East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania: 30th October, 2018: Small scale farmers under the aegis of the East and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF) are set to petition the EAC Heads of State to galvanize for increased financing for agricultural sector in the EAC region to ensure food security, reduce poverty and increase public awareness on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). This morning, officials of the ESAFF paid a courtesy call on Rt Hon Ngoga Karoli Martin, Speaker of EALA, in Arusha and made a plea for the petition, when ready, to be forwarded for the attention of the Summit of EAC Heads of State.
Rt Hon Ngoga assured the ESAFF officials of the Assembly’s support towards initiatives that leverage agriculture to ensure food security and raise the region’s GDP. He pledged to work closely with the EAC Council of Ministers and the EAC Secretary General to ensure the petition, once done by ESAFF is given attention and channeled appropriately to the EAC Heads of State. Rt Hon Ngoga further said time was ripe for the establishment of an institution dealing specifically with matters of agriculture and food security. The Speaker noted that the Assembly would champion Partner States to set aside public spending for agriculture at 10% as envisaged under the Malabo Declaration.
Speaking on behalf of the Forum, Mr Alfayo Kurunah, a farmer from Kenya and board Member of ESAFF reiterated his organization was keen to collaborate with EALA in organizing a high-level meeting to deliberate on the status of commitment by Partner States in achieving the commitments under the Malabo Declaration. According to Mr Kurunah, the meeting which is expected to bring together Ministers for Agriculture and Ministers for Finance from the Partner States, as well as legislators from the National Legislatures and EALA would lead to a regional position on the progressive implementation of the Malabo goals reflected to national budgets
“We hope that this meeting would take place in the coming sitting of EALA in November or December 2018 and that the review will be done during the next agriculture summit in May 2019”, Mr Kurunah said.
The Malabo declaration of June 2014, hopes to accelerate agricultural growth and transformation. It among other things calls for commitment to ending hunger by 2025 by at least double productivity while focusing on inputs, irrigation and mechanization. The Malabo Declaration further anticipates commitment towards enhancing resilience in livelihoods and production systems to climate variability and other shocks and to boosting intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services by tripling intra-Africa trade in agricultural commodities and fast-track of the continental free trade area. Further envisaged is a commitment to halve poverty, strengthen inclusive Public-Private Partnerships on agricultural commodity value chains and creation of job opportunities for at least 30% of the youth in agricultural value chains.
According to the ESAFF, the EAC region is doing quite well, but has fallen short on budgetary allocation in the agriculture sector to reach the 10% target, ending hunger including malnutrition and stunting among children under 5 years whose statistics was deemed as shocking.
The Farmers organization thus put a strong case and emphasis for the region to focus its (EAC) industrialization on agriculture.
In attendance was the Chairperson of the EALA Committee on Agriculture Tourism and Natural Resources, Hon Mathias Kasamba and officials from ESAFF Members in the Partner States; Ms. Rachel Muyoboke, Apui Petit Peysant et Envirnement (APEE), Rwanda, Hakim Baliraine –ESAFF, Uganda, Obeid Girukwayo, ESAFF, Burundi, Justus Lavi Mwololo, Kenya Small Scale Farmers Forum (KESSFF) and Richard Kipara, Mtandao wa Vikundi Vya Wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA). Others were Martha Makenge, EACSOF and three officials from the ESAFF Secretariat, Joe Mzinga, Stella Henry and Irene Ngao.
-ENDS-
For more information, contact
Bobi Odiko,
Senior Public Relations Officer,
East African Legislative Assembly,
P.O. Box 1096, Arusha, Tanzania.
Cell. +255-787-870945
Email: BOdiko@eachq.org.
Web: www.eala.org
