AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA
P. O. Box 3243
Telephone 517 700
Fax: +251-1-517844
JOINT CONFERENCE OF AU MINISTERS OF
AGRICULTURE AND MINISTERS OF TRADE
26-30 NOVEMBER 2012
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
AU/JMAT/CN(I)
Original: English
Concept Note
Theme: Boosting Intra-African Trade: A key to agricultural transformation, and
ensuring food and nutrition security
8114
01
A. Introduction
1.
This is a Concept Note for the Joint Conference of AU Ministers of Agriculture
and Ministers of Trade scheduled for 29th October – 2nd November 2012 at the AU
Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Concept Note provides the background
to the Ministerial, the issues to be discussed, the objectives, conference structure as
well as key side meetings and events.
B. Background
2.
A major challenge facing Africa at the dawn of this new century is to achieve
rapid economic growth and development, to lift the peoples up from the trap of
poverty, and ensure sustained improvement in their living conditions. The magnitude
of the challenge is reflected in the relatively large number ( 34 out of 49 ) countries
classified as least developed countries in the world, that are located on the continent .
In spite of the improved economic growth performance of recent years, Africa
remains the epicenter of global poverty, where majority of the people live on less
than two dollars a day. While progress has been made towards the achievement of
some the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) such as universal primary
education and the promotion of gender equality, progress has remained sluggish in
the key goal of eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, as indicated by recent
AUC/UNECA Report. High levels of unemployment, food and nutrition insecurity, and
disease burden are still prevalent in majority of African countries. Meeting the
challenge of sustainable socio-economic development in Africa requires a multidimensional approach that addresses internal and external constraints on
development and takes full advantage of its immense natural resource endowment
and development potentials. Two of the major instruments for unlocking Africa’s
development potentials and meeting the challenge of development are agriculture
and trade.
3.
The efforts by African Governments to strengthen trade, to transform
agriculture and achieve food and nutrition security continue to gain momentum in the
AU Member states. For agriculture, the efforts to transform agriculture and achieve
food and nutrition security are seen through accelerating implementation of the
Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). In the current
era of globalization, the importance of trade as an engine of economic growth and
development has increased. However, Africa has remained marginalized in the
global trading system and has not been able to effectively use trade to achieve
sustained economic growth and development. The continent is yet to adequately
harness the potentials of its huge and rapidly expanding market over a billion people.
A corollary of low intra-African trade is the enhanced vulnerability of the continent to
external trade shocks as witnessed during the global economic and financial crisis.
Enhancing the performance of Africa in global trade and using the trade as engine
for the achievement of sustainable development will require, inter alia, the
diversification and strengthening of productive capacity for value added products and
the boosting of intra-African trade.
4.
The African Union has as one of its primary objectives the promotion of
“sustainable development at the economic, social and cultural levels as well as the
integration of African economies”. Since the establishment of the Union, its policy
organs, including the Conferences of the Ministers of Agriculture, Infrastructure,
Trade and the Assembly of Heads of State and Government have adopted a number
of initiatives for the attainment of this objective. Particularly worthy of mention in the
context of this Joint Conference of AU Ministers of Agriculture and Trade are the
CAADP, AIDA, 3ADI, Grow Africa, Making Finance Work for Africa, Aid for Trade,
CFTA and the Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade. Effective implementation
of these initiatives will enable agriculture and trade to serve as potent instruments for
the attainment of sustained economic growth and development, including alleviation
of poverty and food and nutrition security
5.
There is a general agreement on the fact that sustained action needs to be
taken to increase the current levels of intra-African trade, for the African countries to
be less dependent on international aid, for them to develop larger markets
(economies of scale) and job creation across different sectors.
6.
Improved dialogue and coordinated planning of agriculture and trade
institutions is fundamental to development of agricultural trade in Africa, as it will
primarily serve to link the supply-side, defined in terms of what a country can
produce sustainably, with the demand side, defined in terms of access to markets for
diversified and value added products.
7.
