The new Africa strategy of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

1 September 2026. Africa Food Systems Forum 2026: From research to scale

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT launched its 2026-2030 Africa strategy in Kigali.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT launched its 2026–2030 Africa Strategy titled "Resilient Futures"

Vision: Turn scientific research into larger-scale, faster impact for farmers, food economies, and land systems.

Global/Regional Action Areas:

• Bank on agrobiodiversity: Conserve and use crop diversity (e.g., bananas, cassava, beans, forages).
• Thrive farms & landscapes: Build regenerative agriculture and restore degraded land.
• Unlock climate action: Scale climate adaptation finance and climate services.
• Enable healthy choices: Improve nutrition and school meal systems.
• Boost inclusion & prosperity: Support youth-led innovation, gender equity, and smallholder integration.

It also formalized a partnership with SNV linking research, delivery and finance.

• Juan Lucas Restrepo said the organization is tightening its systems-based approach so research can better connect crop science, soils, biodiversity, local economies and policy.
  
• The alliance said the time needed to move some agricultural innovations from discovery to farmer adoption has fallen from about 15 years to as little as one to three years.
• Restrepo cited an independent evaluation of the alliance's bean research program showing that every $1 spent generated $32 for farmers.
• The group is rebuilding its funding base after USAID's exit, with a greater focus on development partners, philanthropy, private sector collaboration and impact-investment vehicles.

See video interview with Juan Lucas Restrepo on CNBC Africa

Resilient Futures: Urgent Science for Food and Land Systems Transformation presents the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT's vision for 2026–2030.