Agriculture: 27 African countries adopt Marrakesh Declaration on climate change

Twenty-seven African countries have adopted the Marrakesh D eclaration on reducing the vulnerability of African agriculture to climate change, thus forming a coalition for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate Change ahead of COP22 negotiations. At the conclusion of the High-Level Meeting held in Marrakesh between September 29 and 30, 2016 around the initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture, 20 ministers and 27 delegations have adopted the Marrakesh Declaration, which consolidates these countries’ commitment to placing the Adaptation of African Agriculture at the heart of COP22 negotiations.

The Declaration also endows the initiative with a concrete action plan.

The adoption marks the inception of a coalition that aims to place the adaptation of African Agriculture at the heart of COP22 negotiations.

Some of the actions and objectives that the countries are committing to include the endorsement of the principle of a larger, more effective and efficient public and private funding, as well as the principle of monitoring the funds disbursed for the Adaptation of African Agriculture, with an easier access to climate funds for African projects and, contributing to actions and solutions through the global Climate Action Agenda and any other related framework.

This highlights African projects and good practices in such fields as soil management (including carbon storage in soils), agricultural-water control, climate-risk management, and funding small farmers, who constitute one of the most vulnerable groups, thereby facilitating access to research in agriculture.

Also, the declaration seeks to place agriculture at the heart of climate negotiations by emphasising a sustainable increase in productivity and agricultural earnings, among others.

while adapting and developing resilience to climate change; and also ork towards building African capacities in terms of agricultural policies and programmes, and setting up and managing sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural projects.