African Agribusiness and Agro-Industries Development Initiative

African Agribusiness and Agro-Industries Development Initiative (3ADI) is a project to increase agribusiness development and to increase processed foods in Africa. "The major objective of the 3ADI is to increase private sector investment flows into the agriculture sector in Africa by mobilizing resources for agribusiness and agro-industrial development from domestic and international financial systems... It will also support an investment programme that will significantly increase the proportion of Africa’s agricultural produce that is transformed into differentiated high-value products, such that by 2020 more than 50 percent of the continent’s food products sold in local and national markets will be in processed form."

The stated objective of 3ADI is "The overall objective is to contribute to sustainable reduction of poverty and food security through the promotion of agribusinesses and agro-industries in Africa and least developed countries (LDCs)." 3ADI was launched in March 2010 during the High-Level Conference on the Development of Agribusiness and Agro-Industries in Africa (HLCD-3A) by:

• U.N. Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
• U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
• African Union Commission
• The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)/The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)
• United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
• African Development Bank
• The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

According to the 3ADI website, the reason for promoting agribusiness is that:

"Majority of the poor live in rural areas, and their main source of income is agriculture. Transformation from growth in agricultural output to value addition in agribusiness which:

• is seen as modern employment vs subsistence occupation
• creates jobs and raises incomes
• triggers growth in other sectors
• expands domestic markets
• improves food security ( -> impact beyond MDG1)
• reduces rural-urban migrations"

History

The African Agribusiness and Agro-Industries Development Initiative was a result of three events and their resulting plans. They are:

• The "strategy for the implementation of the African Union Plan of Action for the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA), as adopted at the 18th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI) in October 2008." This was a meeting organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and hosted by the Government of the Republic of South Africa.
• 2009 Least Developed Countries (LDC) Ministerial Plan of Action, which was developed at the 2009 Least Developed Countries’ (LDCs’) Ministerial Conference in Vienna. It was hosted by UNIDO and UN-OHRLLS, the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
• Abuja Declaration on Development of Agribusiness and Agro-industries in Africa, as adopted by the High-level Conference on Agribusiness and Agro-industries, on 10 March 2010.

Planning for 3ADI

"In April 2008 the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), theFood and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) organized the Global Agro-Industries Forum (GAIF) in partnership with the Government of India...

"In the joint declaration of the GAIF, the UN co-organizing agencies agreed to hold regional forums to deliberate on concrete actions to promote agribusiness and agro-industries development at the regional and sub-regional level. As a follow-up to this commitment, UNIDO, FAO and IFAD, in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, plan to organize a High Level Conference on Development of Agribusiness and Agro-Industries in Africa (HLCD-3A) in Abuja, Nigeria in November 2009...

"As a preparatory step to the HLCD-3A, an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) was held in Vienna, Austria from 27-29 April 2009. The EGM brought together experts in agribusiness and agro-industries development from 19 countries of Africa, as well as resource persons from development agencies, research and academic institutions, bi- and multi-lateral agencies and finance institutions working on agribusiness and agro-industries development in African countries. The EGM’s objectives were to discuss the key constraints impeding the development of agribusiness and agro-industries in Africa and to deliberate upon a programme framework for agribusiness and agro-industries development in Africa."

The Expert Group Meeting included:

