African Innovation at the Core of Agrifood Transformation

African-led science and innovation are driving a new era of transformation across the continent’s agrifood systems. That was the central message of a special side event held during the Regional Policy Dialogue on Strengthening South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in Africa—organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Held under the theme “Scaling Science and Innovation for Resilient Agrifood Systems: African Solutions through South-South and Triangular Cooperation,” the session brought together leading African experts, researchers, and policymakers. It served as a key moment ahead of the Science and Innovation Forum at the FAO World Food Forum in October, spotlighting how local innovations are reshaping food systems across the continent.

Opening the event, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, emphasized the critical role of science and innovation in building resilient agrifood systems. He urged countries to scale proven solutions through stronger partnerships and more coherent policy frameworks.

“Africa stands at a defining moment,” he said. “Despite immense pressures—climate change, resource scarcity, pests, and post-harvest losses—African scientists and entrepreneurs are reimagining agriculture with bold, homegrown solutions.”

In his keynote, Professor Anthony Egeru of RUFORUM stressed the untapped potential of African scientific expertise. He called for deeper collaboration among African research institutions to support agrifood transformation and reduce dependency on food imports.

Two expert panels followed: one showcased scalable technologies already benefiting smallholder farmers, while the second focused on science-policy collaboration to foster environments where innovation can thrive.

Among the success stories featured:

• Innovative Solutions for Decision Agriculture (ISDA), a pan-African company, presented its AI-powered “Virtual Agronomist” chatbot, which provides farmers with real-time advice via WhatsApp. Farmers using the tool have already reported up to 60% yield increases.

• FAO’s eLocust3 tool was highlighted as a real-time surveillance technology that supports early warning and response to desert locust outbreaks, linking directly to FAO’s global information system.

• Joseph Kawaya, a young innovator from Rwanda, showcased his solar-powered chicken incubators and franchised hatching station model, which supports rural livelihoods while addressing malnutrition.

FAO South-South Cooperation Officer Peter Anaadumba stressed that innovation must be supported by enabling environments—strong policies, stable funding, and effective partnerships. While South-South and Triangular Cooperation offers a powerful platform for shared learning, national systems must be ready to adopt and scale innovations.

The event reinforced FAO’s commitment to advancing African-led solutions and fostering peer-to-peer learning across borders. As the global community prepares for the upcoming Science and Innovation Forum, Africa’s role as a hub of agricultural innovation is firmly in focus.

Science and innovation remain pillars of FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–2031, which supports member countries in creating agrifood systems that are more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.