Reported by: The Agency Media.
Date: 14 April, 2025.
Lusaka, Zambia.
Zambia convened senior agriculture officials from across Africa for the Permanent Secretaries’ Leadership Dialogue on CAADP Implementation, hosted in Lusaka from 12–14 April 2025.
Organized by the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA‑NEPAD), this high‑level meeting spotlighted climate‑smart technologies and youth entrepreneurship as keystones for the continent’s agricultural renaissance.
Addressing delegates at the closing ceremony, Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Mr. John Mulongoti underscored the urgent need to weave the revised CAADP strategy into national development blueprints. “Embedding climate‑resilient farming and digital agritech into our investment plans is non‑negotiable,” Mr. Mulongoti asserted. He highlighted how mobile‑enabled weather advisories, drip‑irrigation systems, and seed‑variety trials can shield smallholders from erratic rainfall patterns.
A core theme of the dialogue was empowering Africa’s next generation of farmers. Workshops and breakout sessions explored financing models for youth‑led agribusiness start‑ups, with participants sharing success stories from Zambia’s Green Futures Fund and Rwanda’s Agri‑Catallyst programme. Delegates also mapped out public–private partnership frameworks to scale solar‑powered irrigation and e‑extension services.
Outcomes from Lusaka signal tangible gains for Zambian communities: improved access to credit, greater adoption of precision‑agriculture tools, and expanded opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs in rural value chains. The Ministry of Agriculture projects a 25 percent rise in youth‑owned agribusinesses over the next three years, boosting rural incomes and reinforcing social cohesion.
In closing, Mr. Mulongoti reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to driving CAADP’s continental agenda: “We have the leadership, technology, and partnerships to turn policy into prosperity. Now is the time to act—together.” Participating nations departed Lusaka with a roadmap to operationalize CAADP priorities, setting the stage for a more resilient and inclusive agricultural sector across Africa.
The Agency.