The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and ISRIC – World Soil Information are collaborating to strengthen Africa’s agricultural transformation by addressing a critical but often overlooked factor: soil health and information management. Both institutions are key partners under the African Union-European Union (AU-EU) Partnership for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) and have been at the forefront of initiatives to drive agricultural innovation across the continent.
One such initiative is the Soils for Africa (S4A) Initiative, which has been pivotal in shaping Africa’s agricultural landscape. The S4A initiative has developed a continental, harmonised baseline of soil information crucial for decision support. It responds to the longstanding fragmentation of soil data in Africa, providing policymakers, fertiliser manufacturers, extension service providers, smallholder farmers, and the private sector with reliable, actionable soil data to inform better decisions for sustainable agricultural practices.
Building on this momentum, FARA and ISRIC are conducting a first-level Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for selected African ICT and Knowledge Management (KM) experts. This important step aims to strengthen national and regional capacities to use and host the African Soils Information database developed under the Soils for Africa initiative, now being advanced through the Soils Initiative for Africa (SIA) championed by the African Union Commission (AUC). The AUC has designated FARA as the Technical Support Organisation for the African Soil Information System and the Soils Initiative for Africa.
The Accra Training: Building the First Cohort of Soil Information Ambassadors
The first cohort training is taking place in Accra, Ghana, from April 23 to 26, 2025. Participants selected are undergoing intensive capacity development on the technical and operational aspects of soil information systems, positioning them as the first ambassadors in scaling the African Soil Information System across the continent.
A strong call to action marked the opening ceremony on April 23. Delivering remarks on behalf of the Executive Director of FARA, Dr Aggrey Agumya, the Acting Director for Research and Innovation, Prof Oluwole Fatunbi, welcomed participants and highlighted the critical importance of the initiative:
He noted that the gathering represented a pool of experts tasked with addressing the current fragmentation of soils data across Africa, a gap ISRIC is technically supporting to bridge.
He underscored the strategic importance of soil information to key stakeholders – from fertilizer companies to extension workers and policymakers – emphasizing that managing Africa’s soils better is fundamental to agricultural transformation.
Trainees were encouraged to take the opportunity seriously, likening them to the “first apostles” of the Soil Information System rollout.
He also pointed to future plans to scale this effort under the African Union Soil Observatory (AUSO) Project, funded by the European Commission, expected to commence later in the year.
Finally, he warmly welcomed all participants to Accra, with a special mention to the technical trainers from ISRIC.
In her remarks, Mary Steverink-Mosugu, Projects Coordinator from ISRIC, expressed appreciation to FARA for the strong collaboration and reiterated ISRIC’s commitment to supporting Africa’s drive for better soil management through technical excellence and shared expertise.
A Deep Dive into Soil Information Systems: Program Highlights
Facilitated by Luis Calisto and Eric Asamoah, both experts from the ISRIC – World Soil Information, the four-day training program was designed to provide a comprehensive and practical immersion into soil information systems and related technologies:
Main Workshop Facilitator Luis Calisto, ISRIC
Day 1: Participants received an overview of the Soils for Africa project and the upcoming AUSO project. Key sessions covered soil data collection principles, FAIR data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) practices, and methodologies for organising and serving soil data.
Day 2: The training featured a guided tour of the Soil Information System (SIS), hands-on exploration of SIS interfaces, and a technical breakdown of SIS architecture and its integration components.
Day 3: Participants delved deeper into advanced SIS architecture topics, including Git repositories, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CICD) pipelines, and assessment of FARA’s human and infrastructure capacity readiness for hosting and expanding the system.
Day 4: The final day focused on evaluating training outcomes, assessing FARA’s policy and infrastructure landscape for soil information system deployment, and defining next steps for broader rollout and sustainability.
The workshop concluded with a call for continuous collaboration and knowledge sharing as Africa sets the foundation for a robust, accessible, open and user-driven soil information system critical for achieving sustainable food systems on the continent.
Written by Tezira Lore, Communication Officer, ILRI
Stronger institutional partnerships and knowledge co-creation will accelerate the digital agricultural revolution towards global food security, according to speakers at a side event on digital agriculture during the inaugural CGIAR Science Week that took place in Nairobi, Kenya from 7–11 April 2025.
Digital agriculture is the use of digital tools to collect, analyze, and share data and information in agriculture to increase food production efficiently and sustainably.
Discussions at the side event focused on how CGIAR centres and partners from the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme ex-Pillar 4 (CAADP-XP4) consortium are using digital platforms for knowledge sharing, learning, and engagement, and how best to leverage these platforms in the CGIAR Research Portfolio 2025–2030.
