The Africa wide Agriculture extension week (AAEW2003), held on 27-28 in Abuja Nigeria, marked a significant milestone in the collective pursuit of the Action Plans for strengthening the partnership between CGIAR and the Africa’s Research, Innovation and Education coordinating Institutions (AARIEIs).
This gathering of close to 600 African delegates exemplified a commitment to sensitise stakeholders about the Action Plan, and specifically its antecedents, rationale and work streams and to formulate the immediate practical actions innovation.
One of the pivotal moments of the Extension week convening was a high-level Panel aimed at resounding Africa’s commitment to strengthen Research, Extension and Education on the Continent through coordinated support to both national and regional institutions. The panel highlighted the role of different institutions in spearheading policy development, alignment, and rigorous monitoring and evaluation efforts towards a stronger AAARIEIs.
According to Dr Dan Kisawuzi the moderator of the high-level panel, the objective of the Panel Discussion was to identify the key elements of a common AARIIs framework for partnership and for scaling our technologies and innovations. the Panel host principals of the different institutions aligned in this new continental Partnership. These included the Executive Director African Forum for Agriculture Advisory Services, Dr Silim Nadhy, the CCARDESA Executive Director Professor Cliff Sibusiso Dlamini, the RUFORUM Executive Director Dr Patrick Okori. CORAF Executive Director represented by Dr Emmanuel Njukwe Director Research and innovation, and a virtual presentation by EU.
According to a preamble given by AFAAS Executive Director, Dr Silim Nadhy The Panel is outcome of meetings and calls by the AARIEIs principals and CGIAR to hold a workshops towards development of an inclusive plan / roadmap on how the implementation of the Action Plan will be rolled out.
“Over the past couple weeks several principals of Africa’s Research, Innovation and Education coordinating Institutions (AARIEIs) together with Dr Harold Roy-Macauley—Managing Director, Regions and Partnership at the CGIAR, have caucused on how to take forward the Action Plan for strengthening the partnership between CGIAR and the AARIEIs. This Plan was launched in Durban in June 2023 but little progress has so far been made towards initiating its implementation.“ briefed Dr Silim Nadhy.
Dr Silim further added that the actions of the plan were integrated in a proposal to the Africa development Bank (AfDB) to which we all contributed, and recommended to have two high-level sessions on the Action Plans .These sessions aim at sensitising stakeholders about the Action Plan, and specifically its antecedents, rationale and work streams and to formulate the immediate practical action.
Dr Emmanuel Njukwe said the Action plans of AARISE offer a great opportunity for greater partnership” this will help to enable a stronger system that goes down to support country issues. “Collectively we can harness resources that show available research and technologies, we are going to go more personal from one country to another and reach all partners and farmers,” said Njukwe.
According Professor Cliff Sibusiso says CCARDESA works through ministries of agriculture and other partners, but this new commitment redefines the operation and actions of all institutions and aligns them to a better Africa agenda.
“AARIEIs brings a new hope for Africa, but to have ownership, we need to ensure ownership of the agenda. Mutual accountability will also be key for all partnering institutions.” Says Ruforum Executive Secretary Dr Patrick Okori.
The Action Plan, launched in June 2023, aims to operationalize the 2022 Abidjan II Communique that encapsulates the agreements by the African Development Bank, the African Union Commission (AUC), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and CGIAR.
The essence of the Communique is that Africa must urgently transform its food, land, and water systems to ensure food and nutrition security despite multiple threats, including from climate change, conflict, and pandemic. The four signatories to the Communique committed themselves to work together in addressing these issues and to align institutional structures, funding, strategy, and capacity.
The Action Plan specifically seeks to revitalize the capacity of African Agricultural Innovation Systems to generate and deliver – at an appropriate scale and scope – scientific solutions that catalyze development and research-to-innovation and development delivery.
EU Comment on AARIEIs Roadmap:
“We need to have a common vision regarding this partnership and contribute to good food system transition based on research, innovation and technology. Research plays a very key role in Africa’s agriculture agenda.”
He adds that “if you need good research that develops the people, you need to work with them to ensure they can define the agenda. We need to build funding mechanism and be sure that national Governments are able to fund research.”
The AARIEIs initiative is aligned with the visions of African Union Commission and its Agencies,, the African Union, and the United Nations, provided a platform for key stakeholders to share insights, showcase success stories, and set forth initiatives to drive positive change.
For smooth implementation. Members committed to have different sessions one host by RUFORUM at its annual general meeting and at the other at the Africa Extension Week in Abuja Nigeria 2023.
The panel provided an opportunity to highlight important paradigm shifts in Agricultural Research, innovation and education. The partners appreciate and acknowledge the need to strengthen these collaborations as a mechanism for program design and implementation in the AR4D space.
