4 September 2014: A workshop organized by the Capacity Development Division of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Land Policy Initiative (LPI) brought together representatives of continental and regional farmers’ organizations with the aim of establishing a dialogue platform in support of the African Union (AU) Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges in Africa.

The workshop, held on 4-5 September in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, focused on the establishment of a platform meant to ensure farmers’ continued and systematic engagement in supporting the implementation of the AU Declaration on Land. In addition, participants were to discuss the platform’s key priority themes, work plan and working modalities, as well as a concept note on forming partnerships and resource mobilization in support of farmers’ engagement.

During the first day of the workshop, speakers, inter alia: emphasized the negative impact of land-related challenges on investments aimed at transforming African agriculture; the need for stakeholder interaction in the development of land policies in the region; commended the involvement of farmers in the implementation of the AU Declaration on Land; stressed the role of farmers in the development and application of LPI’s ‘Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa,’ from 2010; and highlighted the proposed platform “as an appropriate response for the systematic engagement of farmers in the implementation of the AU agenda on land.”

The LPI, a joint programme of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and UNECA, is mandated to facilitate the implementation of the AU Declaration on Land.

The workshop coincided with the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), 1-4 September in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which focused on the transformation of agriculture in the region and concluded with a call for action to transform food production across the continent. [UNECA Press Release] [UNECA Event Webpage] [AU Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges in Africa] [Publication: Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa] [AGRF Website] [AGRF Press Release]