Building on the 2012AU summit theme which is “Boosting Intra-African Trade”,
and considering the progress that had been made in transforming African agriculture
and noting that among key agricultural challenges has been linking different
agricultural value chains through trade, the theme of this years’ AU joint Conference
of Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Trade has been decided as “Boosting
Intra-African Trade: a key to agricultural transformation and ensuring food and
nutrition security”
C. Purpose and objectives
8.
The purpose and objectives of the joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture
and Minsters of Trade is to review progress on implementation of continental
agriculture and trade development initiatives and specifically revisit efforts from the
two sectors that impact on intra-African trade, agricultural transformation and
achievement of food security in the continent.
9.
It is further intended to review and agree on a short and medium-term actionoriented strategy towards realizing the AU vision of promoting intra-African trade and
its impact on attaining agricultural transformation as well as a food and nutrition
secured Africa. More specifically, the conference has the following objectives.
(i).
Noting the African Union decision on boosting intra-African trade, and
building on what is going on in CAADP implementation, the joint Ministerial
Conference will review and adopt strategies to operationalise the vision of
achieving food and nutrition security in Africa using intra-Africa trade as the
key instrument.
(ii).
Identify synergies, linkages and complementarities in on-going initiatives in
agriculture and trade development and agree on areas of immediate follow
up actions at country and sub-regional levels.
(iii).
Build consensus on specific programmatic areas, approaches and actions
for high-level political engagement with the AU Heads of State and
Government.
(iv). Agree on coordination mechanisms between Ministries of Agriculture and
Ministries of Trade at Member State level, which are also linked to those at
REC level.
10.
In addition to the above mentioned objectives of the Joint Conference, there
are also specific objectives for the parallel and separate Conferences of AU
Ministers of Trade and Agriculture that are scheduled to meet before the Joint
Conference. For the Ministers of Trade Conference, the objectives are to:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Consider the Progress Report on the Implementation of the
Recommendations of the 7th Ordinary Session of AU Ministers of Trade and
the Summit Decision on “Boosting of Intra-African Trade”-the CFTA and the
Action Plan.
Receive and discuss Reports on the current status of the EPA negotiations
between European Commission and African countries/regions and the WTO
Doha Round of negotiations.
Receive and consider the AUC Report on the 11th AGOA Forum and
subsequent developments
Consider AUC Report on the Doha UNCTAD Conference
Consider AUC Report on the 4th Meeting of AU Sub-Committee of Directors –
General of Customs.
Give political guidance on the implementation of the CFTA and the Action
Plan on Boosting Intra-African Trade, and adopt Africa’s common positions on
international trade negotiations, and trade cooperation with the rest of the
world.
D. Joint Conference of AU Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Trade
11.
Building on the 2012 AU summit theme which is “Boosting Intra-African
Trade”, and considering the progress that had been made in transforming African
agriculture and noting that among key agricultural challenges has been linking
different agricultural value chains through trade, the theme of the AU joint
Conference of Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Trade has been decided as
“Boosting Intra-African Trade: a key to agricultural transformation and
ensuring food and nutrition security”. The topics are drawn from the main theme
and include:
1. Emerging initiatives for advancing trade and agricultural transformation
1.1.
The role of Harmonisation of SPS Frameworks, 3ADI, Grow Africa and Making
Finance Work for Africa in enhancing agricultural transformation and trade in
Africa
12.
Various initiatives have recently been established with the aim of mobilizing
private investment in Africa agriculture, to strengthening agribusiness and agro
industry, and to support the development of the financial sector. African countries
should look at how to make the best out of these initiatives by avoiding giving special
concessions or privileges to foreign investors, but rather creating the enabling
conditions for foreign investment to create spillovers in the local economy. This shall
not be limited to job creation, but also to putting in place appropriate policies which
will facilitate the transfer of technology and know-how, as well as the development of
a solid domestic private sector.
The role of harmonization of Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) frameworks.
13.
SPS measures, which today constitute the single most important non-tariff
barriers affecting cross-border movements of agro-products in Africa. National
systems vary in the SPS field, with minimal uniformity in legislation or controls
among member states. Strong political will is needed to create a level playing field
for food businesses and promoting consumer protection, animal health and welfare
and plant health. RECs are now doing this by fast-moving the adoption and
implementation of harmonised regional management and control systems (regulatory
and institutions), and this is expected to boost intra and inter-regional trade and
exports in key agriculture commodities; thus improving farmers income and poverty
reduction objectives under CAADP.
