The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), in collaboration with the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture, is hosting the 9th Joint Technical Committee Meeting on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environment from August 5th to 8th, 2025 in Lusaka, Zambia. The meeting serves as a preparatory event for the 9th Joint Ministerial Committee meeting.
The primary objective is to facilitate the exchange of experiences, best practices, and strategic guidance among COMESA Member States in the areas of agriculture, natural resources, and the environment. Africa is recognized for its abundant natural resources, particularly its 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land. Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the region’s economy, accounting for 20% of its gross domestic product (GDP) and employing 67% of the population.
Despite its substantial potential, the agricultural sector in Africa faces challenges in enhancing its productivity. Only 10% of its output is currently produced within the continent. While the agricultural sector has historically contributed to regional integration, trade, and industrialization, it continues to encounter obstacles in ensuring food security.
In a statement, Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Kadah, Assistant Secretary General – Programs, emphasized COMESA’s commitment to bolstering regional agri-food systems to support industrialization and livelihoods.
“Initiatives are designed to assist Member States in transitioning to agriculture transformation, with a focus on enhancing competitiveness and market access in high-priority value chains while simultaneously building resilient food systems.” He said
COMESA, in collaboration with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGRA) and other partners, spearheads an effort to fortify agri-food data systems in Eastern and Southern Africa through the Digital Regional Food Balance Sheet (RFBS) project. This project endeavors to provide precise and reliable agricultural data, which is paramount for evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation in agriculture development. Furthermore, COMESA implements the Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP), which is funded by the European Union. This programme aims to bolster competitiveness and market access for designated value chains.
In his opening speech, delivered by Dr. Chizumba S. Hepande, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. John Mulongoti underscored the paramount importance of agriculture, emphasizing the urgent need for the region to modernize agricultural value chains, encompassing the entire process from seed to shelf. He challenged all Member States to intensify their efforts in investing in water-efficient irrigation technologies, building upon the COMESA Regional Irrigation Development and Agriculture Water Strategy that must be adopted during this meeting.
“We need to eliminate the barriers between agriculture, trade, and industrialization by accelerating agro-processing. The objective is to foster the establishment of cross-border programs, such as the Zambia-Zimbabwe Agro-Industrial Park, which facilitate the connection of farms to factories across borders, thereby creating more employment opportunities for the youth.” He said
The COMESA Blue Economy Strategy serves as the guiding framework for its operationalization. This entails the establishment of regional standards for sustainable fisheries, the scaling up of the most effective practices, and the creation of mechanisms that incentivize conservation efforts.
The European Union has long been a strategic partner of COMESA in areas that are central to the Committee’s mandate. Together, we have collaborated on various issues, including food systems, climate action, Special Protection Measures (SPS), and natural resources management.
Ms. Christiane Haziyo, the European Union’s representative, expressed the EU’s unwavering commitment to its partnership with COMESA saying; “We recognize this platform as a hub where regional strategies are refined and technical solutions are developed. Our partnership with COMESA is anchored in our shared values of resilience, sustainability, and regional integration.”
The meeting convened participants from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and the following partners: EU, AGRA, AU-IBAR, WTO, University of Manitoba, University of Birmingham.