No African country met the overall agricultural development benchmark under the Malabo Declaration, according to the fifth Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Biennial Review. Of the 45 countries that submitted reports, only four achieved the target of allocating at least 10% of public expenditure to agriculture, while only five spent at least 1% of agricultural gross domestic product on research. The findings highlight persistent gaps in public investment and the struggle to translate continental commitments into measurable results.
Speaking at the Africa Science and Innovation Forum in Addis Ababa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, said the review showed improvements in continental performance but underscored the urgent need to connect political commitments to actual spending. He questioned whether governments could repeatedly announce transformation while failing to link plans to budgets, budgets to disbursements, and disbursements to results. The gaps raise serious questions about Africa's ability to accelerate agricultural productivity, improve food security, and strengthen resilience against climate shocks, conflict, and economic pressures.
Abebe warned that Africa risks falling behind in agricultural competitiveness as artificial intelligence, robotics, satellite monitoring, and data-driven systems increasingly reshape global food production. Internet connectivity remains a major constraint on the continent. According to International Telecommunication Union figures cited by Abebe, internet usage in Africa stood at 36% in 2025, compared with approximately 75% globally. He stressed that innovation should not be limited to sophisticated equipment, highlighting that improved seeds, healthier soils, animal health services, affordable water management, and safer food handling are equally critical. He cited an FAO-supported example in which farmers reported a fourfold increase in rice harvests on the same cultivated land following support that included improved drainage and seedling spacing.
Ethiopia's State Minister of Agriculture, Sofia Kassa, called for stronger investment, partnerships, and practical innovation to accelerate the transformation of Africa's agrifood systems. She highlighted Ethiopia's wheat self-sufficiency efforts, the Green Legacy Initiative, and the Lema Trufat initiative as key examples of development programs intended to translate political commitment into coordinated action and investment. However, she acknowledged that significant challenges remain in raising agricultural productivity, strengthening market connections, and expanding access to finance and technology, particularly for smallholder farmers in rural areas. Sofia emphasized that innovation must encompass artificial intelligence, robotics, digital platforms, precision agriculture, and biotechnology, alongside institutional reforms that turn research and knowledge into practical benefits.