The 3ADI Initiative
14.
In March 2010, the AU Summit in Abuja endorsed an African Agribusiness
and Agro-industries Development Initiative (3ADI). The 3ADI initiative offers
technical assistance to African governments in 12 countries, to analyse value chains
to identify interventions that can accelerate development of agribusiness and agroindustries that ensure value-addition to Africa’s agricultural products for trade
enhancement. It is coordinated by UNIDO with support from AfDB, FAO, IFAD and
the AUC.
The Grow Africa Platform
15.
At the same time, and as part of accelerating the implementation of CAADP
on the continent, Grow Africa – a platform for government and business leaders to
attract private investment in agricultural value chains was initiated by the African
Union Commission, the NEPAD Agency and World Economic Forum at the 2011
World Economic Forum on Africa in May 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa. Grow
Africa was launched as a platform to accelerate and transform agriculture based on
national priorities and in support of CAADP. Grow Africa plays a catalytic role
through mobilizing public sector, national, regional and global business leaders with
a view of increasing private sector investments in agriculture. As part of advancing
private investments in African agriculture, 63 companies have announced intent for
investments worth over $3.5bn in seven countries.
Making Finance Work for Africa
16.
Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A) is an AUC, GIZ, BMZ, AfDB
initiative developed a set of policy recommendations designed to help promote the
expansion of agricultural value chain finance in Africa. All these efforts are critical in
advancing trade efforts, agricultural transformation as well as ensuring food and
nutrition security.
17.
The joint experts and Ministerial session will hold deliberations on such topical
areas of agriculture and trade in tandem with
the progress made in the
implementation of CAADP and associated private sector development initiatives,
including the Grow Africa Initiative, 3ADI and Making Finance Work for Africa. The
meeting will also present the draft outcomes of the study on the status of rural
infrastructure for market access with recommendation for undertaking a regional
assessment. Issue papers will be presented to guide Expert discussions.
1.2.
Challenges and Opportunities of Intra- African Trade in
Commodities
Agricultural
18.
One of the major challenges in the upcoming years will be to revert the
negative trend of Africa being a net importer of food products, and to diversify
agricultural production and trade from the traditional staples and cash crops, which
have limited scope to further job creation and economic growth, as well as to meet
the changing needs of the population. African countries are small markets if taken
individually, but they become quite attractive in a sub-regional and regional
perspective where they can increase their competitiveness by leveraging economies
of scale, and specializing in agricultural production, building on their respective
comparative advantage.
19.
Enhanced regional integration will require both the development of adequate
infrastructure (e.g. roads, ports, railways, market places etc), which shall facilitate
physical integration of neighboring countries, and the movement of goods across
borders through the development of corridors, and the establishment of adequate
policies, procedures and support services to allow the matching of supply and
demand through the development of value chains (e.g. trade facilitation, trade
finance, trade policy, compliance with standards, and removing tariffs and non-tariffs
barriers).
20.
It is important that the regional integration needs are analyzed in each of the
Regional Economic Communities (RECs), taking into consideration the different
situation of the member countries and their respective roles in the integration
process. This means that not only RECs will have to receive adequate support to
improve their capacity to develop regional strategies and delivery mechanisms for
regional projects and programs, but that coherence between RECs and national
planning organs shall be enhanced to ensure consistency of regional strategies and
national development plans. Indeed, successful regional initiatives are rooted in
coordinated national actions: harmonizing policies, developing complementary
institutional capacity and knowledge, and coordinating implementation and
management of shared projects and programs at the national level.
1.3.
Improving dialogue and coordinated planning between ministries of
agriculture and trade at various levels (national, REC, AU level)
21.
The dialogue initiated through the joint ministerial meeting, is expected to
continue to take place at the level of RECs and national governments. CAADP
represents an ideal platform to leverage these synergies at continental, regional and
national levels. For example, the Joint Action Group on Regional Trade and
Infrastructure (JAG-RTI) with representations from both sectors could offer both a
platform for dialogue, and for developing joint actions across sectors. This session
will table a proposal for consideration by the joint Ministers.
