The Global Consumer Centre (CONSENT) participated in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) summit held in Kampala from the 9th to the 11th January 2025 at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala-Uganda. The CAADP provides a strategic framework for transforming agriculture in Africa tailored towards attainment of the African Agenda 2063 “The Africa we want” a continental initiative aimed at enabling African countries eliminate hunger and reduce poverty through agriculture-led development.
Under the CAADP framework, the African governments have committed to allocating at least 10% of the national budgets to agriculture and rural development and achieving agricultural growth rates of at least 6% per annum.These investment commitments target poverty reduction, malnutrition alleviation, increased productivity, enhanced farm incomes, and sustainable agricultural practices. CAADP also supports countries in building resilience to climate variability by developing disaster preparedness policies, early warning response systems, and social safety nets.
During the CAADP summit, a number of side event discussions were organized where CONSENT actively participated and shared insights and experiences on a number of topical issues. For instance, at a side event titled Strengthening an Inclusive Urban Food System through a Multi-Stakeholder Platform Approach: A Case of the Good Food Parliament as a Catalyst for Sustainable and Equitable Food Systems, CONSENT represented by Mr. Kimera Henry(CEO)highlighted the vital role of consumers in fostering sustainable food systems and emphasized the importance of engaging the media and other community-based structures to empower consumers effectively. He further sighted the importance of collaborative initiatives at grassroots, national, and regional levels.
At the same event, Mr. Bwambale Bernard-the Coordinator of the Food Safety Coalition Uganda (FoSCU), which CONSENT is a member underscored the need to empower consumers with the right and relevant information to enable them make informed food choices as we strive to enhance sustainable food systems, food safety, nutrition and prevention of food waste and loss. In a related side event focusing on Scaling Up Nutrition, Mr. Bwambale stressed the urgency for deliberate efforts to empower the media and other community structures, like master of Ceremonies(MCs) and community leaders to enable effective and efficient cascading of optimal information on safe and nutritious food.”
At another side event that paid attention to food safety and quality in Africa, Mr. Bwambale indicated the need for stringent regulations of pesticides, a deliberate ban on Africa’s importation of Highly Hazardous Pesticides(HHPs) as well harmonization of food standards across the African continent and the globe as a whole. At this event, Mr. Kimera sighted awareness and empowerment of consumers on food safety as a potential game changer to enhancing food safety in Africa.
