The Pan Africa Programme took part in a policy dialogue convening themed: “Agency and Accountability: Securing Citizens’ Voice and Participation in Africa’s Agriculture Development” from the 2nd to 5th April 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda. The forum brought together partners and like-minded institutions to strengthen civic engagement in the agriculture, environment and natural resource policy making space. Oxfam Country Director in Kenya gave a keynote speech at the meeting that saw Partners recognize Oxfam’s Pan Africa’s Programme contribution in advancing gender justice at regional and global levels.

The platform provided a space for Oxfam’s to share experiences and perspectives on Africa’s development direction with a particular consideration for the rural economy and policy developments, lessons learned, gaps and opportunities that will improve agricultural development, smallholder farmers, environment, natural resource management, women, and youth in the sector.

Oxfam Pan Africa through the Food Security & Climate Justice Advisor, Alvin Munyasia shared our work from Together Against Poverty – TAP on citizen mobilization, engagement, critical issues in agriculture, environment, and natural resource management . The discourse explored the impeding challenges to development and citizen engagement affecting different interest groups. The dialogue also looked at how the programme can build a case that will improve the support to address critical issues. This led to a discussion by stakeholders on the state and role of mobilization, actors and on-going initiatives supporting small holder agriculture, the missing voices, opportunities and lessons learned from our work.

This platform not only strengthened conversations and deepened debates on ways to sustain the agenda for a more inclusive and sustained citizen’s voice, but also create a broad-based network of non-state actors and government actors on the emerging and pressing challenges of Africa’s development. A meeting between African Union Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) Focal point and Pan Africa Programme led to an agreement to jointly work on the (CAADP) Biennial Review process and ensure that Non state Actors Coalition remains the Civil Society focal point to the Africa Union representing the interest of Non-State Actors and farmers groups.