Departments
Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE)
Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE)
The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) leads the efforts to promote sustainable environmental management and agricultural development by boosting member states’ rural economy development and agricultural transformation by supporting the adoption of measures, strategies, policies and programmes on agriculture.
The mandate of the department includes:
- Promoting implementing of Agenda 2063 Continental Frameworks such as Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)
- Promoting agricultural and rural development
- Promoting policies and developing strategies and programmes to ensure food security and nutrition
- Helping members states to achieve sustainable growth and improved livelihoods through sound environmental and natural resources management.
- Promoting rural community initiatives and transfer of technologies
- Coordinating efforts to eradicate poverty
- Promoting efforts to combat desertification and drought including implementation of key projects such as the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative (GGWSSI),
- Promoting Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs), Land Policy Initiative (LPI), Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR
- Promoting the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA), African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM), and the African Seed and Biotechnology Program (ASBP).
- Promoting policies and strategies to mitigate disasters;
- Supporting harmonisation of policies and strategies among the RECs
- Initiating research on climate change, water and sanitation, and land management.
The department has five regional technical offices: the AU Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC); AU–Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU–IBAR); Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (PANVAC); Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC); and Semi-Arid Food Grain Research and Development (SAFGRAD).
Structure
Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE)
Josefa Leonel Correa Sacko, Angola (elected January 2017)
Director: Godfrey Bahiigwa (Uganda)
Divisions
- Agriculture and Food Security Division;
- Rural Development Division;
- Sustainable Environment Division; and
- Blue Economy Division.
Activities
The Africa Multi-hazard Early Warning and Action System (AMHEWAS) Situation Room welcomed a Head of State of an African Union Member State for the first time.
Data collection for the 2ndAfrica Biennial Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) exercise officially kicked off, with the East African Community (EAC) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regional workshop. The event took place 18-20 June 2022 in Naivasha, Kenya.
An extraordinary meeting of the AU Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE), comprising ministers in charge of the relevant offices in the member states was held on Thursdays, July 15, 2021
A four day continental consultative meeting of major stakeholders from all the 55 African Union Members States to develop an Africa Food Safety Strategy (AFSS) was held from June 8-11, 2021
December 24, 2024
The Information and Communication Directorate (ICD) of the African Union Commission (AUC) hereby announces that the online registration for journalists interested to cover the upcoming Extra-Ordinary Summit on Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programmes (CAADP) scheduled to take place from 9th – 11th January 2025 in Kampala, Uganda has been launched on the AU website.
May 07, 2024 to May 09, 2024
In response to the recommendation of AU policy organs, the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Environment (DARBE) of the African Union is organising the AFSH summit in collaboration with AUDA-NEPAD, RECs and Partners.
Media
Department Resources
September 19, 2020
The African Union Commission (AUC) envisions “an integrated continent that is politically united based on the ideals of Pan Africanism an
June 24, 2020
Highlights of the cooperation with the GIZ-project “Support to the African Union on Migration and Displacement”
June 24, 2020
Violent extremism is a global issue.
September 24, 2024
July 20, 2023
April 06, 2023