The African Union (AU) is using the Kampala CAADP domestication guidelines to align national agriculture plans with continental goals under Agenda 2063, aiming to reduce Africa’s $70 billion annual food import bill.
AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, Moses Vilakati, emphasized water security as a strategic priority, noting that over 400 million Africans lack access to safe water. He stressed the importance of protecting wetlands and shared river basins to ensure sustainable development.
Digital agriculture is being scaled up to engage youth, improve productivity, and foster agripreneurship, while partnerships with countries such as Morocco and China are providing technology and models for sustainable growth.
Speaking at a hybrid press conference on the sidelines of the Forty-Eighth Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council in Addis Ababa, Vilakati highlighted 2026 as a year of strategic action under Agenda 2063. Central to this agenda is the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the Kampala Declaration, adopted in 2025.
CAADP provides a long-term roadmap for agricultural modernization in Africa, setting targets for investment, productivity, and resilience. Vilakati revealed that his office is in the final stages of drafting the Kampala CAADP domestication guidelines, which will guide countries in implementing continental agricultural objectives at the national level.
The conference, held under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” underscores the AU’s commitment to integrated water management and sustainable agricultural development.
By Francis Lubega
12th Feb 2026
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