By Sabri Dibaco
Agriculture ministers from the East African Community (EAC) have endorsed the final report of the 19th Sectoral Council on Agriculture and Food Security, adopting a series of resolutions aimed at transforming agriculture, strengthening regional food security, and expanding cross-border trade.
South Sudan’s National Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Clement Juma Mbugoniwia, joined his counterparts from the EAC partner states in signing the final report after five days of deliberations in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The high-level meeting brought together ministers, senior government officials, and technical experts to agree on strategies for accelerating agricultural development across the region.
According to the Press release from the minister’s office, the Agriculture and Food Security minister, the council focused on “accelerating the shift from traditional subsistence farming to commercially viable mechanised agriculture,” the statement reads
The delegates also discussed ways to improve seed processing, strengthen value addition across agricultural value chains, increase productivity, and promote environmentally sustainable farming practices.
Regional ministers identified cross-border trade in agricultural commodities as a critical driver of food security and economic growth, stressing that stronger regional integration would help unlock agricultural potential across the East African Community.
The meeting was attended by representatives from all EAC partner states, with only one delegation participating virtually.
Leading the South Sudanese delegation, Minister Clement Juma Mbugoniwia welcomed the outcomes of the meeting, describing the council’s decisions as “crucial” for South Sudan’s agricultural transformation.
He said the resolutions “closely aligned with his country’s agricultural reform agenda,” adding that the agreed regional frameworks would reinforce ongoing domestic efforts to modernise farming techniques and strengthen food systems, the statement reads.
The endorsement of the final report signals a renewed commitment by EAC member states to work collectively in promoting agricultural modernisation, improving food security, enhancing value addition, and expanding regional agricultural trade.
The resolutions adopted during the council are expected to guide the implementation of joint agricultural programmes and policies across the region as member states seek to build resilient and competitive agricultural sectors.