1.4
Policy and Institutional Frameworks (product standards and regulations, trade
facilitation, gender mainstreaming, etc.) for the achievement of Africa’s market
integration in agricultural commodities.
22.
The session will take review existing policies and institutional frameworks
more specifically taking stock on effectiveness of implementation and enforcement
and build consensus on what next needs to be done to achieve the stated objectives
by policy makers and at institutional levels.
1.5
Implications of the WTO Doha Round and EPA Negotiations for the
development of Africa’s agriculture and trade, and the achievement of food
security and sustainable development.
23.
This session will discuss the global trade environment and implications for
transforming African agriculture.
2. Conference AU Ministers of Trade
24.
The theme selected by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of
the AU for the two Ordinary Sessions of their Summit in 2012 is the “Boosting of
Intra-African Trade”. The focus on this theme by African leaders is in recognition of
the importance of the deepening and strengthening of Africa’s market integration for
sustaining and sustaining economic growth, alleviating poverty, and improving the
conditions of living of people on the continent. Although the economies of African
countries are characterized by a relatively high degree of openness and heavily
dependent on trade, the full potentials of trade as an engine for the attainment of
sustained and inclusive economic growth, poverty alleviation, and employment
generation are yet to be realized. The causative factors include the unfavourable
structure of Africa’s trade, the failure of the continent to seize opportunities of its
growing internal markets, and the relatively high dependence on external markets
and the associated vulnerability to external trade shocks. The focus on the boosting
of intra- African trade is aimed at addressing these challenges and making trade as a
potent instrument for the “promotion of sustainable development… as well as
integration of African economies”.
25.
In preparation for the Summit debate and deliberations on the boosting of
intra-African trade, the 6th and 7th Ordinary Sessions of the Conference of AU
Ministers of Trade, held in Kigali, Rwanda and Accra, Ghana respectively, had made
proposals, for the consideration and decision of the Summit, on (i) an Action Plan for
Boosting Intra-African Trade and (ii) a Road Map and Architecture for Fast Tracking
the Establishment of a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) and Boosting IntraAfrican Trade. At its January 2012 Summit, the Assembly of AU Heads of State and
Government endorsed the proposals of the Ministers of Trade and took the historic
decision to establish the Continental Free Trade Area by an indicative date of 2017.
It also adopted the Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade and established a
High-Level African Trade Committee (HATC) of Heads of State to drive the CFTA
and Boosting of Intra-African Trade Agenda. Reflecting the high priority being
accorded to Africa’s market integration, the inaugural meeting of the HATC was held
at the margin of July 2012 AU Summit, to which it submitted a report.
26.
Through the historic decisions taken by AU Summit on the boosting of intraAfrican trade, a strong political will to accelerate and deepen the continental’s market
integration has been demonstrated at the highest level of policy making. The
challenge is to ensure effective implementation of the Summit decisions. The AU
Ministers of Trade have a key role to play in meeting this challenge. Hence, the
implementation of the decisions on boosting of intra-African trade will be a major
item on the programme of the forthcoming and subsequent sessions of the
Conference of AU Ministers of Trade. The Ministers will receive and discuss a
Progress Report from the AUC on the CFTA and Action Plan for boosting intraAfrican trade initiative, with a view to providing political guidance and taking
decisions on the way forward, especially with regard to the implementation strategy.
27.
The prioritizing of the development of intra-African trade does not imply an
abandonment of the efforts of Africa to achieve a fair, balanced and developmentfriendly global trading system. In today’s globalized economy de-linking of the
continent from the system is not feasible option. Africa’s commitment to the
attainment of an equitable multilateral trading system and to securing a fair share of
global trade that will reduce its heavy dependence on official development
assistance has been reflected in the active participation of the countries in two major
sets of trade negotiations: EPAs with the EU and the WTO Doha Round. The
Conference of AU Ministers of Trade has played a key role in the development of
Africa’s common position in the negotiations and in ensuring that Africa speaks with
a strong voice for the protection of Africa’s common interests in the negotiations.
