Highlights from the 2025 CAADP Summit in Kampala
The African Union Extraordinary Summit on the Post-Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) took place in Kampala, Uganda, from January 9–11, 2025. This gathering  brought together heads of state and government, policymakers, development partners, and other key stakeholders to redefine Africa's agricultural future. 
Since its inception in 2003, CAADP has been a cornerstone of African agricultural development, focusing on enhancing food security, nutrition, job creation, and rural poverty reduction while promoting environmental sustainability. Key targets include achieving a 6% annual growth rate in agriculture and ensuring that African Union (AU) member states allocate at least 10% of their national budgets to the sector.

SAA Exhibition Booth
Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) was prominently represented at the summit by a delegation led by SAA President Dr. Makoto Kitanaka, alongside Dr. Mel Oluoch, Head of Strategic Partnerships; Dr. Stella Kabiri, Lead for Regenerative Agriculture; and Ms. Ethiopia Tadesee, Head of Advocacy and Communications. The delegation also included SAA Honorary Board Chair Prof. Ruth Oniang'o, Uganda Country Director Mr. Robert Anyang and Deputy Country Director Mr. Joseph Bbemba.  
SAA’s interactive booth at the summit highlighted postharvest prototype technologies and distributing information, education, and communication (IEC) materials. The booth attracted  AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko as well as policymakers, agricultural experts, and farmers offering an engaging platform to showcase SAA's innovative solutions and ongoing initiatives. 

H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko visiting SAA’s booth

Dr. David Nielson, Senior Advisor to the North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN), also visited the SAA booth and interacted with Prof. Ruth Oniang’o. 

Prof. Ruth Oniang'o interacting with Dr. David Nielson 

Kampala CAADP Declaration: Transforming Africa's Agrifood Systems for 2035
The summit culminated in the adoption of the Kampala CAADP Declaration and a ten-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035). The strategy addresses the challenges of a rapidly growing population, projected to reach 2.5 billion in Africa by 2050, and outlines transformative goals including:  . In regard, the strategy aims to transform Africa's agrifood systems by focusing on doubling agricultural productivity, reducing postharvest losses by 50%, tripling intra-African trade in agrifood products, and raising the share of locally processed food to 35% of agrifood GDP by 2035.
In his opening address, Uganda's President, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, emphasized value addition and industrialization as critical to achieving food security and sustainable income for rural households. He  called for the elimination of non-tariff barriers and the promotion of intra-African trade to advance agriculture on the continent.
The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, highlighted the slow progress in meeting previous Maputo and Malabo Declarations, emphasizing the need for accountability and renewed commitment. He emphasized Africa's demographic advantage of 70% of the population under 30 and 60% engaged in agriculture as a significant opportunity to drive innovation and growth in the sector. He further stated, "Despite Africa's abundant resources, millions remain food insecure. We must invest in mechanization, digitization, and modern farming technologies to reverse this trend," he remarked.  

The summit concluded with a collective pledge by African leaders and stakeholders to prioritize agriculture as a driver of economic transformation. Adopting the new CAADP strategy and action plan is a significant step toward realizing Agenda 2063's vision of "The Africa We Want."  The Kampala Declaration aligns perfectly with our mission to empower smallholder farmers through innovative, scalable solutions. SAA remains committed to collaborating with governments, development partners, farmers and stakeholders to implement the Kampala Declaration and the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan, advancing toward a food-secure and prosperous Africa.