Regional Economic Communities in Africa and agroecology

This report presents the findings of a rapid review of agricultural policies of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) of the African Union (AU). The objective of this review is to shed light on mandates, policies and priorities of the AU and RECs concerning agricultural development and identify opportunities for effective partnership between the European Commission and the REC for promoting the transformation of agrifood systems based on agroecological approaches in Africa. This review is based on the analysis of websites and reports presenting policies, strategies and plans of the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) addressing agriculture, rural development and natural resources management. Some interviews of European Union (EU) delegations and REC staff were conducted to provide additional information.

All the RECs are investing in practices aligned with some agroecological principles to promote sustainable use of land and natural resources and to address the impacts of climate change including interventions such as organic agriculture, conservation agriculture and climate-smart agriculture. ECOWAS and SADC have plans that specifically mention agroecology even if they also support more intensive agriculture. The interventions are supported by development partners, with the EU playing a prominent role in this regard. For its Common Agriculture Policy, CEMAC calls for the promotion of agroecology and climate-smart agriculture as strategies for reducing and mitigating the impacts of climate change on the environment and natural resources. However, there are no specific interventions in this field.

The policies and strategies reviewed call mainly for the adoption of agricultural development technologies and practices that enhance production and productivity. AU, the RECs and their Member States are attracted by the promise of increased productivity through intensive and commercial agriculture and its associated technologies. But they are also alive to the need for sustainable approaches to agricultural production that protect the integrity of land and ecosystems and enhance diversity and resilience to enable adaptation to climate change. Even if there is a growing recognition of agroecology as a pathway to address intricated challenges such as food production, soil health, or climate change, there is still a long way to mainstream agroecology in the AU and RECs policies and strategies. However, there are windows of opportunities with the AU Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative Strategy, some RECs mentioning explicitly agroecology and with explicit mentions in Post-Malabo Agenda Consultations and RECs policies and strategies to practices or approaches linked to agroecology with the willingness to overcome the limits of the green revolution approach. There are also opportunities in the intention to make the policies and AU and REC strategies related to agriculture and those related to natural resource management more coherent.