The inaugural session of the first Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance Forum took place from the 13th to 15th May 2015 at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Organized by the NEPAD Agency in conjunction with the African Union Commission, the Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance will be spearheading implementation of the African Union Vision to reach 25 million farm households practicing Climate Smart Agriculture by 2025. The alliance is an integral part of CAADP and relates to attaining the Productivity, Food Security, Prosperity and resilience goals as articulated in CAADP’s 2015-25 Results Framework endorsed at the Malabo African Union Summit in June 2014. African Union member states, the African Union Commission, NEPAD Agency, Regional Economic Communities and partners came together to elaborate and lay strategies for implementation of programs to support implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture activities in Africa
The CSA alliance is composed of diverse partners with a target to reach six million farming families through Climate-Smart Agriculture processes over the next seven years. Known as the Africa Climate-Smart Agriculture Alliance, the group will contribute to helping 25 million farmers become more resilient and food secure by 2025 dubbed 25 x 25.
The Forum was attended by approximately one hundred and fifty representatives and participants from Governments, Regional Economic Communities, Farmers’ Organisations, Private Sector, Civil Society, specialized agencies and development partners, NORAD and GIZ. The Norwegian Ambassador to Ethiopia and two Ministers from Ethiopia graced the occasion. From the Experts teams, key presentations included the Climate Smart Agriculture tool Box which includes a CSA Practical Guide composed of a set of tools to help guide practitioners to determine farming techniques which, when practiced individually or in combinations, lead to improved adaptation and resilience of farming systems to the effects of climate change. Other presentations included the NEPAD Geospartial Platform for Sustainable Development (NGP4SD) based on the Geographic information system company of California software, the proposed Financing Mechanisms and the growing NEPAD Climate Change Fund were among the key presentations.
Key outcomes from this forum included
- Communique (Action Statement) for Africa CSA Alliance
- A Contribution to building shared understanding of CSA and broaden accessible information on CSA initiatives across the continent including private sector and civil society led initiatives
- Exposure and enabling possible linkages and partnership in advancing support to programmes and initiatives to scale up CSA
A communique was adopted by the meeting to make the Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance meeting an annual event.
Further reading on the Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance can be accessed at