More than 110 participants from over 14 countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia gathered online to celebrate the international launch of AgrEcoNUS+, a programme that aims at making Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS), a driver of agroecological transition across Africa.
AgrEcoNUS+, Enhancing value chains and markets of Neglected and Underutilized crop Species to contribute to Agroecological transition in Africa, is a 4-years-programme funded by the European Union and implemented through a consortium led by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), SWISSAID, and CIHEAM Bari. The programme operates in nine countries: Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. It aims at strengthening production, value chains and markets for NUS, supporting farmer-managed seed systems, and promoting agroecological practices to contribute to more resilient, sustainable, and sovereign food systems.
The international launch of the programme brought together key speakers from the European Commission; the Director of AICS; the Director of the Production, Markets and Infrastructure Division from IFAD, from the Swiss Agency for Developpment and Cooperation, as well as from AFSA (the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa) and CORAF (Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Développement Agricoles), to discuss the growing role of NUS and agroecology in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, malnutrition, and market shocks. Contributions from speakers highlighted the importance of placing locally adapted crops, farmer knowledge, and inclusive food systems at the centre of Africa’s agricultural transformation.
Related:
Neglected and underutilised species (NUS)—resilient, nutrient-dense, and culturally significant crops—are fast emerging as opportunity crops. They withstand climate shocks, require minimal inputs, enrich local diets, and create viable revenue streams for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth.
To unlock their potential, the European Union and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) have launched a €2.7 million call for proposals under the AgrEcoNUS+/LEAP initiative.
Over 36 months, the selected consortium will drive value chain development by:
Supporting at least 60 cooperatives, producer groups, and small businesses (30+ per country)
Building capacity in business management, technical skills, and entrepreneurship
Providing tailored financial assistance (up to €60,000 per organization)
Expanding market access through 10+ strategic partnerships, awareness campaigns, and regional food fairs
This initiative builds on frameworks like SUSTLIVES, CROPS4HD, and ORPH-CROP, with international actors including CIHEAM Bari, SWISSAID, and the Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT.
Who Should Apply?
Lead Applicant: NGOs with 7+ years’ experience in agriculture/rural development and proven financial management capacity (~€1M annually)
Consortium Requirements: Must include local co-applicants in both Ghana & Côte d'Ivoire. Cooperatives, farmer organizations, BDS providers, financial institutions, and local NGOs are encouraged to join.
Guidelines & annexes: Enhancing value chains and markets of Neglected and Underutilized crop Species to contribute to Agroecological transition in Africa - AgrEcoNUS+ Guidelines for grant applicants (42 p.)
14–15 October 2026. The Collectif Stratégies Alimentaires (CSA), the Fédération Wallonne de l'Agriculture–Union des Agricultrices Wallonnes (FWA-UAW), and AgriCord are organising an international workshop and field visits in Belgium under the theme "Farmers' Organisation-led Bio-inputs Systems."
Bringing together farmers' organisations from
Africa, Europe and the Pacific, researchers, bio-input companies, policymakers and development partners, the event explores how farmer-led initiatives can develop into credible, accessible and economically sustainable bio-input systems. The programme combines practical visits to bio-input production and research facilities in Wallonia on 14 October with policy discussions, institutional perspectives and collaborative workshops in Brussels on 15 October.
Bio-inputs—including biofungicides, bioinsecticides, bioherbicides, biostimulants and compost—offer opportunities to restore soil fertility, improve crop health, reduce dependence on synthetic inputs and strengthen farmers' autonomy. However, their wider adoption requires reliable scientific evidence, appropriate regulatory frameworks, quality assurance, affordable production systems and effective agricultural advisory services.
Farmers' organisations can play a central role by connecting experimentation and innovation with production, market development, farmer training and policy dialogue.
14 October – Field visits in Wallonia: From local production to research and innovation
Walhain and Gembloux. The first day, entitled "Bio-inputs: A Solution Gaining Momentum?", provides participants with practical examples of how farmers, researchers and enterprises are developing biological alternatives to conventional agricultural inputs.
Visit to La Biofabrique, Walhain:
Participants visit a cooperative of Walloon farmers producing bio-inputs locally. The initiative illustrates how collective production can make biological alternatives more accessible, respond to local farming conditions and strengthen farmers' autonomy.
Meeting at Fédération Wallonne de l'Agriculture – Union des Agricultrices Wallonnes, (FWA-UAW), Gembloux
Presentations introduce four complementary initiatives:
Agricells: microbial technologies and innovative biological products.
Regenacterre: farmer–agronomist collaboration on regenerative agriculture.
CRA-W: the Walloon Agricultural Research Centre, supporting agricultural research and innovation.
Bioferm'Tech: a French enterprise developing on-farm bio-input production systems, including its On-Farm™ model for farm use and commercialisation.
Visit to TERRA Research Centre
Professor Philippe Jacques, Director of TERRA, introduces the interdisciplinary research and teaching centre working across biotechnology, agriculture, agrifood systems, environment and forestry. The visit highlights the role of scientific research in developing and validating bio-input innovations.
Introduction to AgriBioTech Park
Participants discover the concept of a scientific business park under development in Gembloux, intended to support innovative enterprises from the start-up phase through to commercialisation of bio-inputs.
15 October – International Workshop in Brussels
Farmers' organisations driving bio-input adoption: Challenges and keys to success
The opening session shares practical
experiences from farmer-led initiatives across Africa and Europe, examining production, adoption, collective organisation and lessons for scaling.