• Ernest Aryeetey, Professor of Economics and Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, Legon
• Doyle Baker, Chief, Rural Infrastructure and Agro-industries Division, FAO
• Rafik Bouklia-Hassane, Professor in Economics and to the Minister of Industry, Algeria
• Mansour Cama, Chairman and CEO of Investment Company and Chairman of the National Confederation of Employers. UNIDO Goodwill Ambassador for Africa
• Ralph Christy, Professor of Emerging Markets at Cornell University, CEO Market Matters Emerging Markets Program
• Giorgio Rosso Cicogna, Managing Director, International Centre for Science and High Technology, ICS, UNIDO, Italy
• Carlos Arthur Da Silva, Agribusiness Economist, FAO Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division
• Hassan Debbarh, CEO of CARTIER SAADA Plc and President of FICOPAM (Moroccan Canned Food Producers Federation)
• Kassiap Deepchand, Technical Advisor, Mauritius Sugar Authority
• Tarek Hussein I. El-Baz, Consultant, Ministry of Trade and Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
• Elias Geneti, Managing Director of Agro Prom International PLC. Board of Pulses, Oilseeds and Spices Processors and Exporters Association (EPOSPEA)
• Nuhu Hatibu, CEO of Kilimo Trust
• Anthony Ikpi, Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
• Chakib Jenane, Unit Chief, Agro-industries Support Unit, Agribusiness Development Branch, PTC/AGR/AIS, UNIDO
• François Kamajou, Professor of Economics, University of Dschang, Cameroon
• Mohammad Karaan, Dean of the Faculty of Agri-Sciences at Stellenbosch University, South Africa
• Edward Kemsley, Consultant
• Christoph Kessler, Head of Agriculture and Natural Resources Division, Sub-Saharan Africa, KfW – Entwicklungsbank
• Patrick Kormawa, Adviser to the Director-General of UNIDO and Coordinator, International Financial Institutions (IFI) Partnership Unit
• John Lamb, Agribusiness Team Leader, World Bank Agriculture and Rural Development Department
• Frédéric Lançon, Economist - CIRAD Unité de Recherche Politiques et Marchés TA
• Edward Mabaya, Research Associate in the Department of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University. Dept. of Applied Economics and Management Emerging Markets Program
• Edward Makungu, Director General - Centre for Agricultural Mechanization and Rural Technology (CAMARTEC)
• Stanislav Miertus, Chief, Area of Pure and Applied Chemistry, International Centre for Science and High Technology, ICS, UNIDO Italy
• Sergio Miranda-da-Cruz, Director, Agri-business Development Branch, PTC/AGR, UNIDO
• Jaime Moll de Alba, Industrial Development Officer, Agro – industries Support Unit, Agri-business Development Branch, PTC/AGR/AIS, UNIDO
• Geoffrey C. Mrema, Director, FAO Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division (AGS)
• Likando Mukumbuta, CEO, Zambia Agribusiness Technical Assistance Centre
• Mbita Mary Nandazi, Secretary General, African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association
• Samuel Ngoma, Regional Commercial Delegate of the Sugar Professional Group (GPS) of CEMAC
• Divine Njie, Agro-industries Officer, FAO Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division
• Godfrey Nzamujo, Director of Songhai Centre, Benin. Quando Porto-Novo Queme – Benin
• Sarah Olembo, Senior Policy Officer and Acting Head of the Food Security Division, Department for Rural Economy and Agriculture - African Union Commission (AUC)
• Ahmidou Ouaouich, Chief, Food Processing Unit, Agribusiness Development Branch, PTC/AGR/FPU, UNIDO
• Pradip Patel, Managing Director, Export Trading Company Limited Woodlands Road, Opp. Army HQ's
• Louis Augusto Pelembe, Professor, University of Eduardo Mondane (UEM), Mozambique
• Mohamed Chokri Rejeb, Director General, Centre Technique de l’Agroalimentaire
• Leon Sanchez Blanco, Principal Agro-Industry Expert of the Agriculture & Agro-Industry Department (OSAN) of the African Development Bank (AfDB)
• John Staatz, Professor of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics and of African Studies at Michigan State University (MSU)
• Bruno Vindel, Food Policies Analyst, Department of Strategic Planning, Agence Française de Développement
• Timothy Williams, Adviser & Head, Enterprise & Agriculture Section, Commonwealth Secretariat

Project Stages

According to the 3ADI website, "the project will take place in 3 consecutive steps:

• "Assess key constraints faced by agro-industries that limit their ability to add value to agricultural production through agro-processing, post-harvest handling, supply chain management and trade promotion;
• "Develop and validate concrete interventions that promote agro-industry development in close collaboration with stakeholders and external resources;
• "Assist beneficiaries and countries in resource mobilization from international finance institutions and a range of private partners, research institutions and non-governmental organizations. Target resources include finance (public and private), investment, technology, expertise and scientific knowledge for agribusiness development."

The 3ADI Country Programmes

During the initial phase of 3ADI, 10 countries were targeted:

• Comoros
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Ghana
• Liberia
• Madagascar
• Nigeria
• Rwanda
• Sierra Leone
• Republic of the Sudan
• Republic of South-Sudan
• Tanzania

Burkina Faso was added after the fact.

Ghana

In Ghana, 3ADI first visited in August 2010. The visit led to a focus on cotton in Ghana:

"During a first mission in August 2010, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) indicated a clear priority on the cotton sector, key to the socio-economic progress of the rural North. A few weeks later, the Government launched the national cotton revival strategy and embarked on a decisive re-organization of the industry by inviting private partners with international credentials to invest in cotton production. In January 2011, the Ministry of Trade and Industry further called on the World Bank, [the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank] and UNIDO to support the national efforts."

UNIDO's role is introducing Bt Cotton to Ghana - specifically, helping the government set up a regulatory structure to handle the genetically engineered crops.

For more information, see the article on Cotton in Ghana.

Contact Information

• Web: http://www.3adi.org

Articles and Resources

Related SourceWatch Articles

• United Nations
• U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization
• FAO Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division
• U.N. Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
• African Union Commission
• The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
• The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)
• United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
• African Development Bank

External Resources

• "African agribusiness and agro-industries development initiative (3ADI)", 2010.