By Duncan Mboyah
To scale up research on food and nutrition security on the continent, six African agricultural organizations have formed an umbrella body called the African Agricultural Research, Innovation, and Education Institutions (AARIEIs).
The new umbrella body has been founded by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), the West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), the Center for Coordination of Agricultural Research for Development in Southern Africa (CCARDESA), the North Africa Sub Regional Organization (NASRO) and the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS).
AARIEIs is expected to help them improve their linkages on research, extension and higher education.
Dr. Aggrey Agumya, FARA’s executive director, said that the new body is aimed at ensuring that the six organizations work cohesively at continental and sub regional levels without duplicating roles.
“We have agreed to have adequate engagement on a strong research, extension and higher education in the continent to reform and translate frameworks,” Dr. Agumya said during a meeting that was held in Nairobi.
He said that the new umbrella body will ensure that research efforts are structured to generate tangible benefits for farmers, agribusinesses and policymakers at country levels and not individual research organizations.
Dr. Agumya added that the organization will also ensure that knowledge and innovation translate into practical applications and adequate engagement.
On climate change, the partnership plans to focus on joint research in crop and livestock breeding, soil health, regenerative and digital agriculture as part of strengthening collaborative research for sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural technologies.
They will also have a joint development of climate-smart innovations, nature-positive agroecology, AI-driven precision agriculture, big data analytics, and policy-oriented research for food security and sustainable investment.
It will emphasize technology transfer and scaling for impact, capacity sharing and development, monitoring, evaluation and learning, and resource mobilization in ensuring that Africa becomes self-sufficient in food production.
AARIEIs will also establish regional innovation hubs and strengthen private sector linkages and ensure that agricultural technologies reach their intended users.
It will also promote community-driven technology adaptation, delivery and extension services throughout Sub Saharan Africa (SSA).
Emphasis will also be put on enhancing research infrastructure within AARIEIs, fostering South-South collaboration and peer learning, and expanding digital learning and open knowledge platforms to facilitate information sharing and skill development.
The organization aims to drive a culture shift toward more equal and healthy partnerships for capacity sharing between and among CGIAR and partners advancing food, land, and water systems transformation.
It places strong emphasis on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and youth inclusion in all its activities.
Meanwhile, AARIEIs also signed a partnership agreement with the CGIAR to foster research, innovation, capacity building, and impact-driven solutions to support Africa’s agricultural transformation.
The two organizations now have a guiding structure to strengthen collaboration that is expected to foster strategic partnerships, knowledge exchange, and joint innovation efforts.
It will help enhance partnerships between CGIAR and AARIEIs for joint research, innovation, and policy influence, and also align development agenda with the AU Agenda 2063, CAADP-Kampala Strategy, CGIAR 2025-2030 research strategy, and regional agricultural policies.
It is expected that the partnership will transform Africa’s food, land, and water systems in response to challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and sustainable agricultural development.
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