Statement: Inaugural Conference on Agricultural Adaptation Acceleration in Africa

Advancing Political Leadership, Multi-sectoral Approaches and Climate Financing for a Resilient Agriculture in Africa in the Face of Climate Crisis

Abuja, Nigeria: October 18, 2023 – Statement: English       French

 In partnership with the National Climate Change Council of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Africa Adaptation Initiative, and various Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations, the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) organized the Inaugural Conference on Accelerating Agricultural Adaptation in Abuja, Nigeria, from October 16 – 18, 2023.

The Conference aimed to assess the state of the agriculture sector in Africa amidst climate change and devise strategies and approaches to accelerate political commitment and action to strengthen the adaptive capacities and resilience of Africa’s agriculture sector.

After three days of expert presentations, experience sharing, and candid discussions, the participants:

1. Noted the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which states that the world is not on track to keep within reach the 1.5°C limit agreed in Paris.
2. Were alarmed by the potential implications of growing emissions as a result of the observed relapse to dirty energy and inadequate action, especially by the high-emitting industrialized north on agriculture and other economic sectors.
3. Noted the findings of the IPCC Reports AR4 and AR6 that are conclusive on the reality of climate change impacts and assert that Africa will be impacted by climate change under all emission scenarios and projections the region to experience more frequent and intense heatwaves, droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires under all emission scenarios.
4. Reflected on the economic costs that are already piling up, with the IPCC estimates pointing to Africa as having incurred annual losses of $7 billion due to climate change between 2010 and 2019, which could rise to $50 billion by 2040 under a high-emissions scenario and reduce gross domestic product (GDP) growth in Africa by 2-4% per year by 2040 and by 10-25% by 2100.
5. Drew on the IPCC report that aptly points to the need for changes in the manner in which we undertake agriculture and offers a useful thought to the framing – a shift from commercial to agroecology-based production systems, a framing that is consistent with the AU Strategy Climate Change Response Strategy 2022 – 2032 that aspires for Climate Resilient production systems, driven by people-centered nature-based solutions to climate change.
6. Reaffirmed that adaptation to climate change is a priority, a matter of survival for Africa which also brings co-benefits for development, and that the agricultural sector is core to the adaptation agenda of the continent.
7. Elevated the discourse on climate, health, Environment, and Agriculture and delved into the nexus between these sectors, the impact of climate change on the fragile health systems in Africa, the role of meteorological data in health and agriculture systems, Africa’s common position on climate and health and the need Africa to adopt a holistic adaptation approach in COP negotiations.
8. We are conscious that climate change is impacting people, ecosystems, and economies and is potentially expected to push 122 million more people, mainly farmers from Africa, who are ill-equipped both in capacity and financing to pursue the uncertain transitional pathways out of extreme poverty by 2030.
9. Introspected on the implementation of Africa’s agricultural sector blueprints, notably the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the Malabo Declaration, and the critical pillars that anchor climate action in agriculture in these broad-based policy frameworks.
10. Recalled that previous efforts in reforming African agriculture as informed by externalized ‘revolutionary’ approaches have been largely unsuccessful in transforming the sector. This failure is too linked to weak political visions on the agriculture sector of African leadership.
11. Were concerned that the North has dictated decisions on the transition pathways in advancing commercialization and privatization to ‘feed the bulging global population’ with little participation in decisions by African farmers.
12. Were aware of the climate-triggered insecurities and migrations that are threatening African People, Economies, and Ecosystems and are impacting the agricultural practices, decent employment for young people, and resulting in increased burden for women both in the care economy and in sustaining agricultural productivity.
13. We are further aware that the agriculture sector is largely rain-fed and therefore vulnerable to climate vagaries and that the continent has not invested in the water sector to support its transformation and responsiveness to emerging climate challenges.
14. We are conscious of the contribution of agriculture to carbon emissions, with one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions emanating from agriculture, forestry, and other land use options, mainly from the global north, and the need to strengthen and sustain green, low-carbon agricultural practices in Africa.  Read More C4A – DECLARATION – French   English