Brussels, 03/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - The transformation of the agricultural sector, to improve food resilience, food and nutrition security and a dynamic commercial sector is particularly important in Africa, the participants of the EU/Africa summit declared on Thursday3 April.
To this end, Europeans and Africans have agreed to support the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) in the framework of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which aims to achieve a higher rate of growth by developing a better functioning agricultural market and achieving greater food security for the region, according to the declaration adopted after the summit.
At a press conference, Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council, said that the EU would make €3 billion available for agriculture in over 30 African countries between 2014 and 2020.
The 2014/2020 roadmap approved by the EU/Africa summit contains a “food security and food safety” plank. “We will endeavour to make our policies converge around a limited number of critical policy indicators to promote sustainable development of agriculture. We will transform and develop rural areas, forestry and agriculture to create perspectives, jobs and income in particular for rural youth and women”, the document reads.
The two partners agree to: - tackle “the substantial challenges facing African agriculture” (future productivity of natural resources); - create joint approaches to nutrition objectives (regional emergency food reserves, agricultural risk management); - reduce rickets; - continue their cooperation on land policies in Africa; - develop activities with added value and agribusiness by increasing possible income streams for small-holders, particularly women (reinforced cooperation between the EU and the private sector and farming organisations); - promoting an increase in fair trade in agricultural products (more open and transparent agricultural markets, trade facilitation measures, strengthening African plant and animal health management systems, early warning system for foods and animal feed); - stepping up research.
Reference was also made to the fishing policy (reform strategy to free up all of the potential of living marine resources and fish-farming). (LC)