Fez — African agriculture ministers gathered today in Meknes on the sidelines of SIAM 2026 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture (AAA), using the occasion to push for a stronger continental response to climate pressure on farming systems.
The sixth ministerial conference of the initiative was chaired by Ahmed El Bouari, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, according to a press release.
The meeting brought together representatives from 13 African countries, including 10 ministers, alongside institutional and financial partners, researchers, and civil society actors.
The anniversary conference was framed as both a stocktaking exercise and a political signal, as participants reviewed a decade of work while looking ahead to the next phase of African agricultural adaptation.
The event also stood out because of the presence of Princess Sarah Bint Bandar Bin Abdulaziz, Executive Director of the International Dates Council, whose participation added weight to the gathering.
Adaptation framed as strategic, not sectoral
The conference took place against the backdrop of worsening climate impacts and a major financing gap. According to the press release, Africa’s annual adaptation needs are estimated at $61 billion (approximately MAD 567 billion), a figure that still far exceeds the funding currently mobilized.
Ministers argued that adapting African agriculture can no longer be treated as a limited technical issue or a temporary response. Instead, they described it as a strategic lever for food sovereignty, economic stability, and sustainable development across the continent.
Participants also backed the concept note for a new strategy paper titled “10 Years of the AAA Initiative: Review and Vision 2036,” being prepared by the AAA Foundation in partnership with the FAO.
The document is expected to serve both as a reference point for climate-resilient agricultural policies in Africa and as an operational roadmap for 2026–2036.
At the close of the conference, ministers adopted the “Meknes Declaration,” reaffirming their commitment to make agricultural adaptation a continental priority. The statement also praised Morocco’s political and diplomatic role in advancing the AAA initiative and promoting South-South cooperation on agricultural resilience ahead of key international meetings later this year.