Agriculture and food security ministers in the East African Community (EAC) have adopted strategic measures aimed at strengthening regional food security and promoting sustainable agri-food systems, marking a significant step toward a more integrated and resilient agricultural sector.
The decisions were reached during the 19th Session of the Sectoral Council on Agriculture and Food Security (SCAFS), held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Monday. Ministers, senior government officials, development partners, and representatives of the EAC Secretariat convened to review progress and address emerging challenges in the agricultural sector.
To support long-term agricultural development, the Council adopted the EAC Regional Agri-Food Systems Investment Plan (RASIP) 2026–2035, calling for increased investments in agricultural infrastructure, climate resilience, digital technologies, agricultural financing, and cross-border trade. The 10-year plan is expected to guide partner states in aligning their national strategies with regional priorities.
Ministers also approved measures to strengthen the implementation of the EAC Rice Development Strategy, including support for the newly operationalised EAC Rice Desk, promotion of mechanisation, improvement of seed systems, increased private sector participation, and the reduction of non-tariff barriers affecting rice trade.
In a bid to address the region’s youth unemployment challenge, the SCAFS endorsed the establishment of the Youth in Agri-Food Systems in EAC (YASE) Platform and welcomed progress in developing the EAC Youth in Agribusiness Portal. These initiatives are designed to promote youth participation, innovation, entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities within the agricultural sector, recognising that the next generation will be critical to the region’s food security.
In a further step towards strengthening agricultural productivity and trade, ministers adopted several key regulatory and policy instruments, including:
- Standard Operating Procedures for Crop Inspection
- EAC Environmental and Human Health Risk Assessment Manuals
- EAC Strategy for the Management of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (2026–2036)
The SCAFS also noted significant progress under the ENSURE Project, which seeks to modernise and strengthen agricultural extension services throughout the region.
The meeting reviewed the Regional Food Security Report, which indicated continued growth in agricultural production and food surpluses for most staple crops across the region. However, the report also identified persistent deficits in wheat and oil production. In response, ministers directed partner states to strengthen food security data systems and harmonise regional reporting frameworks to enhance planning and decision-making.
Uganda’s Agriculture Minister Frank K. Tumwebaze, who chairs the SCAFS, commended the region’s achievements in the production of key staple crops, including maize, bananas, Irish potatoes, and sweet potatoes. He emphasised the need for increased investments in food security, irrigation, mechanisation, seed systems, market access, and strengthened agricultural data coordination.
Tumwebaze further urged EAC partner states to align their national agricultural investment plans with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Declaration (2026–2035), a continental framework designed to fast-track agricultural transformation across Africa.
In the livestock sector, ministers adopted the EAC Guideline on Sharing Epidemiological Information on Transboundary Animal Diseases and Zoonoses and the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Control Strategic Framework for Eastern Africa (2026–2035). Additional guidelines on veterinary medicines regulation and ectoparasiticide labelling were approved to enhance animal health management and facilitate regional livestock trade.
Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, the EAC Deputy Secretary General responsible for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political sectors, underscored the importance of enhancing agricultural productivity through greater investment in value addition, mechanization, digitalization, access to quality inputs and finance, and expanded market opportunities.
He also highlighted progress made by the EAC Secretariat in implementing regional programmes related to CAADP, Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, rice development, farm inputs, agricultural extension services, and livestock development, despite prevailing resource constraints.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to regional cooperation and agricultural transformation, emphasising that successful implementation of the SCAFS decisions will require strong collaboration among partner states, development partners, the private sector, and regional institutions.
The SCAFS also commended development partners, including AGRA, the African Development Bank (AfDB), JICA, FAO, GALVmed, and TradeMark Africa, for their continued support to the EAC agricultural development agenda.
