2012 CAADP Africa Forum

12 to 16 November 2012, Tunis, Tunisian Republic. 2012 CAADP Africa Forum. Farmer Organisations as the Vital Link to Equitable and Sustainable Agriculture Growth in Africa.

This 2012 Africa Forum was under the coordination of UMAGRI, as the  Regional Farmer Organisation (RFO) in charge of the Northern African region. For the 2012 forum, RFOs decided upon the following theme: 

The forum has the following objectives: 

1. Create awareness on the critical role of FOs in the development of agriculture in Africa; 
2. Identify how to strengthen linkages between Regional and National Farmer Organisations and from Farmer Organisations to farmers and other relevant actors (decision makers, traders, consumers);
3. Identify ways to ensure a representative inclusion of women at all levels of farm organisation and representation; 
4. Advance countries’ agricultural agendas in support of strengthening FO capacity and role in efficiently linking farmers to the wider network of relevant actors in the sector.

Sub-themes:

• Farmer Organisation Dynamics: Structure, membership, objectives
• Governance in Farmer Organisations and its impact on performance
• Women participation in Farmer Organisations
• Farmer Organisations and the CAADP process
• Sustainability of Farmer Organisations
• FO engagement in Value Chains

RFOs brought together their members (National Farmer Unions, Farmer Organisations and others) in a
workshop that has five main objectives:

1. Raise awareness on the CAADP process and the CAADP Africa Forum; 
2. Identify the critical issues from FOs and farmers in the region in relation to implementation of the action plans developed at the previous continental forum;
3. Assess what kind of support is needed and available to help FOs and farmers implement action planned at the previous continental forum; 
4. Ascertain what FOs and farmers in the region expect from the upcoming continental forum; 
5. Discuss a strategy for FOs to identify potential contributions from their country to be shared at the forum, in line with the continental forum’s theme and objectives

Backgound

The CAADP Africa Forum is part of the CAADP framework, and is coordinated by the Regional Farmer Organisations together with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA). The forum is an important platform for harnessing the voice and the influence of non-state actors in CAADP processes at country level. The platform is meant mostly for farmers and farmer representatives, but also for policy makers, manufacturers, traders, retailers, financiers, development workers and others who work in, with or for African agriculture.