IGAD Launches High-Level Training to Strengthen Agrifood Systems in the Horn of Africa

Tariq Affan

Published: 28 July 2025

IGAD Launches High-Level Training to Strengthen Agrifood Systems in the Horn of Africa

Urban Shihemi , July 28, 2025 The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has commenced a four-day specialized training workshop for its Committee of Ambassadors and Parliamentarians, focusing on agrifood systems governance. The event, taking place in Nairobi, underscores IGAD’s strategic commitment to addressing food insecurity, climate change, and regional policy coherence across the Horn of Africa. Speaking on behalf of the IGAD Director of Agriculture and H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr. Mohi Tahomi welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of the training. He thanked the Government and People of Kenya for hosting the event and commended H.E. Dr. Fatuma Adan, IGAD Head of Mission in Kenya, for her leadership and support. Dr. Tahomi noted that the presence of parliamentarians and ambassadors reaffirms a shared commitment to building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems. He highlighted the critical role of the training in advancing resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems. He noted that the participation of high-level policymakers reaffirms IGAD’s collective resolve to drive agricultural transformation and food systems resilience in its Member States: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. IGAD's efforts, he explained, are aligned with key continental frameworks such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the Malabo and Post-Malabo Declarations, and the 2024 Kampala Declaration on Food Systems Resilience. “These are not just technical blueprints,” Dr. Tahomi remarked, “but practical roadmaps guiding us toward food security, rural transformation, and climate resilience.” The training serves as a pivotal milestone for IGAD. Sessions will include a review of Member States’ performance in the 4th CAADP Biennial Review, discussions on scaling investment in agriculture, enhancing policy coherence, and the formal launch of the IGAD Parliamentarians Working Group on Agrifood Systems a platform dedicated to advocacy, legislative support, and accountability in agrifood policy reform. Dr. Tahomi addressed the recent outcomes of the 2024 African Union Assembly, which acknowledged that Africa is off-track in meeting the 2025 Malabo commitments. He emphasized that the newly adopted CAADP Strategy (2026–2035), outlined in the Kampala Declaration, charts a new course for transforming Africa’s food systems. The strategy integrates agriculture, nutrition, and economic development while advocating for climate-smart agriculture, increased public investment, strengthened intra-regional trade, and inclusive governance involving women, youth, and the private sector. He further stressed that the success of these strategies hinges on the active leadership of ambassadors and parliamentarians. Legislators, he said, are uniquely positioned to mobilize resources, enact enabling laws, and champion inclusive agrifood systems. Ambassadors play an equally vital role in enhancing regional cooperation, facilitating partnerships, and advancing food security diplomacy. Dr. Tahomi called for greater budgetary allocations to agriculture, particularly in climate adaptation and agrifood value chains. He urged enhanced coordination, policy harmonization, and the domestication of regional commitments through national legislatures. He also acknowledged the World Bank’s support to IGAD’s Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) and its broader food security agenda. Mohamed Omar Djama, Director of the IGAD Foreign Service Institute, also addressed participants, highlighting the central role of policymakers in shaping effective responses to food and climate challenges. He called for stronger alignment between national and regional frameworks to ensure consistency and long-term impact. The training sets the stage for a renewed regional drive toward building resilient agrifood systems, leveraging strategic investment, policy innovation, and inclusive governance. IGAD reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to collaborating with Member States and development partners to advance climate-smart, equitable, and sustainable food systems across the Horn of Africa.

IGAD Launches High-Level Training to Strengthen Agrifood Systems in the Horn of Africa

Tariq Affan

Crown Prince of Malaysia to visit Jamia Mosque Nairobi

Prof. Mohamed Karama, Renowned Public Health Scholar and a former Acting Vice-Ch...

Categories

Quick Links

Trending

Civil Society Warns Excessive Campaign Spending Could Push Kenya Toward Instabil...

Red Cross Confirms Transfer Of Last Gaza Hostage Remains By Hamas

Temporary Reopening Of Rafah Border To Let Gazans Enter Egypt

IGAD Launches High-Level Training to Strengthen Agrifood Systems in the Horn of Africa

Tariq Affan

Follow us

Trending News

Newsletter

Categories

Quick Links

Trending