Both the EPA and WTO negotiations are currently characterized by stalemate. The
forthcoming Session of the Ministers of Trade Conference will provide an opportunity
for reflection on progress and problems in the negotiations and recommendations for
the way forward.
28.
Engagement of Africa with rest of the world on trade issues has also been
effected through other frameworks of cooperation. These include UNCTAD and the
AGOA Forum. Since the last Session of the Conference that was held in Accra,
Ghana, African countries have participated in the UNCTAD Conference and 11th
AGOA Forum, whose outcomes have significant implications for the continent’s to
improve its performance in global trade and use same to improve the living
conditions of the people. The Ministers of Trade will receive Reports on these
meetings from the AUC for their consideration and decision.
29.
In line with the above, the items for the consideration and decisions of AU
Ministers of Trade at the forthcoming Ordinary Session of their Conference are:






CFTA and Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade
EPA Negotiations
WTO Negotiations
AGOA Forum
UNCTAD Conference
Report of the 4th Meeting AU Sub-Committee of Directors-General of
Customs
3. Conference of AU Ministers of Agriculture
Sustaining the CAADP Momentum for agricultural transformation – lessons, actions
and targets
30.
The 2003 AU decision on CAADP (Maputo, 2003) remains the most resolute
decision and expression of commitment by Africa to act on agriculture and
agriculture-led development. The decision was a clear resolve and determination to
put agriculture at the centre of the efforts to address food insecurity, poverty and
stagnation in socio-economic growth.
31.
CAADP implementation continued to gain momentum and as at June 2012,
more than 40 countries have formally launched the CAADP implementation with 30
countries having signed their compact, with ECOWAS regional compact also singed.
Twenty three countries have also finalized their National Agricultural and Food
Security Investment Plans (NAFSIPs) and have had them externally reviewed.
Twenty countries have also had their Business meetings held with increased
financial commitments from both domestic and international sources. In the same
vein, the implementation of CAADP continued to gain support from the global and
development community with 11 countries having so far received a total of
$430.5million from the Global Agricultural and Food Security Programme grant.
32.
CAADP has played a crucial role in improving coordination among various
players on agriculture strategy development, and mobilising expertise and resources
to support them. While initially focused on increasing public investment in agriculture
and donor support to public expenditure, CAADP has also brought the realization
that a real transformation of African agriculture will depend on its capacity to mobilize
foreign direct investment, and to use public resources to leverage private investment,
both foreign and domestic. This seems to be at the front of CAADP resource
mobilization efforts in the next decade.
33.
This momentum has been met with renewed enthusiasm by development
partners as food security continued to top the agenda at the global level submit in
recent times. In this respect the G-8 recognisedCAADP as an effective vehicle for
ensuring that resources are targeted to supporting country-led plans through a
comprehensive approach, focusing on and financing those plans and frameworks
similar to those being developed under CAADP.
34.
Soon, in 2013 CAADP will be 10 years; hence sustaining CAADP momentum
is meant to continue to “push-the-frontier” in innovative thinking and implementation
that will deliver on the results and impact.
35.
Even though it is generally acknowledged that the approach and guidelines
in the country CAADP implementation process have, so far, resulted in more focused
and strengthened national strategic planning processes, with much of the impact on
quality of investment plan, the key question becomes, “where are the results? What
about impact” as countries finalise their investment plans.
36.
Considering that with close to ten years of implementation and the results so
far achieved, it is clear that Africa needs some radical new thinking of the continent’s
agriculture development models. A crucial feature of this “rethinking” is that it has to
be in African systems by Africa and inherent in the implementation policies,
strategies and actions.
37.
It is in this regard that the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Agency
working with Regional Economic Communities launched the initiative –Sustaining the
CAADP Momentum – that aims to highlight the key themes, bold strategies and
action areas on opportunities to catalyse transformation, expand investments, as
well as strengthen and align Africa’s own capacity for increased, sustainable and
competitive agriculture performance.
38.
