Dialogue was co-convened by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) South Africa, FANRPAN, CCARDESA, the South African Department of Agriculture, and FARA. The virtual event brought together 178 participants, marking the first of a series of consultations aimed at integrating Africa’s agricultural priorities into the G20’s global initiatives.
This inaugural meeting sets the stage for upcoming regional consultations, with virtual dialogues for East and Central Africa (March 13), West Africa (March 20), and North Africa (March 25), alongside an in-person national meeting in Pretoria on March 18. These consultations aim to strengthen Africa’s position on agricultural innovation and ensure that the continent’s priorities are effectively reflected in global agricultural science discussions.
The outcomes of the MACS meeting directly contribute to advancing Africa’s agricultural priorities within the broader G20 agenda, emphasizing the importance of integrated policies, sustainable solutions, and enhanced resilience. FANRPAN and its partners are committed to ensuring that these discussions continue to drive global action, with a strong focus on addressing Africa’s unique challenges and shaping a future where agriculture, food security, and climate resilience are central to sustainable development.
More than 100 stakeholders from East and Central Africa came together, for the second virtual G20 Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS G20) regional consultation.
This event was part of a series of consultations aimed at aligning Africa’s agricultural priorities with the global G20 agenda. The dialogue continued, with FANRPAN’s nodes, Vivian Kazi and Joshua Laichena, facilitating discussions that built on the ongoing discussion of resilience, innovation, and sustainability within Africa’s agricultural systems.
The discussions echoed many of the challenges and solutions raised during the previous Southern Africa session, emphasizing the shared barriers African farmers face across regions. From the digital divide to the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices, the conversation highlighted the interconnected nature of agricultural issues throughout the continent.
A key focus remained on integrating biodiversity conservation into agricultural practices, with a call for policies that support sustainable land management and ecosystem preservation. Similarly, the importance of fostering multi-sectoral collaboration to address the Water-Energy-Food-Health Nexus was underscored, with experts pointing to the need for synergies between these critical systems to enhance food security, water availability, and energy access.
The conversation on digital agriculture continued to hammer on the challenges posed by the digital divide between rural and urban areas. Issues such as digital illiteracy, data privacy concerns, and the high costs of digital tools for smallholder farmers were addressed, with solutions like infrastructure investment, satellite internet, and community connectivity hubs proposed to bridge these gaps.
The potential for building resilient agricultural Bio economies was also discussed, with an emphasis on policies and investments that can support smallholder farmers while driving economic growth at larger scales. Sustainable soil health practices and regenerative agriculture approaches were presented as solutions to improve soil quality and productivity across various farming systems.
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18 March 2025. A National Dialogue South African towards the Agricultural Working Group engagement and the G20’s Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS-G20) will take place on 18 March 2025 at the ARC Vegetable, Industrial and Medicinal Plants Institute (ARC-VIMP) in Roodeplaat, Pretoria from 09h00-16h00.20 March 2025. The next virtual consultation will take place on March 20, 2025, with West Africa joining the conversation. This continued engagement is vital for ensuring that Africa’s agricultural priorities are effectively integrated into the global G20 agenda, driving innovation and action toward a more sustainable, resilient future for the continent’s agricultural systems.
25 March 2025. G20 Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS-G20) North Africa Dialogue
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