Annick Sezibera — CAPAD, Burundi
Innocent Nsengimana K. — APDIK, Democratic Republic of the Congo
David Verstraete — Greenotec/Biofabrique, Belgium
Peter Fröhlich — Farmer; AgriPurpose, AgriCircle and European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture, Switzerland
State of the art, opportunities and challenges
Dr Frédéric Goulet — Sociologist and Senior Researcher, Environment & Society Department, CIRAD, France This presentation examines the scientific, technological and institutional opportunities and challenges associated with the development of bio-input systems.
Panel 1: Building an enabling environment for bio-input systems
The panel explores how regulation, standards, quality control, agricultural advisory systems and market conditions can strengthen the credibility and accessibility of bio-inputs.
Olivier Guelton — Head of Unit, Authorisations of Plant Protection Products, Belgian Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment
Representatives — Public Health and Safety Authorities, Burundi
Pieter Jan Debauw — COLEAD
Dr Toralf Richter — Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)
Panel 2: Institutional perspectives on scaling bio-input systems
This discussion brings together European and international development institutions to consider public investment, agricultural transformation, institutional partnerships and opportunities for scaling.
Christophe Larose — Head of Sector, Sustainable Agriculture, DG INTPA, European Commission
Representative — DG AGRI, European Commission
Ivan Cucco — Senior Agricultural and Food Systems Economist and Technical Expert, GP-SAEP, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Dr Jean Jacques M. Muhinda — Director General, East Africa, AGRA
Organised in the framework of the European Researchers’ Night, the two-day programme combined research with food, film and public engagement. The programme also included an African menu prepared by Cheffe Jumah of Jumah’s Corner and concluded with a music concert. Importantly, the project’s Citizens’ Committee—six experts from African diaspora communities with backgrounds ranging from education to food entrepreneurship—has helped guide project decisions, putting community knowledge at the heart of the initiative.
ROOTS AND RECIPES is particularly relevant to efforts to reconnect agrobiodiversity, food heritage and innovation. The Food Bridge is already engaged in promoting neglected and underutilized species and African food heritage, including through activities linked to GFAiR’s Collective Action on Forgotten Foods.
It was followed by a roundtable moderated by Sarra El Massaoudi, with researchers Nicole Grégoire and Sese Kabanyegeye and culinary experts Suzanne Badiane and Roger Dushime, discussing food both as an object of scientific research and as a marker of identity and community.
The second day placed citizen science and innovation centre stage through an African Food Science Fair. Researchers, African diaspora agrifood organisations, entrepreneurs and food enthusiasts showcased initiatives and exchanged knowledge through demonstrations, workshops and educational activities. The project brings together The Food Bridge vzw, AfricaMuseum, Meise Botanic Garden, KU Leuven and Scivil, working with a Citizens’ Committee representing African diaspora communities. Its ambition is to connect scientific research with community knowledge and explore the relationships between
The initiative demonstrates how diaspora communities can contribute not only to preserving culinary heritage but also to research, innovation, market development and knowledge exchange around indigenous and underutilized foods. By bringing scientists and communities together as knowledge partners, ROOTS AND RECIPES offered an interesting model for making food-system research more inclusive and for strengthening connections between African food heritage and European research and innovation.
The two-day event, was chance to connect with key stakeholders and help shape the priorities of the next Horizon Europe EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme and the future European Competitiveness Fund.
Day 1 explored how research and innovation can support more competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, forestry and rural areas. Discussions will focus on deploying and scaling up solutions, strengthening knowledge uptake by farmers, foresters and rural actors, and identifying research and innovation needs that can translate into practical solutions and market opportunities.
Day 2 built on these exchanges to consider how strategic research and innovation partnerships can be strengthened within the EU and beyond. Participants will reflect on lessons learned from current initiatives, ways to connect public-interest objectives with public and private innovation capacities, and meaningful engagement with international partners.
Highlights:
24/09 11:00 – 12:30 Fostering deployment, scaling-up and uptake of research and innovation results in agriculture, forestry and rural areas
Panel discussion: How to bolster opportunities and overcome barriers for deployment, scaling up and uptake of R&I outputs? What are successful examples?
Elisabeth Werner, Director-General, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Richard Zaltzman, CEO, EIT-Food
Adrián Ferrero, EU Mission Soil Board Member
Jan van Esch, Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Iulia Blagu, President, Romanian National Association of Women in Agriculture
25/09 11:30 – 12:45 (CEST) Partnerships for research and innovation that foster competitive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in Europe and beyond
Panel discussion: How to build strong strategic partnerships within the EU and beyond? What are successful examples?
Charles Spillane, Chief Scientist, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
The European Commission adopted a Communication on a new Strategic Approach to Research and Innovation for competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, forestry, rural areas and food systems. This strategic document brings together two closely interlinked frameworks, to guide future research, innovation, deployment and uptake across the entire agri-food sector. These frameworks are AgRI 2040, focusing on agriculture, forestry and rural areas, and Food 2040, focusing on food systems, including fisheries and aquaculture.
The Communication identifies cooperation with international partners as one of six cross-cutting priorities and specifically points to the AU–EU FNSSA Roadmap and its International Research Consortium as the framework for identifying common R&I priorities with Africa.
