23 March 2011: The seventh meeting of the Partnership Platform of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP PP) was held from 23-25 March 2011, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. CAADP seeks to increase food security for families by raising the amount and quality of food produced in Africa.

Convened jointly by the African Union (AU) Commission and the AU’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the meeting focused on mutual accountability, capacity building and involvement of non-state actors in the formulation and implementation of CAADP investment plans. The meeting brought together participants from the AU Commission, NEPAD and African ministers of agriculture, with representatives of regional economic communities, agriculture experts, researchers, the private sector, civil society organizations, farmer groups and development partners.

The meeting reviewed progress and country-level implementation since the last meeting, in April 2010, and discussed strategic issues regarding the acceleration of CAADP implementation and monitoring and evaluation. Participants also had the opportunity to review and share experiences among the core institutions and partners involved in CAADP implementation.

Established as part of NEPAD, CAADP was endorsed by the AU Assembly in July 2003. Its objective is to raise the amount and quality of food that Africa produces, in order to make families more food-secure and exports more profitable. [AU-NEPAD Press Release I] [AU-NEPAD Press Release II] [NEPAD-CAADP Website]