Assembly/AU/ 7 (X)I Page 12 a. Improve agricultural systems and productivity so as to attain food security, enhance nutritional quality, and expand export markets for agricultural products; b. Promote measures to enhance the development of sustainable agriculture with concurrent improvement of the environment, water and other natural resources; c. Promote the diversification of the rural economy so as to increase employment and incomes; and d. Enhance human and institutional capacities for rural development. Presented below are a few initiatives that have a direct bearing on the current problem of high food prices: (a) The African Common Market for Food Products Initiative 26. International trade in agricultural products from Africa accounts for less than 5 percent of global agricultural trade. Because of limited access to regional and international markets, many African countries are unable to generate adequate revenues needed for acquiring the farm inputs required for increasing agricultural productivity. To promote greater access to regional and international markets for African agricultural and food products, the Commission, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is currently undertaking an initiative to establish an African Common Market for Food Products that will act as a catalyst to increase agricultural productivity, ensure food security and reduce poverty. The initiative’s vision draws from Pillars 2 and 3 of the CAADP framework as well as from the various Declarations and Decisions of African Heads of State and Government, notably the Lagos Plan of Action, the Abuja Treaty, the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the Treaties establishing Regional Economic Communities. It aims to assess the state of supply of and demand for food commodities in Africa; address issues of barriers to market integration; identify policy and legal changes that member states would have to implement; identify strategies to assist governments in assessing and harmonizing their legislative frameworks and legal commitments; and identifies options for reinforcing and harmonizing trade regimes within the context of existing regional economic communities. (b) The Pan-African Land Policy Initiative 27. An important factor that has contributed to the poor performance of African agriculture and the resulting high prices of major food commodities is the limited access to productive resources, particularly for small- and medium-scale farmers. Small and medium-scale agricultural producers in Africa do not have adequate access to productive resources such as land. For example, women produce most of Africa’s food but do not have equitable access to productive land. As a key input in agricultural production, access to productive land is essential for increasing agricultural productivity. Addressing land related issues is therefore critical for achieving increased agricultural production in Africa. 28. A good starting point for guaranteeing equitable access to land, especially for small and medium-scale farmers is for national governments to have good land policies in place. To assist African Governments to formulate and implement sound