Regional Approaches to Food Security in Africa: The CAADP and other Relevant Policies and Programmes in COMESA

After an initial phase focused primarily on interventions at the national level, there is growing awareness on the need to work more on the regional dimensions of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

This was also formally recognised at the 7th CAADP Partnership Platform meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroun in March 2011. Of particular importance was the acknowledgement by all CAADP stakeholders that the development and implementation of regional CAADP compacts should be accelerated. Key Purpose of ECDPM Study ECDPM works actively with African institutions on how to better integrate agriculture, trade and aid policies and processes. Improved coordination, coherence and complementarity between agriculture, trade, regional integration processes and development partners’ support is key for Africa’s development agenda. While CAADP implementation at national level has gained momentum in recent years, implementation at the regional level has been slow, and progress differs between regions.

The rate and degree of progress emphasise the need for lesson-sharing between Regional Economic Communities (RECs). To contribute to the CAADP, ECDPM undertakes policy analysis on regional CAADP processes -and issues at stake- as well as on its linkages with the broader regional integration processes in Africa, including by facilitating deeper dialogue and lesson-sharing among and between the RECs and development partners working on CAADP in various African regions - this paper outlines the results of such ‘mapping exercise’ for COMESA, and is meant to stimulate further discussions among involved stakeholders and to contribute to the consultative processes around the implementation of CAADP at regional level.

Key Findings of ECDPM

• The COMESA Regional Compact is nearly ready but COMESA is now waiting for a ‘Tripartite’ approach to CAADP

• COMESA should design its own regional investment plans to show concretely the potential added value of a COMESA Compact.

• Strategic thinking about the CAADP compact needs to complemented by action at national level that can be fostered by both more regular multi- stakeholder policy dialogue throughout the region and analysis of the present gaps in the national compacts for more effective joint action among neighbours.

• This would enhance the ownership of regional food security plans and the ‘vertical coherence’ between the regional and national CAADP compacts.

Read Discussion Paper 128a