African-led and African-owned

In 2002, African ministers of agriculture endorsed a development strategy known as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). African governments pledged to commit 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture, a substantial increase over the 2-3 percent share that was the norm at the time.¹

The only problem was the financing. Sub-Saharan Africa is the poorest region of the world—and the most aid dependent. While 70 percent of the continent’s workers earn a living in the agricultural sector, international donors were not interested in agriculture at this point.² For poor countries, realigning national budgets would be a much slower process without donors on board.

CAADP walked a lonely path for the next five years, nurtured by Africans with only nominal support from international donors. USAID provided support to improve regional coordination, but CAADP was not high on the list of U.S. development priorities.³ African countries continued to build out their vision of CAADP, adding pieces of increasing sophistication that earned them praise from abroad. But financing still lagged. Here were Africans developing a plan with potential to transform the agricultural sector of their continent, a coordinated effort demonstrating the seriousness of their intent.

Then came the hunger crisis of 2007 and 2008. Donors quickly recognized what was missing from their portfolios (see Box 2.1) and sought to reinvest in agriculture and food security. CAADP was already there, ready to serve as the vehicle for new investments in Africa. After years of relative obscurity, CAADP’s moment had arrived.

Issues