Poko Alida Nadinga from the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) and Michael Victor from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) co-facilitated the session.
Opening remarks
In his opening remarks, Ram Dhulipala, interim director of the CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator, stated that in this age of digital innovation, it is only through partnership can we co-create knowledge.
On his part, Silim Nahdy Mohammed, executive director of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), lauded the shared commitment to harness the power of knowledge co-creation and collaborative partnership for digital empowerment and cultural revolution in Africa.
In a series of short presentations, partners from the Forum for Agricultural Research In Africa (FARA) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) highlighted digital innovations in agricultural knowledge management and learning.
Knowledge co-creation
Benjamin Abugri, Knowledge Management, Digitalization, and Learning Specialist at FARA, presented on the knowledge management partnership of CGIAR and CAADP-XP4 that led to the development of the African Agricultural Research Innovation and Education Space (ARIESpace) repository, a DSpace-based knowledge management system for African agricultural knowledge, based on best practice from CGIAR’s CGSpace repository.
“The power of co-creation and collaboration is at the centre of this digital innovation. We are focused on enhancing local ownership, facilitating adaptive learning, and building sustainable systems.” — Benjamin Abugri
He called for investment in interoperable systems, scaling up capacity for evidence and informed decision making, and institutionalizing communities of practice.
ICTforAg Learning Network
Andrea Gardeazábal Monsalve, who leads digital monitoring and innovation at CIMMYT, presented on collaborative innovation in digital agrifood systems through a learning network that is providing farmers with access to knowledge.
The ICTforAg Learning Network is a collaborative platform developed by CIMMYT under the CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation to strengthen stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange in digital agrifood systems.
“We have learnt that mentorship works but it needs incentives like recognition and visibility.” — Andrea Gardeazábal Monsalve
The next steps are to onboard more communities of practice and innovations, launch multilingual onboarding kits, expand mentorship to national partners, track knowledge flows with better analytics and pilot flexible engagement formats.
AgroTutor Academy
Satish Nagaraji, ICT for Development Specialist at CIMMYT, shared on AgroTutor Academy, a WhatsApp-based learning management system that delivers bite-size courses to farmers, taking advantage of a mobile phone app that many farmers and extension workers use daily.
The innovative platform is a component of the ICTforAg Learning Network that enables extension services, local organizations and projects to create and host courses to engage with target audiences and build their capacities, using WhatsApp as a delivery channel.
“It’s not a WhatsApp group but it’s a learning management system. It can be used in any language, which means language is not a barrier.” — Satish Nagaraji
The network provides support on onboarding of knowledge partners, course ideation and structuring, course dissemination and tracking of the learners’ progress through analytics.
Panel discussion
A brief panel discussion to reflect on the presentations brought in additional perspectives.
‘At the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, one of the apps we have is the Fisher Friend Mobile App. It has gone through 54 iterations over the last 10 years or so, all based on the needs of the fishermen, state governments and other stakeholders. I think the reason for its success has been that element of co-creation, feedback and continuous improvement. So, any of these learning modules cannot be static.’ — Soumya Swaminathan, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation
‘If you want to get these things to the farmers and to the next generation, you’ve got to have the farmers here in the room.’ —Matt Manning, DevGlobal
‘KM [knowledge management] is not just about creating. It’s about the learning, the loops, the interaction… The value of knowledge does not decrease when it is shared or consumed; we want “tariff-free” knowledge sharing. We should remember that knowledge is not power; sharing is power.’ —Peter Ballantyne, ILRI and CGIAR
‘FARA is an enabler for national institutions to make sure that knowledge is available because national institutions have been struggling with three problems: availability, accessibility and useability of knowledge. Funding for research is reducing so focus on scaling for impact.’ —Boniface Akuku, World Bank consultant
Nairobi, 11 April 2025 – At the recently concluded CGIAR Science Week side event titled “Breeding for Tomorrow: Inclusive Delivery,” Ms Beatrice Egulu from the African Union Commission (AUC) delivered a compelling address, advocating for deeper continental integration and innovation in seed systems to ensure equitable access and regional impact. The high-level panel session, held at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, brought together prominent voices from the African agricultural sector under the theme of “Inclusive Delivery”, a strategic framework aimed at transforming breeding programmes for greater reach, uptake, and farmer impact.
