Alliance Contribution to CGIAR’s Research
The Alliance is one of the 13 research-for-development centers within the international CGIAR partnership, developing “science for humanity's greatest challenges”. The CGIAR’s research is structured around eight science programs that receive important contributions from the Alliance’s research teams, as well as three Alliance-led platforms for knowledge dissemination, sustainable finance and business acceleration.
These research programs are the evolution from CGIAR’s previous structure of thematic research initiatives, which concluded in 2024-2025. To explore the activities and results of these initiatives, see more here.
CGIAR Platforms Led by the Alliance
These thematic platforms carry out dissemination activities through events and digital networking, thus increasing the contribution of CGIAR to relevant international dialogues and supporting food systems transformation through a unique research-based approach to finance and innovation. While the platforms receive contributions from multiple CGIAR centers, their activities, content and dissemination are led by the Alliance’s research and communication teams. Explore the breadth of these platforms here!
CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance
(Impact SF)
The CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance (Impact SF) is a key technical partner for sustainable finance actors, integrating science-based impact KPIs in all areas of the investment lifecycle. This includes investment design, pipeline development, investment screening, due diligence, implementation, post-investment monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV). Building off CGIAR evidence, Impact SF offers an array of data-driven solutions empowering financial institutions and investors to de-risk investments by quantifying climate and environmental risks and impacts.
A4IP is a venture space that builds on CGIAR’s research and innovation to support both incremental and transformational innovation to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges at the nexus of agriculture, environment, and health. A4IP bridges science and entrepreneurship to incubate and accelerate scientific innovations and generates the impact and resources needed to support continued research in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Alliance works with the CGIAR A4IP team to generate outputs and increase the reach of their work through events and communication tools.
AICCRA: Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa
Led by the Alliance, AICCRA has six country teams and regional initiatives that work with national and regional partners to transform climate services and scale climate-smart agriculture, increasing access to and use of CGIAR innovations for the benefit of millions of small-scale farmers in Africa.
CGIAR Research Programs
Developed within CGIAR’s 2025-2030 Research Portfolio, these new and ongoing science programs build on more than 50 years of shared expertise and thousands of ongoing research projects led by CGIAR centers across the world, condensing the partnership’s priority work areas into eight research programs, one impact assessment program and three accelerators to drive innovation. Explore these programs and accelerators here!
This program aims to develop and deliver a portfolio of climate-resilient, market-preferred and nutritious crops, livestock, and aquatic species that make food systems more productive, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable.
By leveraging breeding modernization, market intelligence and strengthened partnerships, the program works to improve seed systems, boost agricultural productivity and resilience, reduce hunger and enhance sustainability, particularly in the Global South.
Target regions: Central and West Asia and North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
The Genebanks research program ensures the conservation and availability of crop genetic diversity for future generations. The program preserves and provides access to over 3,500 plant species, supporting farmers, researchers and breeders in addressing biodiversity loss, climate change and agricultural resilience.
By leveraging frontier technologies in genomics, AI and cryopreservation, the Genebanks program will enhance the accessibility, impact and long-term sustainability of genetic resources worldwide.
Target regions: North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Central and West Asia, South and Southeast Asia (more than 100 countries globally)
This program delivers research and evidence-based policymaking by developing and piloting tools that result in stronger policies, markets and institutions, thus improving the lives of millions of people with a focus on sustainable poverty reduction and job creation.
By leveraging CGIAR centers’ expertise in analyzing synergies and co-creating solutions in partnership with policymakers, researchers and other stakeholders in the Global South, the program will empower data-driven policy decisions and institutional change, delivering results and fostering inclusive growth.
Target countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Nearly 3 billion people lack access to healthy diets, and this program will address this global challenge by advancing transformative, evidence-based solutions to ensure sustainable, equitable, and nutritious food systems in low- and middle-income countries.
Through holistic collaboration, the program will drive demand-led transitions, enabling partners to develop food systems that deliver sustainable healthy diets and improved nutrition while boosting incomes, employment, social equity and environmental sustainability.