Under this sub-theme, the Ministers of Agriculture, will review progress of
implementation of previous decisions; review and consider the progress,
achievements and lessons in CAADP implementation since the Maputo decision in
2003 and consider the 5-10 year proposals on key issues, actions and drivers to
sustain the CAADP momentum with focus on implementation for results. The
Ministers will also take note and consider the proposals on key targets and
scorecards for measuring agricultural performance within 5-10 years.
E. Structure of the Conference
39.
The AU Joint Conference of African Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of
Trade will commence with a joint session followed by parallel sessions.
40.
The Ministerial sessions will be preceded by the Senior Officials Sessions,
who will review and examine the reports in the following sessions.
Session 1.Joint expert session to review and consider reports and issues that affect
both agriculture and trade.
Session 2a. Trade expert’s session to review and consider the reports.
Session 2b.Agriculture expert session to review and consider the reports.
41.
The joint session of Senior Officials will be conducted on the 29th October,
and the parallel expert sessions on the 30th October 2012. The
Ministerialsessionswill follow on the 1stand 2nd November 2012. The 31st of
October will also be used for a series of key side meetings, events and exhibitions
which are being planned in the margins of the Conference including the African Food
and Nutrition Security Day.
Special Events
1. Commemoration of African Food and Nutrition Security Day, for which a
separate concept note and programme refers (please see Annex 1).
2. Launch of Partnership for Afflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA).
Draft Programme of Work is attached herewith:
DRAFT AGENDA AND PROGRAMME OF WORK
AU JOINT CONFERNCE OF MINISTERS OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTERS OF
TRADE
26-30 NOVEMBER 2012
AUC, ADDIS ABABA
1. SENIOR OFFICIALS/EXPERTS SESSION
DAY One – 26 November 2012
0800-0900
Registration of participants
Remarks
0900-1000
Official opening ceremony
Joint session
1030-1300
Organizational matters
 Election of Bureau
 Adoption of the agenda and programme of work
Presentation of Theme and Sub-themes
Presentation and Discussion of issue papers – key
messages
Discussion of theme, sub-themes, issue papers, key
messages, ctd.
Joint session
1430-1600
16:30 -1800
Presentation of sub-theme/issue papers –
agriculture/trade
Joint session
Joint session
Joint session
Agriculture/Trade
parallel session
DAY Two – 27 November 2012
0900-1300
Presentation and discussion of sub-theme/issue
papers – agriculture/trade
Agriculture/Trade
parallel session1
1430-1730
Presentation and discussion of sub-theme/issue
papers – agriculture/trade
Agriculture/Trade
Parallel session
DAY Three - 28 November 2012
0900-13:00
14:30-17:00
1800:19:00
1Each
Commemoration of the Africa Day for food and nutrition Security
Launch of the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa under the broader
AU Sanitary and Phytosanitaryprogramme and the Scaling Up Nutrition
(SUN) Initiative
Joint session
 Adoption of Experts Report
 Closure of the Senior Officials session
Senior Officials’ Parallel session will have its own detailed and itemized programme.
DRAFT AGENDA AND PROGRAMME OF WORK
AU JOINT CONFERNCE OF MINISTERS OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTERS OF
TRADE
26-30 NOVEMBER 2012
AUC, ADDIS ABABA
2. MINISTERIAL SESSION
DAY Four – 29 November 2012
0800-0900
Registration of participants
Remarks
0900:1000
Official opening ceremony
 Welcome – AUC
 Statements – Partners
 Official opening – Minister
Organizational matters
 Election of Bureau
 Adoption of the agenda and programme of work
Interactive Session
 Issue Paper Presentation
 Panelists – agriculture, trade (max 5)
Joint session
1430:17:30

Joint session
0900 - 1300

1000:1100
1100:1300
1430 - 1730
1800:19:00
2Each
Presentation of Experts Reports for
consideration by Ministers
DAY Five – 30 November 2012
Keynote Presentation & Discussion:
Agriculture/Trade

Presentations on Progress of implementation of
previous decisions

Preparation of Reports

Side Events


DAY Five – 30 November 2012
Adoption of Minsters Report
Closure of the Conference
Joint session
Joint session
Agriculture/Trade
parallel session2
Joint session
Ministerial Parallel session will have its own detailed and itemized programme for the day.
