Realizing the Promise and Potential of African Agriculture

  • AuthorInterAcademy Council
  • TitleRealizing the Promise and Potential of African Agriculture
  • Release Date30 June 2004
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Strategic Actions for the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), International Agricultural Research Centres, and Advanced Research Institutes
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Science and technology options that can make a difference

  • Adopt a market-led productivity improvement strategy.
  • Adopt a production ecological approach with a primary focus on identified continental priority farming systems.
  • Pursue a strategy of integrated sustainable intensification.
  • Bridge the genetic divide.
  • Recognize the potential of rainfed agriculture and accord it priority.
  • Reduce land degradation and replenish soil fertility.
  • Explore higher-scale integrated catchment strategies for natural resource management.
  • Promote the conservation, sustainable and equitable use of biodiversity.
  • Embrace information and communication technology at all levels.
  • Improve the coping strategies of farmers in response to environmental variability and climate change.

Building impact-oriented research, knowledge and development institutions

  • Encourage institutions and mechanisms to articulate science and technology strategies and policies.
  • Strengthen international agricultural research centres.

Creating and retaining a new generation of agricultural scientists

  • Focus on current and future generations of scientists in Africa.

Engaging science and technology for the benefit of African agriculture in the near term

  • Implement a series of innovative participatory science and technology pilot programs focusing on four priority continental farming systems: maize mixed, cereal/root crop mixed, irrigated, and tree crop based.
Document Date: June 30, 2004
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