Africa must accelerate investment in proven agricultural innovations to strengthen food security, create jobs and build resilience against climate shocks and economic disruptions, experts have said.
The call was made during the Harvesting the Future Africa Summit held in Nairobi, which brought together leaders from governments, research institutions, finance, philanthropy and the private sector to discuss strategies for transforming the continent’s food systems.
The summit, convened by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and its partners, focused on scaling solutions that improve productivity, support farmers and reduce Africa’s reliance on food imports.
CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts called for efforts to accelerate the movement of successful agricultural innovations from research centres to more farmers across the continent.
“At CIMMYT, our ambition is clear: food security innovation that will nourish communities, create jobs and drive sustainable growth across Africa. The challenge before us is discovering what works and then getting it into the hands of more farmers in more places, faster,” Govaerts said.
Africa’s food systems continue to face pressure from climate change, conflicts, rising production costs, disruptions in fertilizer supplies and economic uncertainty, even as the continent experiences population growth and rising demand for food.
CIMMYT Board Member Dr Agnes Kalibata said farmers, researchers, governments and businesses across Africa are already demonstrating what can be achieved through collaboration.
“Our opportunity is to make sure they have access to the resources they need to succeed,” Kalibata said.
Keynote speaker and CIMMYT Board member, Dr Agnes Kalibata, presenting her address at the Harvesting the Future Africa Summit.
The summit also examined lessons from Mexico’s partnership with CIMMYT through the MasAgro model, which demonstrated how science-based approaches can improve productivity, strengthen seed systems and help farmers adapt to changing weather conditions.
Mexico’s Ambassador to Kenya Gisele Fernández Ludlow said the collaboration showed how agricultural science can support farmers beyond national borders.
“The innovations we invested in together are now protecting harvests and building resilience for millions of farmers across Africa and beyond. This is what science diplomacy looks like in practice,” she said.
The Harvesting the Future Africa Summit showcased agricultural solutions including improved crop varieties, climate-smart farming practices, soil health technologies, digital advisory tools, seed systems and market-based innovations aimed at increasing productivity and strengthening farmer incomes.
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