AU Commissioner H.E Rhoda Tumusiime lauds AGRA for effectively supporting the African agricultural sector
Nairobi, Kenya (30 November 2011)– Her Excellency, Tumusiime Rhoda, Peace Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission has congratulated the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa for its efforts towards improving the state of agriculture in Africa.
Speaking during a meeting with AGRA staff, she said that she was impressed by the high quality programs run by AGRA across the continent. H.E. Tumusiime lauded AGRA for taking on a revolutionary agenda aimed at increasing incomes for smallholder farmers in Africa.
“AGRA’s contribution to agricultural development in Africa is critical and we are now seeing some early successes in key focus areas that AGRA is working on during its short period of existence”. “We as a commission support the work that AGRA is doing across Africa, particularly in the breadbasket countries”. said H.E. Tumusiime.
“The Africa Union Commission stands ready to work closely with AGRA in advancing investments in agriculture at the grassroots level,” she added. The visit was part of her mission to Kenya, to meet with key partners and institutions that support the African Union in its mission to develop the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Project (CAADP) agenda in Africa.
She called for increased investments in the agriculture sector in Africa and called on AGRA to join hands with the AU and NEPAD in supporting countries that have signed CAADP Compacts noting that there was a need to urgently address the factors constraining progress in the agricultural sector in Africa.
Dr. Namanga Ngongi, President of AGRA, thanked H.E. Tumusiime for visiting AGRA and appreciated her efforts to raise the profile of the agricultural sector within the African Union.
“You have been a strong champion for increased investments in the sector in Africa and we appreciate your efforts in positioning the issue of agricultural development as an important agenda for African leaders,” Dr. Ngongi said.
Dr. Ngongi lauded Her Excellency for acknowledging the importance of partnerships as a critical and necessary step in advancing the agricultural agenda in the continent.
AGRA was created in 2006, with the aim of catalysing an African green revolution that will lead to a food secure Africa. Its main approach is towards promoting technologies that can be scaled up and benefit a large majority of the smallholder farmers. Today, AGRA can demonstrate some successes along the agricultural value chain, these include supporting the production of the drought resistant seeds, increasing soil fertility through the Integrated Soil Fertility Management technologies, linking farmers to markets, providing linkages to affordable financing amongst others.
For more information contact, please contact:
Sylvia Mwichuli: +254 736 680 620 or smwichuli@agra-alliance.org
Linda Odhiambo: +254 732 68 68 99 or lodhiambo@agra-alliance.org
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About the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small-scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA programmes develop practical solutions to significantly boost farm productivity and incomes for the poor while safeguarding the environment. AGRA advocates for policies that support its work across all key aspects of the African agricultural value chain from seeds, soil health and water to markets and agricultural education.
AGRA's Board of Directors is chaired by Kofi A Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dr Namanga Ngongi, former Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme, is AGRA's president. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK's Department for International Development and other donors, AGRA works across sub-Saharan Africa and maintains offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Accra, Ghana.