In 2008, Africa¿s population, which is mostly rural, topped the 976 million mark. For the majority of
these inhabitants, agriculture is the main source of livelihood. The underperformance of this important
sector especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is borne by the facts that between 1990 and 1992, the
number of chronically undernourished people in SSA was 173 million. By 1997-1999, this number
increased to 250 million. In 2000, Africa spent USD 18.7 billion on food import. The desire to eliminate
the pervasive hunger and malnutrition in Africa as well as the necessity to reduce the high outlays for
food import became the driving motive for the adoption of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural
Development Programme (CAADP) by Africa¿s Heads of State and Government. The basis for CAADP
was that ¿agriculture-led development is fundamental to cutting hunger, reducing poverty, generating
economic growth, reducing the burden of food imports and opening the way to the expansion of
exports¿. CAADP is thus the key platform for food and agricultural development in Africa. The
coordination, monitoring and implementation of CAADP are the responsibilities assigned to Africa¿s
Regional Economic Commissions (RECs).
Regional forum: FARA.