Kenyan President William Ruto traveled to Uganda on Saturday to participate in the African Union Extraordinary Summit on the Post-Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). This high-level meeting aims to address critical challenges of food insecurity, poverty, and economic stagnation while charting a path for sustainable agricultural development across the continent.
The CAADP, launched in 2003, sets ambitious goals of achieving 6% annual agricultural growth and encouraging African Union member states to dedicate at least 10% of their national budgets to agriculture. The initiative focuses on improving food security, reducing rural poverty, creating jobs, and fostering economic growth while ensuring environmental sustainability.
State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed noted that the summit will evaluate the progress of agricultural transformation targets and culminate in the adoption of the Kampala Declaration. This declaration will outline a shared vision for revolutionizing agri-food systems between 2026 and 2035, serving as a cornerstone for shaping agricultural policies aimed at driving economic growth and enhancing food security across Africa.
President Ruto is using the summit as a platform to highlight Kenya’s efforts to advance food security, create jobs, and alleviate poverty. These initiatives align closely with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and Vision 2030, which emphasize sustainable agricultural practices as a catalyst for national and regional development.
During his visit, Ruto is also holding discussions with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and other African leaders. These talks are expected to strengthen bilateral ties and garner support for Ruto’s leadership role as a champion of the African Union’s Institutional Reforms.
The one-day summit provides an opportunity for Kenya to reaffirm its commitment to the CAADP’s objectives while advocating for stronger partnerships to tackle hunger and poverty—a vision shared across the African continent.
