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Ensuring Sustainable Growth through Better Agriculture and Food Systems in Africa

Nairobi, Kenya, hosts the Alliance’s regional hub for Africa.

Agriculture and food systems will continue to be the engine of economic growth in Africa for decades to come. But reaching the continent’s potential requires innovative science to ensure both agriculture and food systems are competitive, efficient, resilient, and sustainable.

With a presence spanning the majority of states in the Sub-Saharan area, the Alliance team in Africa is unlocking impact-driven, science-based solutions to support the rapid transformation of the Region through agriculture.

Through our work on the ground, and in close collaboration with other CGIAR centers, we are addressing agricultural biodiversity and development, in close collaboration with the private sector, NGOs, governments, development partners, and farmers. Further, by making research processes more inclusive, we are also unlocking climate finance, supporting more informed investments in agriculture and food systems, and prioritizing limited resources towards a healthier, wealthier continent. For an African continent where healthy, affordable food is accessible for everyone.

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"The Alliance in Africa" newsletter and LinkedIn page showcase groundbreaking research and impactful innovations by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. Subscribe and follow to stay connected with our work and collaborations across Africa.

We spotlight the latest advances and insights in agriculture, sustainable development, and food systems. Whether you're a researcher, student, partner, or practitioner, join our community to stay informed on climate-smart agriculture, nutrition and food security, gender and social inclusion, agrobiodiversity conservation and use, digital tools and innovations, and forests and landscape restoration.

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Our Work to Improve Agriculture and Food Systems in Africa

We work on food security and seed systems, including on biofortification and crop enhancement with a focus on key crops such as banana, cassava, beans, forages, green vegetables and rice – also through private sector fundraising and commercialization. Our priorities and programs span climate action and adaptation, conservation, diet quality and nutrition, and climate risk profiling. We are leading numerous initiatives towards food security, better nutrition, and more sustainable livelihoods. We are also focusing on digital, by improving information systems, and on entrepreneurship, with a youth and gender angle.

Through a strong network of partnerships and tight collaboration with governments, we are working on policy, advocacy, and resilience to improve digital services and inclusion. We are delivering on the ambition of climate-smart agriculture through sound climate risk profiling and adaptation.

Working on key priorities such as food security, improved seed systems, climate, conservation, and the digitization of services and information, we are strengthening public-private partnerships towards sustainable market development. Through collaboration with relief organizations and INGOs, we are also improving nutrition and household livelihoods.

Explore our scope of work, taking a deeper dive into our impact, challenges as well as forecast change for agricultural systems, food systems and the people who depend in these countries and in the Horn of Africa.