New African-German policy network launched

Often, development agendas continue to be shaped by donor countries and major international actors, with limited involvement of stakeholders from partner countries. In addition, against the background of funding cuts and increasing criticism of development cooperation, a strategic reorientation of policies and partnerships is necessary. In order to meet these challenges and create more voice for African stakeholders in agricultural and food systems in German development cooperation, together with the pan-African thinktank Akademiya2063, the German NGO Welthungerhilfe set up the policy network “Agri-Bridge”.

Launch event on trade and prosperity

“AgriBridge is a signal of intent that Africa and Europe are ready for stronger cooperation that is based on mutual respect and mutual benefit,”  said Moses Vilakati, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, during his video address to the Agri-Bridge launch event in Berlin/Germany in mid-January. The event was dedicated to German-African trade and was intended to show how both sides can contribute to overcoming hunger and malnutrition as well as economic growth while making investments in African agricultural and food systems more equitable.

Mutual learning and accountability

Here, the reform concept of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which had been presented shortly before the event, was discussed. One of the aspects it features is a greater integration of the private sector in development cooperation.  BMZ Parliamentary State Secretary Bärbel Kofler referred to fair partnerships, the creation of decent jobs, taking into account both human rights/working standards and ecological standards and, above all, the elimination of inequalities as one of the chief reasons for poverty and hunger as principles of future cooperation. And Kofler stressed mutual learning – as well as mutual accountability.

The CAADP Kampala Declaration as a guideline

On the part of Africa, the Kampala Declaration under the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) formed the framework, emphasised Constance Okeke, Board Member of the CAADP Non-State Actors Group (CNG). Here, the focus was on an agri-food systems transformation with the priorities climate resilience, nutrition security and inclusivity for smallholder farmers, women, and youth. In order to achieve this, local value addition had to be created, also through climate-smart agricultural innovations, sustainable infrastructure and reducing post-harvest losses, said Emmanuel Njukwe, Director of Research and Innovation at the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF). “The quantity of African exports is far too low compared to what is invested in production,” Njukwe criticised. The development of regulative bodies had to be supported as well in order to guarantee standardised products.

Fostering inter-African trade

Anna Nambooze, Country Director for Uganda and South Sudan of the trade facilitation entity TradeMark Africa, gave examples of how bottlenecks could be eliminated in inter-African trade. Digitisation processes and improved workflows had enabled modernised border posts to massively accelerate cross-border trade. “For example, until 2023, in Uganda, you had to travel to the capital to have products certified. Now this can be dealt with decentralised in three regions,” said Nambooze. Instead of an average of one month, a mere ten days was now needed to have agricultural produce ready for trading.

Putting entrepreneurs centre stage

Putting entrepreneurs centre stage is at the top of the agenda for Debisi Araba, Managing Director at Akademiya2063. Araba maintained that the GDP value of Africa’s agri-food sector could easily be doubled by engaging with the private sector, provided that an enabling environment was given, which also included stability. “A food secure country is prosperous, and a prosperous country is food-secure,” he assured.  In this context, Welthungerhilfe President Mathias Mogge demanded that the continent’s conflict regions should not be forgotten in the discussions on promising trade partners, and concluded the event noting: “We have to consider how we can get prosperity there.”

Silvia Richter, editor, Rural 21

More information:

• Welthungerhilfe website
• Link to policy note in English
• Link to policy note in French