Addis Ababa - African needs about USD 25 million for the work of coordinating research centers on studies to identify suitable areas for the implementation the Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs).
The appeal was launched by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Economy for the African Union (AU) Josefa Correia Sacko on friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The diplomat was speaking at a roundtable of investors for the development of common agro-African parks, on the sidelines of the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government.
Josefa Sacko explained that the programme has the goal to collectively transform the continent's agriculture and boost the integration and industrialisation of the continent.
“It is a great starting point for achieving the continent's ambition of tripling intra-African trade in agricultural goods and services, as stipulated in the June 2014 Declaration of Malabo, capital of Equatorial Guinea, by the AU Heads of State. And I am convinced that we can do it”, stressed the AU Commissioner.
She noted that CAAPs are common cross-border agro-industrial zones and food supply corridors, which will be established in suitable agro-ecological areas, in each of Africa's geographic regions.
Josefa Sacko stated that each zone will be dominated by specific agricultural goods, from which continental value chains will be developed, to produce and process selected goods, which can be traded between African states, to gradually offset the import bill.
“The implementation of CAAPs is no longer an option and we will not allow any distraction from the realization of this important vision for Africa,” she warned.
The list of commodities selected for this purpose and discussed by the CAAPs Working Group includes: rice, maize, wheat, yams, cassava, horticulture, poultry, livestock and cocoa.
She explained that there is a $5.5 million programme proposal led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to support the preparation of business cases and feasibility studies for demonstration projects of the already identified CAAPs.
This time, she considered that the African Development Bank (ADB) will have an important role for the implementation and promotion of initiatives for the development of special economic zones for agribusiness and CAPPs at national level.
On the other hand, she announced that due to the critical role of the private sector in this process, the African Union is working to designate two private sector champions for the CAAPs who will lead the advocacy across Africa.
