Session 1 CAADP Implementation in COMESA: Progress and lessons learnt

Presenter: Dr Sam Kanyarukiga., CAADP Coordinator, COMESA Secretariat, Lusaka Zambia; SKanyarukiga@comesa.int

COMESA constitutes 19 countries with a population of 400 million people; agriculture is a key sector in the economy of these countries.

 The role of Agriculture in COMESA includes:

• Main engine for economic growth, attaining food and nutrition security and regional integration.
• Helps generate rural incomes and raise living standards of poor populations.
• Involves more than 90% of smallholder farmers.
• Accounts for more than 32% of GDP in the region.
• Annual growth rate is 2.5% p.a.
• COMESA spends about USD 19 billion per annum on food imports
• Intra-trade in agricultural commodities is USD 3 billion per annum.

Some causes of food insecurity

1. Low agricultural production and productivity

• Limited access to inputs
• Drought / Floods (Erratic rainfall)
• Poor extension systems
• Low irrigation development
• Low crop diversification
• Poor Infra-structure and market access
• Un-sustainable farming systems (soil fertility and water management)
• Poor land tenure systems

2. High global food prices
- High production costs

3. Inadequate regional trade policies

• Non-Tariff Barriers e.g. SPS issues and other border checks

- Food trade bans
- Trade taxes

4. Low response mechanisms to food crises
- Inadequate strategic grain storage management

SUPPORT ACTIVITIES TO COUNTRIES

Background

• The second joint Ministers meeting in August/September 2009 recommended acceleration of the CAADP process in all 19 member states and the first group of advanced countries to sign the compacts before 31st March 2010 and the rest to complete the signature by end December 2010.
• Strategy used was to intensify consultations with countries to provide technical, logistical and financial assistance for preparation of documents, organisation of different meetings and Round-Tables.

Areas of support provided by the Secretariat are in:

• Pre-Compact activities leading to round-table and Compact signature, Launching, Stock-taking, Analysis, Formulation of Priority Investment Areas and Programmes
• Post-Compact activities leading to funds mobilisation for implementation of investment programmes: Design of detailed investment plan, Organisation of Techncial Reviews and Business Meetings for resource mobilization.

Support missions were conducted to the following countries: Rwanda, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Eritrea, Kenya, Seychelles and DR Congo.

All 19 countries endorsed at different stages.

National Compacts Signed:
1. Rwanda - March 2007
2. Burundi - August 2009
3. Ethiopia - August 2009
4. Swaziland - March 2010
5. Uganda - March 2010
6. Malawi - April 2010

Compacts to be signed by end September 2010:
Zambia, Kenya, Sudan, Zimbabwe

Other possible Compacts before end of 2010:
Djibouti, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros

Launching of CAADP Implementation Process

• DR Congo launched the process on 31st May to 1st June 2010
• Eritrea plans the launch early September 2010

Mauritius, Egypt , Libya: To be soon agreed upon.

STATUS OF CAADP IMPLEMENTATION IN COMESA

Post-Compact Activities

Post-Compact Roadmap
In order to accelerate the process leading to acquisition of funds for CAADP implementation after the Compact signature, a roadmap was jointly developed by AU/NPCA and RECs, with the following steps:

1. Immediately after the Compact signature, COMESA coordinates technical assistance to country teams in Ministries of Agriculture to develop detailed and fully costed investment programmes (3 Months)
2. A joint technical review of the investment plan is conducted by AU/NPCA, Pillar Institutions and Resource Group experts under coordination of COMESA.
3. One to two weeks after the technical review the Investment Plan High Level Business Meeting is jointly organised by COMESA and AU/NPCA, to present the plan to Development Partners and other Stakeholders for endorsement and commitment of financing.
4. The endorsed Investment Plans are then eligible for International funding, including access to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) Facility at the World Bank.

Progress of Country Post-Compact Activities

Regional Programmes

The challenges faced in the CAADP compact include:

1. PRE- COMPACT PROCESS

• Institutional Capacity for Effective Coordination and a Comprehensive Consultative Process with Stakeholders-need for strong multi-disciplinary Country CAADP Teams.
• for Sector Analysis and Evidence-Based Formulation Technical Capacity on of Priority Investment Areas and Programmes-need for technical support from the continental CAADP Resource Group

2. POST- COMPACT PROCESS

• Delayed availability of resources for investment (e.g. Rwanda)
• Inadequate Investment Plans at Compact Signing
• Need for rigorous execution of Post-Compact Roadmap leading to CAADP Business Meeting and Resource Mobilization

The recommendations:

1. Urge Member States which have not signed their compacts to complete their CAADP stock-taking process and signing of the compact by end of 2011;
2. Request Member States to establish strong multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral Country CAADP Teams in all member countries, to provide them with adequate technical and financial capacities and to work closely with the continental Resource Group, in both Pre- and Post-Compact phase; and
3. Request Member States to consider and endorse the proposed Post Compact Roadmap

THE CAADP IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS AT REGIONAL LEVEL

• A Regional CAADP Compact is being finalized (with a view to implement it under the Tripartite Agreement
• Programmes of a regional nature will be implemented under this framework
• The Draft was presented to COMESA Ministers of Agriculture in Lusaka last week
• Meant to add value to the National CAADP Compact Programmes
• Enhance regional integration through expansion of markets (In COMESA and beyond)
• Shared support by regional institutions and partners