ANNEX 1:
CONCEPT NOTE
Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security
“Ensuring Access to Safe and Nutritious Food”
31 October 2012
1. Background
In response to the unacceptable hunger and malnutrition situation, African Heads of State and
Governments adopted the Maputo Declaration in 2003 aimed at reducing hunger, poverty, and
malnutrition on the Continent through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development
Programme (CAADP). In April 2004, an all Africa Conference was held in Kampala under the theme
“Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in Africa by 2020: prioritizing actions, strengthening actors and
facilitating partnerships”, which among others proposed an annual Africa Day for Food and Nutrition
Security (ADFNS). This was building on work undertaken previously by the Africa Task Force for Food
and Nutrition Development.
In December 2006, the Abuja Food Security Summit’s resolutions and declarations committed
stakeholders to end hunger and malnutrition. Furthermore, along the Kampala 15th AU Summit a
side event was held under the theme “Africa must feed itself. No child should go to bed hungry.
Reduce child stunting by 50 percent in the next five years and beyond” at which the ADFNS was
adopted (Assembly/AU/Dec.327 (XV) by the Heads of States and Government. The Decision urged
Member states to commemorate the ADFNS continentally and annually in one host country on 30
October 2012. It was further decided that every AU member country should organize its own Food
and Nutrition Day in synchrony with the continental event. In October 2010 the ADFNS was launched
in Malawi during the Conference of the African Ministers of Agriculture. The African Ministers of
Health further committed to the commemoration of the ADFNS during the 5thConference of African
Health Ministers held in Windhoek, Namibia.
Following the launch, AU/NEPAD established a Steering Committee chaired by AU and supported by
a task force/technical committee of experts from across the continent, to provide overall guidance
to the commemoration process to ensure that agreed upon activities are aligned with the objectives
of the ADFNSas well as review progress on implementation.
Last year, the African Union Commission proposed to celebrate ADFNS under the theme “Investing
in Intra-African Trade for Food and Nutrition Security” on October 30th, 2011. The theme was
chosen given the focus of the 18th Summit of the AU, February 2012: “Boosting Intra-African Trade.”
The African Union Commission will this year host the continental-level commemoration, while all
Member States undertake their national level activities. The 2012 edition of the ADFNS draws
heavily from the challenges of and lessons from the two preceding events in order to score marked
improvement in preparation, organization and outcomes. The preparatory process will entail
concerted efforts of coordinating for consensus and sharing experience and responsibilities,
involving Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to mobilize relevant state organs and in-country
development partners to motivate a state level commitment and undertaking for commemorating
the event.
2. Rationale
Investing in intra-African trade, within the CAADP context, is a high-impact intervention needed to
enhance agricultural transformation and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of
“Halving Hunger and Poverty by 2015 in Africa”. There are rising concerns that Africa is unlikely to
meet the MDG targets – a fact compounded by high rising prices of strategic and food commodities.
Concept Note – AU Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Trade, 1 st – 2nd November, 2012
Page 13
Agricultural trade is the backbone of economic growth and development; this contributes to income
growth more than any other sector, especially to the majority of the poor and vulnerable people
living in rural communities.
Agricultural trade reduces overall poverty, hunger and malnutrition by raising food supply and their
access through increased incomes. Research results from a large sample of countries over several
decades show that a 1 per cent increase in the growth rate of agricultural exports increases the
overall rate of economic growth by 0.04 to 1.83 per cent.
Findings from a NEPAD study in 2000 show that foreign demand for African commodities and the
high value export is projected to grow significantly over the next 10 years. Demand in local and
regional urban food markets across Africa is expected to jump from 50 billion USD to 150 billion USD
during the same period. By 2030, farmers could derive potential income from these various markets
totalling 4.5 billion USD from export markets and as much as 30 billion USD from domestic and
cross-border markets. Tariff escalation of coffee is a case in point. Coffee farmers in 2004 received
USD16 billion, whereas the total price the consumers paid is USD80 billion.
