BY MBONGENI NDLELA
JOHANNESBURG – AU Commissioner Moses Vilakati has placed Africa’s agricultural transformation at the heart of his first 100 days in office — a move signaling his deep personal commitment to ending hunger and driving self-reliance across the continent.
“As part of my 100-day plan, CAADP and agriculture are at the forefront of what I want to work on,” Vilakati stated with conviction. For him, this is not just a bureaucratic exercise — it’s a mission close to his heart.
“A food-secured Africa would make sure that Africa becomes reliant on itself,” he emphasized, adding, “If the people are starving, it means I’m also starving, because those are my brothers and sisters.”
The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), launched in 2003, has long promised to revolutionize the continent’s agriculture. Vilakati’s laser focus now is on turning plans into action. “Some countries have moved strides to implement CAADP, yet others are still trying to catch up,” he observed. His priority: ensuring CAADP is woven into national development strategies, backed by concrete national agricultural and water investment plans.
Vilakati also highlighted Africa’s staggering US$100 billion annual food import bill, urging member states to act decisively. “Instead of spending $100 billion per annum importing food, we would have resolved some of these conflicts,” he remarked, pointing to the link between food security and peace. He also warned that Africa’s dependence on external suppliers, such as Ukraine for 30% of its wheat, exposes the continent to severe vulnerability.
Despite shrinking donor funding, Vilakati remains optimistic. “The African Union is an enabler… It’s only through strategic partnership that we can move forward,” he explained. But he also issued a rallying cry for African nations to look inward: “Africa, wake up, be self-reliant.”
The Commissioner’s 100-day drive is not just about top-level engagement. He is keen to ensure that smallholder farmers, youth, and women are fully included. Through digitalization, Vilakati envisions opening vast opportunities for young people and small farmers to tap into intra-African trade, which currently stands at only 15%.
Looking ahead, Vilakati called for an “all-hands-on-deck” approach across government ministries — from finance to planning — to unlock resources and partnerships. His goal is clear: transform Africa’s agricultural potential into prosperity.
With such determination in his opening days, Vilakati has set the stage for a legacy of action — and a harvest of hope for Africa’s future.