Unlocking the Potential of Regional Harmonisation
Ms Egulu highlighted the disparity between promising regional frameworks—such as the COMESA Variety Catalogue, ECOWAS seed regulations and SADC’s Harmonised Seed Regulatory System – and their actual implementation. Despite protocols for mutual recognition, numerous African countries continue to impose redundant variety testing, outdated national laws, and limited regulatory capacity, thereby hindering access to improved varieties.
To address these challenges, the AUC proposes:
A Continental Mutual Recognition Accord under the AfCFTA (https://au-afcfta.org/) to accelerate varietal release and certification.
Collaborative investment in digital infrastructure for the real-time sharing of diverse data and certification information.
Establishing a trust-based harmonisation mechanism, coordinated with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and development partners.
“Harmonisation must not remain a mere promise on paper,” Ms Egulu emphasised. “It must serve as an engine for integration, innovation, and empowering farmers.”
South-South Cooperation: A Strategic Pathway to Scale
Discussing the significance of South–South Cooperation, Ms Egulu described it as a cornerstone for democratizing agricultural innovation in Africa. She noted that SSC facilitates the exchange of technologies and institutional best practices—from East African seed traceability systems inspired by Asia to participatory breeding models adapted across African regions.
Utilising triangular cooperation to mobilise financial and technical support.
Mainstreaming SSC within broader frameworks such as STISA-2024 and the African Agribusiness Strategy.
“SSC is not just a tool,” she stated. “It is a pathway to shared sovereignty and resilience in seed systems.”
The Way Forward: Systems for Delivery, Not Just Science
Ms Egulu concluded by emphasising that impactful breeding goes beyond developing superior varieties—it relies on the systems that deliver them. Bridging policy gaps, empowering NARES, fostering digital interoperability, and scaling partnerships through SSC are essential if African farmers are to reap the benefits of scientific innovation.
Her address echoed the session’s core vision of “Inclusive Delivery,” aligning with CGIAR’s mission to ensure that agricultural innovations are scalable, equitable, and regionally integrated.
About Ms Beatrice Egulu
Ms. Beatrice Egulu is a Policy Officer at the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) of the African Union Commission (AUC). With extensive experience in agricultural policy, seed system development, and regional integration frameworks, she plays a crucial role in advancing the AUC’s strategic agenda for food systems transformation. Ms. Egulu promotes the alignment of science, governance, and partnerships, particularly through the African Seed and Biotechnology Programme and the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
In a landmark commitment to continental agricultural progress, leading African institutions have signed the African Agricultural Research Innovation and Education Institutions (AARIEI) Partnership Engagement Framework (APEF). This instrument formalises and deepens collaboration between FARA, AFAAS, RUFORUM, CORAF, CCARDESA and ASARECA in partnership with One CGIAR, and sets the stage for a unified approach to scaling agricultural innovations, transforming food systems, and empowering rural communities, particularly women and youth.
This milestone arrives at a crucial moment when African governments and stakeholders are preparing to implement the Kampala Declaration on Agricultural Research and Innovation, a declaration designed to reposition science, research, and education as central pillars for transforming agricultural and food systems across the continent.
Why the AARIEI Instrument Matters
The AARIEI instrument is not simply another framework; it is a dynamic response to Africa’s ongoing fragmentation in agricultural research, advisory services, and capacity building. By recognising their overlapping mandates and strategic orientations, the institutions have chosen to institutionalise a partnership that leverages their individual strengths and maximises collective impact.
Key features of the signed AARIEI instrument include:
A Unified Partnership Vision: “Africa in which all people have food and nutrition security and are prosperous.”
Shared Mission: Accelerating the application of science to agriculture to ensure sustainable and decent livelihoods for Africa’s smallholder farmers, women, and youth.
Joint Institutional Systems: Including an AARIEI Board Partnership Forum, an Advisory Committee, a Technical Committee, and a Secretariat hosted by FARA.
Shared Platforms and Marketplaces: To promote the exchange of knowledge, enhance capacity development, and support the co-creation and dissemination of innovations and technologies.
Collaborative Resource Mobilization: With a joint funding approach to attract investment from governments, donors, and the private sector.
A Strategic Step Toward the Kampala Declaration
The Kampala Declaration, adopted in 2023, calls for enhanced coordination and investment in agricultural research and innovation to achieve Africa’s food security and development objectives. The AARIEI instrument supports this by offering a concrete mechanism for collaborative action, integrated planning, and strengthened partnerships.
