non-state actors for action and learning for strengthening the Renewed Partnership.
5. ALSO REQUEST development partners to strengthen the Renewed Partnership for Ending Hunger in Africa within the CAADP framework.
6. ALSO REQUEST the African Union Commission, in co-operation with appropriate stakeholders, including non-state actors, to:
a. Establish a multi-stakeholder platform, representative of African society to advise this renewed partnership and on related matters;
b. Apply the CAADP mutual accountability framework to monitor and assess progress toward end hunger by 2025, includingfacilitating and supporting adequate national joint sector reviews;
c. Develop advocacy strategies and messages in pursuing and sustaining the CAADP Momentum
d. Honour every three years, countries and selected stakeholders who make significant progress or contributions toward ending hunger.
7. RENEW our commitment to achieving the objective of the High Level Meeting on Renewed Partnership to End Hunger in Africa, and COMMIT ourselves to the roadmap to be implemented primarily with our own resources and with the assistance of our technical and development partners.
Done at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this 1st day of JULY.2013