GFAiR through its global coordination and network along with the 5 Regional Fora (FARA, APAARI, CACAARI, FORAGRO, EFARD) can contribute to Food 2040 by acting as the bridge between the EU’s global R&I ambitions and the priorities, capacities and innovation systems of their regions.
The Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) convened its 6th SCAR Foresight Recommendation Workshop in, bringing together around 45 representatives from SCAR Working Groups, the SCAR Steering Group, the European Commission and foresight experts. Entitled “Shaping the future”, the workshop was designed to review the emerging findings of the 6th SCAR Foresight exercise and, importantly, translate its scientific conclusions into recommendations for European and national research and innovation (R&I) policy.
The workshop came at an important moment. SCAR undertakes a major foresight exercise every three to five years, and the sixth exercise builds on the previous foresight while responding to a substantially changed environment. COVID-19, geopolitical conflicts, climate change, biodiversity loss, volatile markets and other overlapping disruptions have exposed vulnerabilities in European agrifood systems. The new report therefore asks how European agrifood systems can remain resilient and adaptive in conditions where disruption may increasingly be the norm rather than the exception.
From three transition pathways to an interconnected agrifood system
A central message of the 6th Foresight is that circularity, diversity, and healthy and sustainable diets cannot be addressed as separate transition pathways. They are interconnected components of the same agrifood system and must be considered within the fundamental biophysical constraints imposed by the land–water nexus. Agriculture, forestry and fisheries are consequently viewed not only as production sectors but also as strategic stabilisers of European society and stewards of land, water and biological resources.
This represents both continuity and evolution from the 5th SCAR Foresight, which identified three major pathways towards a “safe and just operating space”: healthy and sustainable diets for all, circular zero-waste food systems, and greater diversity. The earlier foresight already stressed that these pathways needed to be considered together in order to identify synergies, trade-offs, barriers and gamechangers and to break down disciplinary and policy silos. The sixth exercise takes this systems perspective further by examining how these priorities perform when confronted with a much more volatile global environment.
Stress-testing the future through “gamechangers”
One distinctive feature of the new foresight is its use of scenarios and gamechangers. Rather than attempting to predict what Europe’s food system will look like in 2050, the exercise explores alternative futures and tests how agrifood systems might respond to major disruptions. The methodology combines scenario building, gamechanger stress-testing, literature review and SWOT analysis across the three focus areas and the land–water nexus.
This approach reflects a broader understanding of foresight itself. SCAR foresight is not intended to predict the future; its purpose is to explore different possible futures so that research systems and policymakers are better prepared for emerging risks, opportunities and unexpected events. The 6th Foresight consequently argues for a shift from short-term reaction to long-term preparedness; from separate pathways to interacting system functions; from silo optimisation to system resilience; from isolated outputs to system-level impacts; and from fragmented governance to coordinated operational capability.
Turning foresight into recommendations
The Brussels workshop focused specifically on converting these insights into actionable recommendations. Following introductory remarks by **Elke Saggau**, Chair of the SCAR Foresight Group, and **Giulia Bizzo** from the SCAR Secretariat, foresight expert **Kerstin Cuhls** presented the principal results and scientific recommendations of the sixth exercise. **Gianluca Brunori** then reflected on recommendations from previous SCAR foresights and what has changed in the context of recent crises, while **Stefano Grando** introduced initial ideas for SCAR recommendations. A tour de table moderated by **Olivier Mora** invited SCAR Working Group chairs to formulate three to four policy-level recommendations from the perspective of their respective sectors.
The afternoon discussion moved from diagnosis to action. Participants were asked to identify the most important trends, signals and challenges emerging from the Foresight; consider the short- and long-term steps required at European Commission and national levels; identify research needs across circularity, diversity and healthy diets in the face of land, energy and water constraints; and consider how research can raise awareness of the urgency of food-system transformation. The discussion also addressed what needs to change or be strengthened in policies, organisations and ministries to improve the resilience of European agrifood systems.
Implications for future research and innovation
The draft Foresight report points towards a broader conception of R&I performance. Research should not be judged solely by individual technologies, projects or sectoral outputs, but also by whether it contributes to resilience, ecosystem health, resource efficiency, nutrition, economic viability and long-term public value across the whole system. This calls for stronger interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, closer collaboration between actors and territories, and better connections between technological and social innovation.
Among the directions identified are stronger integrated governance across policy domains; collaboration at local, regional and EU levels; greater preparedness for future disruption; long-term financing for system adaptation; living labs and regional pilots; improved indicators and “true pricing” approaches that reveal environmental and health impacts; and better use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. The report also stresses that food security cannot be reduced to the availability of calories: healthy diets, healthy soils, food literacy and sustainable resource use must remain integral to future R&I strategies.
From European foresight to international research collaboration
An important implication extends beyond Europe. Agrifood systems are globally interconnected through research, trade, genetic resources, knowledge, markets and environmental impacts. The earlier SCAR Foresight already warned that sustainability improvements within Europe should not simply export environmental or social costs elsewhere and emphasised the importance of intercontinental and cross-policy cooperation. The sixth exercise reinforces this international dimension by explicitly recommending learning from other countries rather than “re-inventing wheels” and by highlighting collaboration as essential to building resilience.
For international agricultural research partnerships, this suggests moving beyond isolated projects towards long-term knowledge exchange, joint foresight, shared experimentation and research networks capable of responding rapidly to shocks. It also creates a strong rationale for connecting European R&I more systematically with research and innovation actors in Africa, Asia, the Near East and North Africa, and Latin America, particularly where countries face common challenges around climate resilience, biodiversity, diets, water, digitalisation and the inclusion of farmers and other food-system actors.
