Ethiopia Urges Stronger Regional Action to Transform Agrifood Systems

Addis Ababa, August 21, 2026 (ENA) — Ethiopia has called for stronger regional cooperation, political commitment and increased investment to accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems across the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region.

The call was made during a high-level learning event on agrifood systems held in Addis Ababa, bringing together members of the IGAD Parliamentary Forum, the IGAD Committee of Ambassadors, diplomats and other regional stakeholders. 

Solomon Lale, Chairman of the Ethiopian Standing Committee on Agriculture Affairs, attended the event as guest of honor and underscored the critical role of parliaments and policymakers in building resilient food systems. 

He said effective parliamentary engagement and sound policy measures are essential to translating regional agricultural commitments into concrete action and ensuring adequate resources are allocated to the sector. 

The event focused on implementing the Kampala Declaration on Building Resilient and Sustainable Agrifood Systems in Africa and its accompanying 10 Year Strategy and Action Plan for 2026 to 2035.

The framework calls for moving beyond traditional agricultural production toward integrated, climate-resilient and market-oriented agrifood systems across the region. 

Solomon also highlighted Ethiopia’s ongoing structural transformation, pointing to major investments in energy, infrastructure, urban development, industrialization, fertilizer production and other strategic sectors. 

Speaking on behalf of the IGAD Secretary, Omar Djama, Director of the IGAD Foreign Service Institute, said agriculture should be viewed not only as an economic sector but also as a social and political priority because of its close links to poverty reduction, conflict prevention and food security. 

“Translating the Kampala Declaration into action requires strong political commitment, effective institutions, aligned national budgets and deeper regional integration,” he said. 

The event provided a platform to strengthen national advocacy for increased agricultural investment, share the Kampala Declaration implementation plan and review member states’ performance under the fifth Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Biennial Review. 

Participants also discussed financial and policy support under the Kampala Action Plan and ways to strengthen cooperation among IGAD member states. 

The discussions emphasized the role of national and regional parliaments and diplomatic institutions in aligning legislation, securing budget allocations, and ensuring effective oversight of agricultural policies and programmes. 

Participants agreed that stronger collaboration among IGAD member states is essential to achieving the targets of the Kampala Action Plan and building resilient and sustainable agrifood systems across the region.