In its quest to use agriculture to fast track the developmental agenda of the African continent, the twenty second ordinary session of the heads of state and government has declared 2014 as a year of agriculture and food security, as part of the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
According to the African heads of states, Africa’s agriculture has recently been performing well, as agricultural GDP grew on average by 4%since 2003.
Despite the growth records Africa still remains the most food insecure continent with a quarter of its population categorized as malnourished.
In his key note address at the opening of the twenty second ordinary session of the heads of state and government on the theme: 2014 year of agriculture and food security in Africa at the Nelson Mandela hall of the A.U headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The immediate past chairperson of the African union and prime minister of the federal republic of Ethiopia Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn said though African countries are committed to allocating 10% of its annual budget to the agricultural sector there is the need to sustain the growth momentum in ensuring the socio economic well-being of the continent.
The President of Mauritanian was voted as the new AU Chairman