Strategy for agricultural transformation in africa

inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition
beyond what the market may 
deliver otherwise
g)
Coordinate
activities to kick start transformation, align activities and investments 
of different actors, and guide initial activities to the point where private sector 
actors can be crowded in; 
3
 Specifically, this refers to substituting start imports (through high quality cassava flour) and oil (through 
ethanol), as well as developing additional products (e.g. glucose, dextrin) 

---

vi 
The strategy is closely aligned to commitments towards global food security that came out of 
the 2009 G8 Summit in L’Aquila. These highlighted the importance of increased investment, 
development of local agricultural production, formation of a global partnership on agriculture 
and food (the Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food Security – GAFSP), and the 
promotion of open and efficient agricultural and food markets. Measurement of progress 
towards the goals of the Strategy will consider contributions to achieving the 2015 Sustainable 
Development Goals
(SDGs), particularly those related to ending poverty, hunger, and 
combating climate change. Finally, the Strategy echoes the vision set out in the 2063 Strategy 
for Africa – developed jointly by the Bank, the AUC, and UNECA – to ‘consolidate the 
modernization of African agriculture and agro-businesses’. 
The escalating challenge of climate change means that climate smart agriculture (CSA) is now 
no longer an option but a core necessity of any strategy to deliver results, even in the near term: 
El Nino has, at the time of preparation of this report in 2016, increased food insecurity in 
several countries in East and Southern Africa. Given its depended on the environment, the 
agricultural sector is one of the most affected by climate change, and, given its dependence on 
agriculture, the African continent is already experiencing a disproportionate amount of the 
impact thus fair, particularly in the Sahel. In light of this, it will be important to promote and 
finance the use of CSA practices and better prepare farmers and other vulnerable populations 
for climate risks. To this effect, the Strategy will also aim to align with decisions of the 2015 
Paris UN Climate Change Conference (COP-21) and partner with the many multi- and 
unilateral actors that have made commitments. As most of the agriculture-related targets were 
defined at the country-level in Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) 
submitted prior to Paris, it will be important to support individual countries in ensuring that 
they have set material targets and developing, financing, and evaluating the programs required 
for fulfilling these. 
The strategy is also closely aligned to the dual key principles laid out in the AfDB 10-Year 
Strategy 2013-2022: inclusive growth and gradual transition to green growth. On the one hand, 
the AfDB Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa will promote inclusive and green 
growth through direct programming For example, it will prioritize projects designed to target 
historically underserved rural, female, and youth populations to encourage equitable 
participation in all areas of the sector and increase number of farmers using climate-smart 
agriculture practices. However, it will also elevate the importance of inclusive and green 
growth by mainstreaming these issues across all of its activities and the initiatives it funds. 
This will include ensuring that M&E is gender responsive, putting in place safeguards to 
protect against disenfranchisement of smallholder farmers as certain sub-sectors are 
commercialized, and supporting governments in developing the country-level data systems 
required to track the use and impact of climate-smart agriculture practices. Fundamentally, the 
overarching aim of the strategy is to drive inclusive gains in agriculture to sustainably 
transform the lives of all – including the poorest and most vulnerable – Africans.
This Strategy is intended to add to, and not duplicate, earlier efforts. It will do so by