The Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) capped a significant presence at the inaugural CGIAR Science Week in Nairobi with the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CGIAR, aimed at accelerating agricultural innovation and delivery across Africa.
The partnership was announced during the CGIAR Science Week, held from April 7 to 12, 2025, where AGRA played a central role. AGRA President Alice Ruhweza was among the event’s high-level speakers, underscoring the organization’s commitment to leveraging science and scalable technologies to transform food systems for smallholder farmers.
The newly signed MoU formalizes AGRA and CGIAR’s shared vision of co-developing and scaling science-based innovations to support Africa’s smallholder farmers. Building on a long-standing collaboration, the agreement establishes a strategic partnership to drive food systems transformation through joint research, technology dissemination, and policy support.
“This moment of CGIAR cementing its collaboration with AGRA is not only a milestone, but also a significant continuation of the legacy we’ve built together in advancing science, innovation, and impact for Africa’s smallholder farmers,” said Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR. “As a vital first step, initiatives such as Capacity Sharing for Development (CapSha) establish the framework for a dynamic, multi-directional exchange of knowledge, technologies, and evidence. This MoU is a strong statement of our resolve to go further together in co-developing solutions and cultivating inclusive, sustainable food system reform across the continent.”
AGRA President Alice Ruhweza emphasized the alignment of the partnership with AGRA’s mission. “Our collaboration with CGIAR demonstrates our ongoing commitment to accelerating agrifood systems transformation in Africa. Building on years of collaboration, we now have the opportunity to work even more closely—scaling innovations, strengthening country systems, and providing smallholder farmers with the tools they need to thrive. This is the first step toward deeper integration of science and delivery.”
The agreement outlines a framework for enhanced cooperation across AGRA and CGIAR’s strategic areas and geographic priorities, focusing on countries such as Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique. The MoU details collaborative actions to bridge research and implementation, promote supportive policy environments, and foster inclusive, climate-resilient agricultural systems aligned with Africa’s CAADP agenda.
A highlight of AGRA’s participation at Science Week was its showcase of the Village-Based Advisor (VBA) model—an innovative last-mile delivery approach that has reached 28 million smallholder farmers across 12 countries. The model reflects AGRA’s commitment to embedding tailored advisory services in rural communities, aligned with local agroecological and market realities.
In line with its commitment to youth-led agricultural innovation, AGRA brought five outstanding agripreneurs to CGIAR Science Week to share breakthrough solutions shaping Africa’s agri-food systems. These included innovators like Joyce Rugano, creator of the AI-powered Wastebot, which converts organic waste into fertilizer within 24 hours, and Priscillah Wakarera, whose Agripad device provides real-time soil data to help farmers make precision decisions—highlighting the critical role of youth and technology in climate-resilient agriculture.
As CGIAR Science Week concluded, AGRA and CGIAR move forward with renewed resolve to drive innovation, strengthen food systems, and empower smallholder farmers as key agents in Africa’s agricultural transformation.