The Brussels meeting therefore represented more than the final stages of another foresight report. It was an effort to translate possible futures into choices about how research should be organised today. The emerging message of the 6th SCAR Foresight is that preparedness requires the capacity to connect the dots: between circularity and diversity, diets and natural resources, science and society, short-term crises and long-term transformation, and European research priorities and the wider global agrifood system.
The European Commission adopted a Communication on a new Strategic Approach to Research and Innovation for competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, forestry, rural areas and food systems. This strategic document brings together two closely interlinked frameworks, to guide future research, innovation, deployment and uptake across the entire agri-food sector. These frameworks are AgRI 2040, focusing on agriculture, forestry and rural areas, and Food 2040, focusing on food systems, including fisheries and aquaculture.
The Communication aims to strengthen the agri-food innovation ecosystem from early-stage research and innovation to deployment and market uptake, and to accelerate the uptake of knowledge and innovation across the entire sector. It puts greater emphasis on users’ challenges and needs and on the delivery of real impact on the ground by bringing together multiple actors including end users, researchers and businesses, to co-create, test and demonstrate solutions in real-world settings. This will also help startups, scaleups and SMEs to move promising innovations closer to the market.
Staff Working Document: Analytical overview of the achievements of the 2016 strategic approach to agricultural research and innovation and Food 2030 research and innovation framework and insights from stakeholder consultation activities (91 p)
* 25/09 Partnerships for research and innovation that foster competitive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in Europe and beyond: How to build strong strategic partnerships within the EU and beyond? What are successful examples?
"In 2023, EU agriculture and food systems generated more than EUR 1 trillion in added value and employed around 30 million people (15% of all jobs in the EU2). This includes 4.8 million people employed in 309 000 businesses in the food and drink industry, the EU’s largest manufacturing sector that delivered EUR 1.5 trillion in turnover and EUR 296 billion in value added. As the world’s largest agri-food exporter, the EU recorded a EUR 50 billion agri-food trade surplus in 2025." (page 2)
The Communication identifies cooperation with international partners as one of six cross-cutting priorities and specifically points to the AU–EU FNSSA Roadmap and its International Research Consortium as the framework for identifying common R&I priorities with Africa.
This creates a role for GFAiR as a global convening and brokerage mechanism: connecting the EU with Regional Fora, NARS, farmer organisations, universities, CGIAR and other innovation actors; facilitating equitable participation in research agenda-setting; and helping translate international research investments into locally relevant Collective Actions.
"The new roadmap agreed between the African Union and the EU on ‘Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture’ (FNSSA), together with the related International Research Consortium should provide a framework for identifying, with the African Union and related partners, common areas on which to focus. Cooperation with other partners to address similar challenges in agriculture, forestry and rural areas, such as India or the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, could be further explored."(page 12)
This is reinforced by the Communication's emphasis on governance that integrates different forms of knowledge and perspectives, inclusive stakeholder engagement, youth and gender, and stronger links between research and policymaking. In this sense, GFAiR can help ensure that international cooperation under AgRI 2040 is not simply EU research transferred to partner countries, but genuinely co-created research and innovation responding to priorities identified by national and regional actors.
The Communication is equally significant for National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) because its proposed innovation model closely corresponds to the functions NARS must perform: linking research, farmers, extension and advisory services, education, private enterprise, policymakers and markets.
The Commission stresses that innovation must move beyond individual projects through scaling out, scaling up and scaling deep, and argues that farmers are more likely to adopt innovations when they are co-created with them, tested under real-life conditions and supported through advisory services and peer-to-peer exchange. This provides a strong rationale for engaging NARS as national innovation-system partners rather than merely research implementers. Their research stations, extension links, testing facilities, universities and relationships with producers can provide the institutional infrastructure for Living Labs, farmer-led experimentation, validation of traditional knowledge and adaptation of innovations to local conditions.
Particularly relevant to GFAiR’s current work, AgRI 2040 explicitly calls for the development or reintroduction of “neglected and underutilised species” as climate-smart, resource-efficient, resilient and diverse crops.
"The potential of plant breeding, knowledge of seeds and plant varieties, biotechnology and genetic resources should be further leveraged. This includes supporting breeding activities, as well as the development or reintroduction of climate-smart, resource-efficient, resilient, resistant and diverse varieties, including neglected and underutilised species, suited to a wide range of conditions, with due consideration of the legal and policy context."(page 16-17)
Up to 88% of the respondents strongly or somewhat agreed with the four proposed mechanisms to strengthen research and innovation (R&I) at EU and international level to address global challenges in agriculture, forestry and rural areas: (page 10)
closer public-public cooperation and alignment of agendas between the EU, Member States and Associated Countries;
enhanced public-private collaboration with business and philanthropic actors;
deeper partnerships with international organisations and third countries;
stronger cross-disciplinary and cross sectoral collaboration (for example on One Health, the bioeconomy, biotechnology and the blue economy).
Extract from the Staff Working Document
The Staff Working Document provides a fairly clear set of lessons for how agricultural research and innovation (R&I) should be strengthened at international level. The most relevant elements are:
Treat international cooperation as a core R&I function, not an add-on. The Commission argues that climate change, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, water scarcity and food insecurity are inherently cross-border challenges. International cooperation is therefore needed to accelerate innovation uptake, exchange knowledge and co-develop solutions adapted to local needs. The document notes that third-country partners participated in 34% of relevant Horizon 2020 projects and 19% of current Horizon Europe projects.