Target countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam
This program will lead strategic, innovative research to advance gender equality, youth opportunities and social inclusion within CGIAR’s Food, Land, and Water Systems Portfolio, aligning efforts to move CGIAR and its partners towards achieving gender equality and social inclusion.
The program’s efforts will accelerate the growth and impact of gender equality and social inclusion and continue influencing the global discussion on gender equality and youth engagement.
Target regions: Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Small Island Nations in the Pacific
This program aims to develop diverse and healthy landscapes that are managed holistically to support sustainable and diverse eco-agrifood systems, resilient livelihoods and healthy diets while remaining within planetary boundaries.
In this vision, landscapes are co-created and managed by diverse stakeholders, who co-design technological, socioecological and institutional innovations and engage in policy processes driven by inclusive governance and effective planning.
Target countries: Colombia, India, Kenya, Peru, Senegal, Tanzania, Tunisia, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
This program focuses on three food systems of growing importance: fragile and conflict-affected food systems, urban and peri-urban food systems, and island food systems.
These systems are highly vulnerable to shocks and crises, marked by large youth populations, geographic isolation with limited and resource-scarce food value chains, significant food and water insecurity, widespread malnutrition and severe environmental threats. There is weak governance across these systems, and new solutions and investments must be catalyzed to support the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Target countries: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Honduras, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Timor-Leste
This program tackles global poverty, food insecurity and climate risks by applying transdisciplinary science, fostering partnerships, generating evidence and delivering integrated solutions to maximize impact and minimize duplication.
As the pioneering program fully dedicated to scaling innovations in food, land and water systems, the program will ambitiously address critical challenges to meet pressing global needs, establishing CGIAR as a leader in the scaling of agrifood systems transformation by effectively fostering partnership synergies to deliver scalable, inclusive and responsible innovations.
Target countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
This program co-creates inclusive solutions by leveraging advancements in AI, machine learning, modeling and big data analytics to drive improved decision-making, policies, investments and adoption of digital tools for impactful outcomes for the sustainable transformation of food, land and water systems.
The project aspires to be a thought leader in digital and data science research across food, land, water, and climate systems, accelerating the delivery of responsible research and digital services using data and tools such as AI and improving decision-making, based on evidence and insights into complex systems.
This program addresses key challenges in agri-food systems by fostering efficient production of nutritious foods and protecting surrounding environments to create fair employment opportunities while simultaneously tackling climate change, soil degradation, pests, diseases and desertification.
The team will involve farmers and communities through co-creation principles and systems integration, prioritizing bundled agronomic, plant health, and farming system solutions and socioeconomic innovations in a collaborative, integrated manner. By co-developing solutions, the program will promote agricultural transformation towards productive, resilient and sustainable farming systems.
Target countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
This program drives science, innovation and collaboration to transform food, land and water systems for a climate-resilient, net-zero, and equitable future.
Through more resilient, low-emissions farms, landscapes and aquatic systems, the program's activities will advance research across agri-food systems, benefiting approximately 38 million vulnerable small-scale producers and value chain actors across 30 countries.
Target countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
This program will drive a culture shift towards more equal and healthy partnerships for capacity sharing between and among CGIAR centers and partners to advance food, land and water systems transformation, emphasizing women’s empowerment and youth inclusion.
The team will integrate innovative approaches in data, digital tools, scaling strategies and soft-skills programs to build capacity among partners and within CGIAR, working across local, national, regional and global contexts. A key objective of this program is to address the fragmented, top-down, Global North-driven approach that has shaped traditional capacity development in agricultural research.
Target regions: Africa, Asia, South America
Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods
This program aims to boost access to nutritious foods while reducing emissions and supporting inclusive livelihoods. By combining diverse livestock and aquatic systems, the team will address local challenges with integrated solutions tailored to specific contexts.
The program envisions improved well-being of people in low- and middle-income countries by sustainably transforming animal and aquatic food systems that foster environmentally sustainable, inclusive and nutrient-dense food supply chains.
Target countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Colombia, Guatemala, Senegal, Tunisia, Cambodia, Ghana, Nigeria, Timor Leste, Zambia, Malaysia and Egypt