The importance of agriculture to economic growth and rural livelihood and its vulnerability to climate change implies that building resilience to climate change in Africa must be of primary importance.
In this regard, comprehensive agricultural adaptation and mitigation strategies to meet food and income needs of current and future generations have to be implemented. Taking into account the importance of the above, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has been promoting the inclusion of Agriculture on the UNFCC negotiations.
For the first time in history, at the recently concluded seventeenth Conference of the Parties (COP17) held on 28th November- 8th December 2011 in, South Africa, parties agreed to establish a framework for exchanging views on issues related to agriculture under the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Advice (SBSTA).Parties to the negotiations are expected to make submissions not to SBSTA not later that 5th March 2012.
To assist parties in Eastern and Southern Africa, COMESA, the EAC; in collaboration with Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS-EA), a global programme of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in mid February 2012 jointly organized a regional climate change meeting of experts. The meeting took place at Mount Meru hotel, Arusha Tanzania. It brought together climate change and agriculture experts from nine Eastern Africa countries namely: Burundi, R D Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Participants were drawn from government institutions, farmer organizations, research institutions, civil society organizations, universities, the private sector, and NGOs; with a view to developing a common position on issues related SBSTA submission.
The three-day meeting that started 14th February 2012 at Mt. Meru Hotel, Arusha – Tanzania, examined the outcome of UNFCCC/COP 17. The meeting focused on decisions on agriculture with a view to propose activities that would be considered under the agricultural work programme by Parties (members of UNFCCC).
At the end of the meeting, participants came up with a draft submission paper that each party will tailor to its needs prior to submission to SBSTA. COMESA, as Africa’s largest economic grouping, will also make its submission as an observer to UNFCC. In order to ensure full participation of its members, a follow up meeting was held for its Southern Africa members in Johannesburg, South Africa just after the Arusha meeting.