Build long-term international R&I partnerships around jointly agreed priorities. The EU–AU FNSSA Partnership is presented as a flagship model: it combines joint research, innovation, capacity building and knowledge exchange around sustainable agriculture, nutrition-sensitive food systems, markets and trade, climate resilience and innovation uptake. The Commission has mobilised more than €125.5 million for 20 collaborative projects through this cooperation. Several projects began in 2020: FOODLAND | InnoFoodAfrica | HealthyFoodAfricaEWA – BELT | SustainSAHEL | SustInAfrica | UPSCALE | Soils4Africa
Move from temporary projects towards permanent or networked international research mechanisms. Particularly important is the International Research Consortium (IRC-FNSSA). "Its establishment has transformed FNSSA from a coordination platform into a long-term, inclusive mechanism for joint AU-EU research governance." Together with the forthcoming FNSSA Roadmap 2027–2036, it is expected to support innovation, policy alignment and sustainable development across both continents. CEA-FIRST further supports this by reducing research fragmentation, developing a common knowledge platform, analysing R&I activities and establishing thematic working groups that feed evidence into high-level policy dialogue.
Strengthen NARS and Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). The AKIS4FNSSA project is a Horizon Europe research initiative that builds a shared African and European agricultural knowledge network to support sustainable food security. The envisaged impact is to strengthen the AU–EU agrifood systems R&I governance framework by evolving the IRC into an enduring infrastructure and a community of practice that drives agricultural innovation in Africa. AKIS4FNSSA is a shared African and European knowledge investment into a productive, innovative-driven and inclusive agricultural innovation system supporting the FNSSA Partnership.
Use multi-actor and place-based approaches internationally. International cooperation increasingly supports place-based innovation and AKIS, while Horizon cooperation promotes multi-actor approaches and capacity building. CANALLS (Driving agroecological transitions in the humid tropics of Central and Eastern Africa through traNsdisciplinary Agroecology Living LabS) provides a concrete African example: eight agroecology Living Labs connect researchers, farmers, advisory services, communities and policymakers and engage more than 20,000 farmers and value-chain actors. This is a way of connecting science, policy and practice.
Connect international research to policy and investment rather than ending at knowledge generation. PRIMA - The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area - demonstrates such model: countries pool resources around a common R&I strategy and competitive calls. Between 2018 and 2025 it supported 2,900 beneficiaries through 305 projects, illustrating how a long-term intergovernmental partnership can mobilise scientific communities, public institutions and private actors around common challenges.
Improve access of smaller and less-connected actors to international R&I.Cascade funding can finance SMEs, farmers and other small actors to test and validate research results, while Living Labs and lighthouses allow innovations to be tested under real conditions.
The PREMIERE project adds training, capacity building, networking, brokerage and even seed funding for proposal development, specifically to widen participation of organisations with little previous experience in collaborative projects. PREMIERE is a European Union funded project that aims to strengthen the multi-actor approach by supporting the development of more relevant, coherent, and well-prepared project proposals. Handbook #2 is the second in PREMIERE’s series of practical guides for multi-actor proposal teams. It’s a companion to the forthcoming, shorter How-to Guide on the same topic and to PREMIERE’s webinar on this subject (available soon).
The role of regional fora
GFAiR through its global coordination and network along with the six Regional Fora can contribute to Food 2040 by acting as the bridge between the EU’s global R&I ambitions and the priorities, capacities and innovation systems of their regions. Building on the Food 2030 experience, they can help co-define research agendas, connect NARS and AKIS actors, identify locally relevant food-system challenges, mobilise multi-actor partnerships, and channel evidence from farmers, researchers, advisory services, private sector and policymakers into international R&I programming.
GFAiR and Regional Fora together could help Food 2040 avoid fragmented, project-by-project cooperation by aggregating national priorities, facilitating cross-country and South–South learning, supporting regional Living Labs and Communities of Practice, and ensuring that EU-funded research is better aligned with regional strategies and more effectively taken up through NARS, extension, education and policy systems.
APAARI’s Role in Agricultural Research and Innovation
The Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) was founded in 1990 through an initiative of FAO and governments across Asia and the Pacific. Its vision is strengthened research and innovation for sustainable agricultural development, while its mission focuses on promoting, coordinating and strengthening agrifood research and innovation systems through partnerships, capacity development and advocacy. Its strategic priorities encompass sustainable agriculture and agroecology, healthy and nutritious value chains, innovation and technology, safe agrifood trade, and climate resilience, biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
APAARI acts as a regional connector and platform for international research collaboration, linking national research organizations, CGIAR and international research centres, universities, extension services, farmers and civil society, the private sector, development partners and regional platforms. Collaboration is organized around knowledge exchange, joint research and innovation, capacity development, regional networking, policy dialogue, resource mobilization and technical cooperation. Current projects illustrate this role in practice, covering phytosanitary compliance and seed trade, plant-health research coordination, SPS modernization, skills and policy support, and agroecology and safe food systems across South and Southeast Asia.
