Assembly/AU/ 7 (X)I Page 15 3. 4. 5. 6. technical assistance to address the current crisis and the long-term development agenda within the CAADP framework. The participants call upon the private sector (traders, transporters, input dealers, financing institutions, etc.), farmers organisations’, NGOs, development partners, national and regional research organizations and Regional Economic Communities to play prominent roles in the growth and development of the African agricultural sector. The workshop participants acknowledge the need to increase the AU/NEPAD human and financial resource capacities to follow up on the outcomes of the workshop, facilitate the implementation of CAADP and to support member countries in their pursuit to respond to the significant shock brought about by the high food prices. The participating countries recommended that the recommendations of this workshop be tabled at major upcoming fora and meetings such as TICAD IV, the FAO High Level Summit on Food Security, the 25th FAO Africa Regional Conference, the AU Summit and the G8 Summit. The participants called for immediate action by member countries to implement the following priorities while seeking additional financial and technical assistance from development partners. (a) The immediate/ short terms responses include: • • • • Immediate assistance to the vulnerable groups through targeted food assistance and safety net measures including cash and/or food transfers and nutrition support; Intensify agricultural production through the use of targeted input subsidies, particularly fertilizer and improved seed, and enhance access to water & small scale irrigation for agricultural production; Strengthen market infrastructure; and Improve post harvest management and minimize crop storage losses. (b) The medium / long term responses include: • • • • • • • • • • 7. Develop regional infrastructure to support agricultural and rural development; Adhere to regional trade policy agreements; Develop irrigation schemes and water harvesting techniques; Enhance sustainable land management practices including soil and water management and conservation; Develop micro-finance capacity and access; Improve agricultural & related risk management; Enhance productive safety net measures for small scale and vulnerable farmers; Enhance agricultural extension and research development; Improve post harvest management and minimize crop storage losses; Enhance institutional and human capacities of countries for agricultural development. The participants identified and called upon all stakeholders to develop the following thematic priority-options for African agricultural renaissance: