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From Commitments to Action: Strengthening CAADP Implementation in Africa

By John Ulimwengu and Sokhna Sall Seck

Delivering on Africa’s food systems transformation agenda requires more than strong commitments, it requires clear implementation pathways, robust accountability systems, and sustained policy engagement.

As countries advance the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) agenda, the focus is increasingly shifting from planning to delivery. In this context, IFPRI is playing a key role in supporting continental, regional and country-level efforts to translate ambition into measurable results and actionable policies.

Building a Results-Oriented Framework

A critical step in advancing CAADP implementation has been the development of the CAADP Kampala Results Framework, part of the broader Mutual Accountability, Results and Learning Framework (MARLF).

Under the leadership of AUC-DREA and AUDA-NEPAD, and in collaboration with several technical partners, IFPRI has helped shape a framework designed to translate political commitments into clear targets, indicators, and accountability mechanisms. Built around a set of core continental indicators, the framework supports benchmarking and performance tracking, peer review across countries, evidence-based policy adjustment, and stronger alignment between policy priorities and financing. By strengthening how progress is measured and reviewed, it helps ensure that CAADP implementation is ambitious, transparent, trackable, and adaptive.

From Fragmented Actions to Coherent Implementation

While continental frameworks are essential, implementation ultimately happens at country level. A key challenge has been moving away from long lists of disconnected activities toward focused and coherent policy action.

To address this, IFPRI has supported the development of practical implementation guidance that encourages countries to prioritize bundles of mutually reinforcing policies and investments, rather than isolated interventions.

Through its engagement on CAADP, IFPRI emphasizes strategic prioritization, helping countries identify the actions most likely to deliver meaningful impact based on expected outcomes, feasibility and capacity, inclusion and equity, financing considerations, and time horizon.

This approach supports more effective decision-making and enables countries to allocate resources where they can achieve significant and most sustainable impact.

Strengthening Implementation Through Continental Engagement

Beyond analytical and technical contributions, IFPRI is actively engaged in continental policy processes that strengthen implementation capacity across countries.

This includes contributions to key dialogues and consultations, including the High-Level Dialogue and Workshop on CAADP Kampala Implementation Guidelines in Yaoundé and the Continental Consultation on the CAADP Kampala Results Framework and Biennial Review Indicators in Windhoek.

High‑Level Dialogue on Dissemination and Implementation Planning – Yaoundé, March 2026

Through these engagements, IFPRI provides technical inputs on:

• priority policy reforms;
• investment strategies for agrifood systems transformation; and
• strengthened data systems for monitoring, reporting, and learning.

These dialogues and consultations play a critical role in fostering coordination, knowledge exchange, and alignment among countries and partners.

Looking Ahead: From Delivery to Impact

As CAADP enters a new phase of implementation, the emphasis will increasingly be on delivery, results, and impact at scale.

Strengthening systems for prioritization, accountability, and adaptive learning will be essential to ensure that policy commitments translate into meaningful outcomes for African food systems.

Through its continued engagement, IFPRI remains committed to supporting the African Union, its Member States, and regional institutions in translating the CAADP agenda into evidence-based, actionable, and impactful implementation.

John Ulimwengu is a Senior Research Fellow with IFPRI’s Development Strategies and Governance Unit; Sokhna Sall Seck, is a Senior Communications Specialist with IFPRI’s Development Strategies and Governance Unit.