AARINENA's Role in Agricultural Research and Innovation
The Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA), established in 1985, serves as a regional hub for strengthening and transforming agricultural research and innovation across the NENA region. Its mission is to connect national, regional and international research actors through dialogue, knowledge exchange and partnerships, while strengthening capacities and influencing policy. Its priorities include building a global knowledge platform for South–South and South–North exchange, fostering open and multi-stakeholder agricultural R&I systems, transforming higher education and research, and empowering rural women, youth and smallholder farmers.
AARINENA provides a strong platform for international research collaboration through knowledge sharing, capacity building, joint resource mobilization, policy engagement, networking, technology transfer, and joint monitoring and evaluation. Its thematic networks cover areas such as plant genetic resources, water-use efficiency, date palm, olives, animal production and health, plant protection, biotechnology and Forgotten Foods, Neglected Crops and Underutilized Species (FF-NUS), providing practical structures for collaborative research and innovation. Recent examples include the Date Palm Innovation Platform (2023) and Olive Innovation Platform (2024).
The role of FORAGRO in Agricultural Research and Innovation
FORAGRO - the Forum of the Americas for Agricultural Research and Technological Development, established in 1997, is a hemispheric, open and inclusive forum connecting the main actors in agricultural research, development and innovation across the Americas. It brings together national agricultural research institutes, academia, producer and private-sector organizations, civil society, extension services, regional cooperation mechanisms and international organizations. Its role combines an internal function—promoting dialogue, coordination, investment and a shared regional R&I agenda—with an external function, connecting the Americas with global research and innovation processes through GFAiR, CGIAR and other regional and international partners.
FORAGRO’s reconceptualization is structured around three strategic axes: (1) developing a strategic and foresight roadmap for science, technology and innovation (STI) in agrifood systems; (2) creating a platform for horizontal cooperation, including AGROFOOD-TROP and AI-supported knowledge management through OPSAa; and (3) strengthening engagement with international STI spaces. The third axis positions FORAGRO as a regional voice, global foresight radar and strategic interpreter of international opportunities, enabling the Americas to formulate common priorities, anticipate emerging trends, connect regional capabilities with global initiatives, and present more coordinated regional positions internationally.
FARA's role in Agricultural Research and Innovation
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) was created in 1997 and evolved by 2000 into Africa’s apex organization for agricultural research and innovation. Its establishment responded to the fragmentation of Africa’s national research systems and the need for a continental mechanism to coordinate research, strengthen capacities, facilitate partnerships and knowledge exchange, advocate for supportive policies, and represent African agricultural research internationally, including within GFAiR.
FARA’s strategic role is to connect science with agriculture at scale by improving access to regional and global knowledge, facilitating innovation-to-impact partnerships, strengthening institutional and human capacities, and supporting collective action across countries and sub-regions.
The presentation highlights an evolving African agricultural research agenda shaped by digitalization, climate change, agroecology and regenerative agriculture, gender and social inclusion, a rapidly growing youth population, and the vulnerability of African food systems.
FARA positions itself as “one door” to research partnerships across 55 African countries and as a key African partner for GFAiR. The final slide identifies concrete areas of FARA–GFAiR Collective Action collaboration: Forgotten Foods, inclusive digital transformation of agriculture, agroecology/pesticides, transformation of higher education in agriculture, and land tenure and climate change.
CACAARI's Role in Agricultural Research and Innovation
CACAARI—the Central Asia and the Caucasus Association of Agricultural Research Institutions—serves as a regional forum linking national agricultural research institutions in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan with universities, advisory services, farmer organizations and international partners. Its approach is based on national ownership: countries identify research priorities and farmers’ needs, while CACAARI facilitates regional consultation, coordination and partnerships. Its main areas of shared interest include water and soil management, climate adaptation, food and rural livelihoods, with an emphasis on connecting research to practical farming and agribusiness decisions.
For 2026–2030, CACAARI proposes four priorities: climate-resilient farming; stronger research systems; innovation with farmers, particularly women and youth; and improved evidence and useful digital tools. It seeks partnerships that can translate these priorities into shared regional agendas, joint programmes, field-learning initiatives and evidence for research investment. Concrete opportunities include cross-border research on water and soils, university–farmer–advisory partnerships for women and youth, and assessments of research capacity and investment needs. CACAARI also provides a bridge to wider regional and global cooperation through GFAiR, APAARI and AARINENA, positioning Central Asian and Caucasus research institutions to contribute to—and benefit from—international agricultural research and innovation initiatives.
On 9 September 2026, CIHEAM Bari convened a Mediterranean Breakfast Dialogue in Brussels, bringing together representatives of different organisations for an informal exchange on the future of cooperation between the European Union and Mediterranean countries.
The meeting was opened by Biagio di Terlizzi, Director of CIHEAM Bari, and centred on a moderated roundtable led by Eduardo Cuoco, Director of IFOAM Organics Europe.
The discussion addressed two central questions:
what priorities should guide future EU cooperation with Mediterranean countries on sustainable agriculture and food systems, and
where stronger cooperation among European institutions, international organisations and Mediterranean partners could create the greatest added value.
Against the backdrop of shared challenges across the Mediterranean—from climate change and natural-resource pressures to the need for more resilient and sustainable food systems—the dialogue provided a space to identify common priorities and potential areas for joint action.
A key purpose of the meeting was therefore to identify areas of convergence for future cooperation and explore how better coordination among international organisations, cooperation actors and Mediterranean partners could translate into concrete added value. The format, combining a focused roundtable with informal bilateral exchanges, also provided an opportunity to build relationships and identify possible follow-up collaboration around sustainable agriculture and food systems in the Mediterranean.
Interview
Interview with Claudi BOGLIOTTI of BARI CIHEAM. SUSTLIVES is an EU-funded agricultural project under the DeSIRA initiative focused on improving local crop patrimony, livelihoods, and ecosystems in Burkina Faso and Niger. This project was extended through AgrEcoNUS+ https://capacity4dev.europa.eu/media/...
SUSTLIVES (Sustaining and Improving Local Crop Patrimony in Burkina Faso and Niger for Better Lives and Ecosystems) was an EU-funded project under the DeSIRA (Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture) initiative, implemented from 2021 with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and CIHEAM Bari. Working in Burkina Faso and Niger, it promoted sustainable and climate-resilient food systems by bringing neglected and underutilized species (NUS) back into research, production, diets and markets. Its approach combined conservation of local agrobiodiversity with stronger NUS value chains, research and innovation capacity within Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), and participatory work with farmers and other stakeholders. Particular attention was given to food and nutrition security, rural livelihoods, and economic opportunities for women and young people.
The experience and approaches developed through SUSTLIVES are being taken further through AgrEcoNUS+ (Agroecological Transition and Community Resilience through Neglected and Underutilized Species in Africa). Rather than treating NUS merely as “forgotten crops,” this follow-on initiative places them within a broader agroecological transition and resilience agenda, linking agrobiodiversity, food sovereignty, ecosystem sustainability and equitable market opportunities. AgrEcoNUS+ therefore provides an avenue for scaling lessons generated by SUSTLIVES beyond its original Burkina Faso–Niger focus and strengthening collaboration around African opportunity crops and resilient food systems across the Sahel and wider Africa.
2 September 2026. Scaling Opportunity Crops Through Policy, Partnerships, and Investment.
The next generation of agricultural growth will not be created by a single crop, institution, or investment.
It will emerge from connected systems that make good opportunities investable and scalable.
Policy can create the enabling environment. Partnerships can connect expertise and incentives. Investment can build the infrastructure and businesses required for competitive value chains. And farmers can turn those opportunities into production, income, and economic transformation.
The challenge now is to move from isolated success stories to scalable models.
One of the objectives of this meeting organised by CropTrust was to bring together different actors advocating for or rolling out activities on Neglected and Underutilized Crops.
Opening remarks:
H.E. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union
Kordula Mehlhart, Head of Division, Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
Isabella Rae, Agriculture and Food Systems Lead, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland
Cristina Miranda Gozálvez, Head of Unit, European Commission – DG International Partnerships
Keynote:
Dr. Sayed Azam-Ali, Chair of the High Level Panel of Experts - Food and Nutrition Security of the Committee on World Food Security
Session 1 - Policy:
Dr. Clement Adjorlolo, Head of Agriculture and Rural Transformation AUDA-NEPAD
Mark Kofi Fynn Regional Policy Officer, FAO Regional Office for Africa, including a reference to the the policy optimisation tool
Session 2 - Partnerships:
Dr. Julia Sibiya, VACS Capacity Development Lead, CIMMYT. She referred to new varieties of Bambara groundnut in Zimbabwe
Michael Ojo, Country Director, Nigeria, at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). He referred to the National Food Systems Transformation agenda.
Dr. Kindie Tesfaye Fantanye, Head of Climate Adaptation, Sustainable Agriculture and Resilience, AGRA - Entry point for investments
Dr. Wole Fatunbi, Ag. Director of Research and Innovation, FARA - see below
1–3 July 2026. Accra, Ghana. The CIRAWA Agroecology Conference – Agroecology and Nature-BasedSolutions for Sustainable Food Systems in Africa was structured around three thematic days that combined keynote addresses, scientific presentations, policy dialogues, workshops, poster sessions, and field visits. The conference brought together researchers, policymakers, farmers, civil society organizations, development partners, and private-sector actors to discuss how
agroecology and nature-based solutions can accelerate sustainable food systems across Africa.
Conference Programme
The conference opened with three keynote addresses that framed the scientific and policy discussions on agroecology in Africa:
Keynote 1:The IUCN Global Framework for the Design, Verification and Scaling-up of Nature-based Solutions – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Keynote 2:Harmonisation of Indigenous Knowledge and Transformative Education: Enabling Agroecology Transitions in Africa – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Opening Ceremony – Alex Percival Segbefia (picture), the Chief of Staff of the Vice President of Ghana
Mr. Segbefia reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming Ghana’s agricultural sector through the promotion of agroecological practices as part of the country’s broader agricultural transformation agenda. He said Ghana must move away from agricultural systems that are no longer delivering the desired results and embrace approaches that support sustainable food systems and long-term agricultural resilience. [02/07 West Africa charts path towards sustainable food systems at CIRAWA Agroecology Conference]
Remarks from representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana (EPA Ghana), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the European Union (EU), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Ghana (MoFA), the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology of Ghana (MESTI), the Minister of State for Climate Change, AMAATI Ltd., and other partners.
