Call for Effective Partnerships, Political Will, Science and Innovation Dominate CGIAR Inaugural Science Week

BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT

GIGIRI, NAIROBI, KENYA—Partnerships. Joint action. Collaboration. This semantic field, denoting effectively working together and underscoring the importance of leveraging competences and resources from multiple institutions and actors in the food systems resonated throughout the week-long CGIAR inaugural Science which just ended on April 12, at the United Nations Campus in Gigiri in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The event was dedicated to advancing science and innovation through the exploration of groundbreaking research towards creating sustainable, resilient and equitable food systems.

Mammoth gathering of researchers indulge in science showcase

According to official records, more than 13,600 participants from around the world participated for the inaugural CGIAR Science Week at the UN Complex in Nairobi, April 7-12, 2025. The delegates were treated to a beehive of events including plenaries, workshops, side events, exhibitions, deal making sessions and field trips.

Speaking at various platforms during the week, the CGIAR’s Executive Director, Dr. Ismahane Elouafi said, “This is a testament that people are thirsty for science and for good news. They are thirsty for hope, and that’s what science brings… and that’s also what CGIAR brings. We bring solutions to the country level and the community where science could really thrive.”

At the closing ceremony, Dr. Elouafi observed: “Over past days, we’ve explored groundbreaking research, forged new collaborations, and reaffirmed our commitment to creating sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems. The dialogues and connections fostered here will undoubtedly propel our shared mission forward.”

“Our science has always focused on inclusion and scaling innovation to the last mile,” she said, implying the CGIAR’s decades long work with national institutions such as Kenya’s KALRO. “What makes our work so powerful is that it is relevant, co-designed with local partners and rooted in local realities.”

She highlighted the role of emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, omics, and nanotechnology, observing that agricultural research is on the verge of a new revolution. “We’re no longer just about yields we’re about nutrition, sustainability, and resilience,” she said, pointing to CGIAR’s shift since the Green Revolution.

KALRO DG speaks about equitable food systems

CGIAR Science Week, co-hosted by the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), brought together leading researchers and stakeholders to address the challenges affecting initiatives aimed at creating sustainable and equitable food systems.

Giving a wrap up statement of the past five days, Dr. Eliud Kiplimo Kireger, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) said the week provided a critical platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation, bringing together global leaders, researchers, and partners to address the pressing challenges of food security. Dr. Kireger underscored the critical need for collaborative and innovative approaches to achieve sustainable food systems.

Science and technology primary drivers

 It prominently emerged at the close of the week that the role of science, technology, and global partnerships cannot be underestimated in defining a comprehensive strategy for addressing food security and sustainability challenges.

 “The Science week has uniquely convened agriculture, climate, and health stakeholders to address interconnected challenges threatening food security and sustainability. By integrating these domains, we have moved beyond cycle approaches to systemic solutions,” Dr. Kireger commented. “It has showcased transformative tools from AI-driven architectural decision-making to climate-smart groundbreaking technologies that are ready for scaling. These innovations provide actionable pathways to resilience… the next step is prioritization of localized adaptations of proven technologies, particularly for smallholder farmers.”

Key themes

Dr. Kireger noted that the key themes discussed during the week brought forth key actionable areas that global stakeholders will follow through in the coming months. Some of the key themes included: Sustainable Food Systems with emphasis on the need for a more sustainable and equitable future in food production; global Collaboration with emphasis on bridging gaps between science, technology, and multi-stakeholders; integrated Innovation by leveraging tools and technologies for climate-smart programming; policy integration and youth empowerment through collaboration with governments to empower women and youth to harness their contribution to food systems transformation, fostering strategic partnerships including South to South collaboration to commercialize efficient technologies; integrating science, technology, and innovation to foster more sustainable and equitable food systems; and the need to move beyond scientific approaches to systematic initiatives, including integrated innovation and the adoption of climate-smart technologies.

Actions for the future

Kireger said, the actionable areas emanating from these thematic discussions included: Regional scaling of proven technologies, especially for smallholder farmers; policy integration with African governments to include scientific outcomes in national agricultural strategies; expansion of innovation showcases to empower women and youth; development of public-private networks and South-South collaboration; research revitalization; detailed planning and implementation of strategies for regional scaling and policy integration; and establishment of clear metrics for measuring the success of adoption of innovation.

Earlier in a panel session, Dr. Kireger, also ASARECA Board Member explained that KALRO is responding to the devastating effects of Climate Change by developing drought resistant and disease tolerant varieties as well as developing and deploying digital tools to disseminate the varieties to the extension, farmers and value chain actors that are critical to transformation.

Lack of political goodwill, a fatal blow to the food systems

It emerged at the Science week that the future of Agricultural Food Systems depended not entirely on science, innovation and partnership, but substantially on the enabling Policy environment ro the lack if it. Speaking in a plenary panel, HE. Jonathan Good Luck, Former President of Nigeria said:  “The future of the food systems depends on the political willingness of the President of a country to move the country forward. Policy making and implementation is therefore the new game changer. Science therefore needs to be considered as a top political priority.”

Other speakers from a panel dubbed the “Council of Wise Men” noted that solutions and answers to the food system’s challenges already exist. What needs to be done, they argued, is to accelerate technical, scientific, and innovative answers with political solutions. “There is a need for leaders who know the importance of science to the food systems and economic transformation. We need political solutions now,” a panelist postulated.

“What is critical to the food systems today is a matter of policy. Determining how the food system moves from the laboratory to the land and to the plate is a matter of Policy. It is no longer primarily an issue of science. Policy making must be evidence based. Evidence comes from science. Policy making must therefore be bold based on science and it should be inclusive,” the wise men stated.

