African Union Department of Agriculture

Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment
Department overview
Preceding department	Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture;
Jurisdiction	Africa
Headquarters	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Department executive	Josefa Sacko, Commissioner;
Parent department	African Union Commission
Website	au.int/en/arbe

Last updated August 31, 2025

The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) is a department of the African Union (AU) dedicated to promoting sustainable agricultural development, rural economy growth, and environmental sustainability across Africa.^[1]

Mandate

The department's mandate includes:

Promoting the implementation of Agenda 2063 Continental Frameworks such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Supporting agricultural and rural development.
Developing policies and strategies to ensure food security and nutrition.
Assisting member states in achieving sustainable growth through sound environmental and natural resources management.
Promoting rural community initiatives and technology transfer.
Coordinating efforts to eradicate poverty.
Combating desertification and drought, including initiatives like the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative (GGWSSI).
Supporting Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs), Land Policy Initiative (LPI), Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
Implementing projects like the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA), African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM), and the African Seed and Biotechnology Program (ASBP).
Promoting disaster mitigation policies and strategies.
Harmonizing policies among the Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
Conducting research on climate change, water and sanitation, and land management.

Structure

Commissioner

Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, (elected January 2017).^[2]

Director

Godfrey Bahiigwa (Uganda)

Divisions

Agriculture and Food Security Division
Rural Development Division
Sustainable Environment Division
Blue Economy Division

Technical Offices

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)
Semi-Arid Food Grain Research and Development (SAFGRAD)

References

↑ "Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) | African Union". au.int. Archived from the original on 21 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
↑ "H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko | African Union". au.int. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.

External links

Official website

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[1] "Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) | African Union". au.int. Archived from the original on 21 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.

[2] "H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko | African Union". au.int. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.

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