Keynote 3:The State and Potential of Agroecology in Africa – University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana
The first scientific sessions focused on two major themes:
Scientific Session 2:Agroecology Transitions – Chair:Association pour le Développement des Populations du Mayo-Rey (ADPM), Cameroon
The second day 02/07 featured four keynote presentations followed by four thematic scientific sessions:
Keynote 4:Soil Health, Agro-Waste and Circularity – Dr. Aggrey Agumya, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
Keynote 5:Indicators and Monitoring & Evaluation – Raul Sanchez, CARTIF (Centro Tecnológico CARTIF, Spain); Discussants:Dr. Dileyini Lizza Diaz, University of Valladolid (UVA), Spain, and Prof. Charles Okyere, University of Ghana
Scientific Session 3:Soil Health, Agro-Waste and Circularity – Chair:Dr. Catherine Dembele, Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF); Discussant:Dr. Marina Paneque, University of Seville (USE), Spain
Scientific Session 4:Indicators and Monitoring & Evaluation – Chair:Jules Bayala, Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF); Discussant:Dr. Lamin Dibba, National Agricultural Research Institute of The Gambia (NARI)
Keynote 6:Agroecology Transitions – Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, Chief Executive Officer, Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana (EPA Ghana)
Keynote 7:Policy, Upscaling and Gender: Agroecology & Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Food Systems at Scale in Africa – Critical Pathways to Adoption at Scale – Dr. Moumini Savadogo, West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF)
Scientific Session 5:Agroecology Transitions – Chair:Dr. Erin Anders, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, University of Nebraska, USA; Discussant:Richard Appoh, World Vision (WV)
Scientific Session 6:Policy, Upscaling & Gender – Chair:Dr. Demba B. Jallow, National Agricultural Research Institute of The Gambia (NARI); Discussant:Dorcas Owusuaa Agyei, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
The final day 03/07 focused on policy dialogue and practical implementation:
Keynote 8:Policy, Governance and Way Forward – Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, Chief Executive Officer, Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana (EPA Ghana).
Policy Briefs and Roundtable Policy Discussion – Moderator:Dr. Jacques Somda; Panelists:Dr. Moumini Savadogo (West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development – CORAF), Dr. Marc Corbeels (Climate Adaptation and Mitigation through Nature-based Solutions – CANALLS), Prof. Osman Tahidu Damba (Secretary-General, Ghana Commission for UNESCO), and Prof. Olowole Fatunbi (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa – FARA).
The conference concluded with five parallel workshops:
Workshop 1:Unlocking the Potential of Partnerships for Agroecology in Sub-Saharan Africa – Organised by the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA).
Workshop 2:Measuring What Matters: Participatory Monitoring for Farmers and Agroecology Practitioners Using the TRANSITIONS Metrics Meta Framework – Gloria Kukurije Adeyiga, Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG).
Workshop 3:CIRAWA DSS: An Agroecological Decision-Support System for Soil-Based Crop Planning in West Africa – Nicolas Minary and Nabil Boukala, Landfiles.
Workshop 4:Operationalising Agroecology at Scale: Insights from the Regreening Africa Project in Ghana – Organised by the Regreening Africa Project.
Workshop 5:Agroecological Farming and Biocircular Training Programme (AFBTP) – Organised by the Wuntira Agri Foundation (WAF).
Background:
The EU-funded project CIRAWA has been collaborating with farmers and stakeholders in four West African countries (Cape Verde, Ghana, Senegal, and The Gambia) since 2023, to develop and share agroecological and nature-based solutions that promote sustainable and resilient farming. The conference also receive support from other EU projects such as CANALLS, PrAEctiCe, and NATAE.
Project
Full project name
Implementation period
EU budget
Consortium
CIRAWA
Agro-ecological Strategies for Resilient Farming in West Africa
November 2022 – October 2026 (48 months)
€7.5 million
14 partners from 9 countries, coordinated by Fundación CARTIF (Spain). The consortium includes CARTIF, CIRAD, University for Development Studies (Ghana), FARA, University of Cape Verde, INIDA (Cape Verde), ISRA (Senegal), NARI (The Gambia), CIFOR-ICRAF, ADPM (Cameroon), and other European and African research and innovation organizations.
CANALLS
Climate Adaptation through Nature-based Solutions: Agroecology Living Labs in Sub-Saharan Africa
November 2022 – October 2026 (48 months)
Approximately €8 million
18 partners from Europe and Africa, coordinated by CIRAD (France). Partners include IITA, University of Hohenheim, NIBIO, Rikolto, IRAD, ISABU, Rwanda Agriculture Board, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), FARA and several national research organizations in Central and Eastern Africa.
PrAEctiCe
Potentials of Agroecological Practices in East Africa with a Focus on Circular Water-Energy-Nutrient Systems
November 2022 – April 2026 (42 months)
€6.9 million
16 partners from 9 countries, coordinated by Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (Germany). The consortium includes universities and research institutes from Germany, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Malta and Nigeria, working through Living Labs in East Africa.
NATAE
Fostering Agroecology Transition in North Africa through Multi-actor Approaches
November 2022 – October 2026 (48 months)
€7.4 million
23 partners from Europe and North Africa, coordinated by CIHEAM Montpellier (France). The consortium includes Wageningen University & Research, IUCN, ICARDA, CIHEAM Bari, CIHEAM Zaragoza, Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie (INAT), Institut National du Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts (INGC), Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II (Morocco), and research institutes and NGOs from Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
Together, these four Horizon Europe projects represent a coordinated investment of approximately €30 million in agroecological research and innovation across West, Central, East and North Africa. They share a common emphasis on multi-actor innovation, Living Labs, nature-based solutions, knowledge co-creation, and evidence-based policy development, while each focuses on a distinct African region and agroecological context.
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