ASARECA explains why policy fails

ASARECA spoke to the stark reality of the determining nature of Policy during the Science week by highlighting key changes affecting Policy cycle in Africa. In a panel session, ASARECA Policy Officer, Ms Julian Barungi, highlighted some of the key challenges in having policy options work for the food systems. Some of the challenges included: Getting the policy problem wrong at the time of design as wrong diagnosis implies implementation of wrong policy priorities; failure to monitor and evaluate the implementation of policies that have been approved; lack of budgetary allocations to policy units to do their work; ambiguity of policies leading to confusion in isolating action areas; lack of supporting regulatory frameworks to ensure compliance; shifting national priorities; lack of awareness of existing policies and recommendations; and the ‘mother’ of them all—lack of political will, especially buy-in by political leadership.

CGIAR Research basket rolled out

During the science week, the CGIAR rolled out a new Research Portfolio 2025-2030, a significant scale-up in its ambition and capacity to tackle the impact of some of the world’s most pressing environmental and nutritional challenges. This groundbreaking six-year initiative, said to be the CGIAR’s longest to date, is expected to make available financing estimated at USD 6 — 12 billion to implement critical research for over 100 countries and 3,000 local partners to foster sustainable farming, food security, and livelihood resilience.

The new Research Portfolio serves as a strategic blueprint for deploying CGIAR’s partner-led science to transform the food, land, and water systems that sustain global food security and planetary health. It is designed shape resilient, equitable, and sustainable future and builds on 50 years of scientific expertise and extensive partner networks. It brings all CGIAR research Centers, eight science programs, one scaling program, and four accelerators.

“The portfolio is a unified platform designed for impact. It reflects our renewed commitment to not only improving productivity but also nutrition security, livelihoods, climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and gender and social equity,” said Ismahane Elouafi.

Portfolio built on consensus

Elouafi explained that the new Portfolio was developed through global “Listening Sessions” and consultations with governments, regional bodies, national research institutions, and local farming communities to reflect real-world needs and priorities building on analysis of CGIAR’s cutting-edge innovations and technologies, factoring in current discourse on global agricultural needs and challenges — from shifting diets and demographics to climate volatility and geopolitical shocks.

The research portfolio is expected to benefit food, land, and water systems across low- and middle-income countries by accelerating agricultural productivity growth, leading to better-functioning markets, strengthened livelihoods, and new job and income opportunities for workers in the agrifood systems.

Kenyan Government graced the science Week

Earlier speaking at the official opening ceremony, the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi urged governments and leaders to proactively embrace science and technology to boost food production, tackle agricultural diseases.

“I call up on governments and leaders to proactively embrace science and technology to boost food production, tackle agricultural diseases, and counter the impacts of climate change, which continues to cause significant losses.” Mudavadi urged.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary highlighted Kenya’s commitment to agricultural research and innovation through its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which positions the agri-food system as a key pillar of national growth and resilience.

 “We believe that transforming this sector will drive poverty reduction and job creation, improved livelihoods and food security, gender equality and inclusion, and climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability,” Mudavadi stated.  “Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy, providing over 60 percent  of employment in Kenya. Yet the sector faces a perfect storm of challenges in climate change, loss of biodiversity, and rapid population growth. The only way forward lies in science-driven solutions generated through robust partnerships among stakeholders.”

UN involved

Honoured by the opportunity to host the Science week at the UN Complex, the UN Nairobi Office Director General Zainab Hawa said: “The Science Week will present unique opportunities to share knowledge to advance and develop the role that agriculture plays in solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”

Former Prime Minister of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim said when looking at the science to address challenges facing Africa, it is essential to do this through the gender lens to ensure innovations are equitable and inclusive. “Women feed Africa as they make up a high proportion of smallholder farmers. Yet where are the technology and tools that empower women and girls?” said Gurib-Fakim.

“Science Week is about drawing on deep wells of experience. Delegates have led science institutions and navigated farming through complex and changing challenges. Their insights are invaluable as we work to transform agri-food systems towards resilience,” said Lindiwe Sibanda, Chair of the CGIAR Integrated Partnership Board and moderator for the Council of the Wise panel.

Former Prime Minister of Niger Ibrahim Mayaki said we have made considerable progress over the last decades in science and productivity, but demographic pressures have eroded the gains.

“We need to do more with less, combining political solutions with scientific solutions,” said Mayaki who is also African Union Special Envoy for Food Systems.

CAAD-XP4 Institutions express solidarity

The Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Ex Pillar 4 (CAADP-XP4) institutions including AFAAS, ASARECA, CCARDESA, CORAF, and FARA participated actively during the CGIAR Science Week. Represented by their Executive Directors and Technical Officers, they participated in plenary sessions as panelists, in side-events as well as exhibitions.

Supported through the CAADP-XP4 Programme funded by the European Union through IFAD in furtherance of the CAADP thematic area of multi-stakeholder partnerships, the institutions forged alliances and consortia during the week. Notably, the institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding incorporating the organizations into a broad entity named the African Agricultural Research, Innovation and Education Institutions (AARIEIs). ASARECA Interim Executive Director, Dr. Sylvester Dickson Baguma signed on behalf of ASARECA. The consortium brings on board the Regional Universities Forum (RUFORUM) into the consortium. The signing of the AARIEIs framework is an advanced move in the process of entering a bigger collaborative framework with the CGIAR.

AARIE Space pre-launched

The AARIEs also undertook a side-event to explain a new Knowledge Management collaboration among the AARIE institutions with the CGIAR. The AARIEs are currently receiving technical backstopping from the CGIAR to streamline their knowledge management systems using the Dspace, an interface that will facilitate the long-sought after interconnectedness and interoperability of the Knowledge management platforms of partners. This initiative, which has received ample financial push from the EU and IFAD under the CAADP-XP4 Programme, is hoped to improve sharing of knowledge resources across the Continent.