The impact of agricultural trade on potential economic growth has not translated in a similar impact
in improving nutritional status. Rates of food insecurity and malnutrition continue to increase
amongst the vulnerable groups.
The loss of market share in regional and international markets imposes substantial costs on African
economies in terms of missed growth. African countries cannot meet the growth and povertyreduction objectives under CAADP, unless they improve their trade performance and reverse their
decline in market shares.
Therefore, this year’s ADFNS provides an opportunity for African leaders to send a strong message
about the key role food and nutrition security plays in all life sustaining and promoting aspects, to
impress awakening, and to motivate renewed commitment towards taking food and nutrition
programming and resourcing to a higher level. The 2012 ADFNS event also draws from the May 2012
CAADP Partnership Platform, organized in Nairobi, Kenya, which called for “Accelerating CAADP
toward Results and Impact”. The strategy to elicit the renewed awakening and commitment is to
develop clear and unequivocal messages around this year’s ADFNS theme and weave an effective
communication strategy for reinforcing the key messages.
3. Theme
The theme for commemorating this year’s ADFNS is “Ensuring Access to Safe and Nutritious Food”


‘Access’ encompasses the concept of cross-country trade in food stocks for meeting market
demands and encouraging increased productivity, taking into account the impact of high
food prices.
‘Safe’ takes into account consumers' health and other legitimate concerns and conventions
on making food safe for human consumption; with harmonisation and standards compliance
being central to the free movement of safe food and an essential aspect of an internal
market and contributing towards the health and wellbeing of citizens, and to their social and
economic interest.
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
‘Nutritious’ is taken in the light of issues and information on (i) promoting dietary diversity
(horticulture for nutrition, health and development); (ii) child nutrition (the first 1000 days);
and(iii) the double burden of malnutrition (non-communicable diseases), all towards
strengthening capacities for delivery under the vision of Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)
movement.
4. Objectives
The overall objective of the ADFNS 2012 is to provide a platform that engages food and nutrition
security stakeholders, government, civil society, the private sector, the scientific and research
institutions, farmer organizations and development partners toward operationalising an African
vision on food and nutrition security, taking into account global discussions and movements (G8,
G20, Rio+20, SUN, 1000 days, etc.) and Africa’s strategic frameworks such as the Strategy for the
Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA), adopted by the African Summit in 2008, and
the African Agri-business and Agro-Industry Initiative (3ADI), launched by African Heads of State and
Government in Abuja in March 2010. In this regard the ADFNS strengthens momentum towards and
contributes towards a reflection on Sustainable Development Goals and what could follow the MDGs
after 2015, taking into account the UNDP Africa Human Development Report 2012: Toward a Food
Secure Future.
Specific objectives of the event are:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
To raise awareness for prioritisation of food and nutrition security in development planning
and financing.
To cultivate collective responsibility toward increasing sustainable access to safe, nutritious
and healthy foods through increased trade amongst Africa’s countries.
To share knowledge and motivate the adoption and scaling up of best practices and quickwin food and nutrition security actions and programmes.
To buttress alignment with conventions and decisions of global platforms and regional
initiatives for reducing hunger and malnutrition in Africa.
To encourage a stronger sense of multi-sectoral ownership and accountability from all levels.
5. ExpectedOutcomes
The expected outcomes of the processes and organisation of the ADFNS include:
(1) Successful commemoration of Africa Food and Nutrition Security Day at continental and
Member States level;
(2) Substantive political commitment toward and adoption of food and nutrition security priorities
as informed by Continental, Regional and National Frameworks, especially in leveraging the
implementation of National Agricultural and Food Security Investment Plans (NAFSIPs).
6. Organisation
A Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Trade (JMCAT) is scheduled on 1-2
November; which will be preceded by a Joint Session of Senior Officials on 29 October and parallel
Concept Note – AU Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Trade, 1 st – 2nd November, 2012
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Experts Sessions on 30 October, in Addis Ababa. In order to maximise on opportunity and
momentum, it has been decided to commemorate the ADFNS back-to-back with the JMCAT, on 31
October, at the AU Commission Headquarters, for a consecutive 2nd time in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Concept Note – AU Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Trade, 1 st – 2nd November, 2012
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