Through the APEF, Africa’s key institutions are not only speaking with one voice but are also pooling technical expertise, networks, and resources. This is expected to accelerate the implementation of transformative initiatives such as:
The Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa (S3A)
Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT)
And various capacity development platforms supported by RUFORUM and AFAAS
Strengthening the African Knowledge Ecosystem
Each partner in the AARIEI has assumed a leadership role within the framework:
FARA leads continental observatory systems and science-policy interfaces.
AFAAS fosters the scaling of innovations and bolsters the advisory services ecosystem.
RUFORUM spearheads capacity building and human capital development.
CORAF, CCARDESA, and ASARECA lead regional research coordination for West, Central, South, and East and facilitate the uptake of innovations.
Alongside One CGIAR, they form a formidable alliance that bridges research, education, and extension in unprecedented ways.
A Call to Action for Stakeholders
As Africa’s food security challenges become increasingly complex due to climate change, youth unemployment, and evolving global markets, the AARIEI partnership represents a beacon of hope. Its success now depends on ongoing commitment, inclusive engagement, and strong support from governments, development partners, and the private sector.
We urge all stakeholders, including policymakers, investors, donors, farmer organisations, and innovators, to align with the AARIEI agenda and support the institutional, financial, and policy mechanisms necessary to put this framework into operation.
Key References
Explore the Full AARIEI Instrument by staying in touch with the AR4D Community
Ruhengeri, Musanze, March 24-28, 2025 – The Strengthening Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Ecosystem for Inclusive Rural Transformation and Livelihoods in Eastern Africa #AIRTEA project, a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural knowledge and innovation ecosystems in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, held its official close-out and capitalization meeting in Rwanda. This event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from academic and research institutions, government agencies, farmer cooperatives, and SMEs, to share the project’s key successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
Since its inception in February 2021, the AIRTEA project has significantly contributed to bridging gaps in agricultural knowledge and innovation in East Africa. By focusing on empowering women and youth through entrepreneurial skills and inclusive platforms, the project has transformed rural economies and strengthened food systems. Among its notable achievements, AIRTEA has established and strengthened multi-stakeholder innovation platforms across Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, trained farmers in improved agricultural practices, developed digital tools to enhance agricultural knowledge-sharing and market access, and fostered market linkages for key crops, including cassava, potatoes, and indigenous vegetables. It has also promoted value-added products and agribusiness mentorship to improve profitability and employment opportunities.
Over the past three years, third-party projects under AIRTEA have implemented various initiatives across multiple agricultural value chains, including aquaculture, crops, livestock, and ICT. Through a competitive grants scheme, the project provided funding to third-party actors to support innovation and sustainable practices in agriculture. As the initiative reaches its final phase, this meeting served as a platform to capture and disseminate best practices and innovative approaches that have emerged during implementation.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Telesphore Ndabamenye, Director General of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, commended the AIRTEA third-party projects for empowering women and youth by enhancing their entrepreneurial skills and providing them with access to inclusive platforms.
The close-out meeting was conducted as a five-day in-person event from March 24-28, 2025, in Musanze District, in the Northern Province of Rwanda. Sessions included PowerPoint presentations, stakeholder discussions, and interactive knowledge-sharing activities to ensure a comprehensive review of the project’s impact. Participants engaged in meaningful conversations about how the project’s achievements could be scaled and sustained beyond its official timeline.
The primary aim of the meeting was to assess the impact of the AIRTEA project and compile valuable insights gained during its execution. The discussions focused on documenting and sharing the project’s successes, challenges, and lessons learned, as well as identifying and disseminating best practices and innovative approaches. Additionally, the event provided an opportunity to foster collaboration and networking among stakeholders while informing future programming and policy directions in beneficiary countries.
The meeting resulted in several key outcomes, including the development of a comprehensive report detailing the achievements, challenges, and lessons learned from third-party projects. An inventory of best practices, success stories, case studies, and lessons was compiled to inform future project design and implementation. The event also strengthened networks among stakeholders and partners, fostering continued collaboration. Moreover, actionable recommendations were developed for future programming and policy decisions aimed at enhancing agricultural transformation in the region.
By leveraging collaboration and digital innovation, AIRTEA has played a critical role in enhancing agricultural production, processing, and market access, particularly for women and youth. As the project concludes, stakeholders promised to remain committed to sustaining its impact and scaling up its successful initiatives to ensure continued growth in the agricultural sector. The outcomes of this meeting will serve as a roadmap for future agricultural development programs, reinforcing the importance of knowledge-sharing and multi-stakeholder engagement in driving sustainable agricultural transformation in East Africa.
