After several decades in Cameroon, and despite their significant contribution to agricultural research and development in Cameroon, the CGIAR Centers and their achievements are still not well known in the country. The centers organized an open day in Yaoundé on 19 January to amplify CGIAR and its partners’ actions to transform food systems in Cameroon and beyond while enhancing environmental health and biodiversity, despite the ongoing climate crisis.
The event’s focus was to strengthen synergies with the various partners and pave the way for strong collaboration in the future. The centers represented comprised the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT (ABC); Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF); International Potato Center (CIP); and IITA.
The single-day event focused on dialogue and sharing, with multiple presentations on the strategic priorities and activities of CGIAR and its centers based in Cameroon. Three panels were organized to reflect on agrobiodiversity, sustainable agricultural intensification, sustainable forest management, and landscape restoration; partnerships for impact; and innovative research and innovation funding.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINRESI), Mrs Christelle Amina Djoulde acknowledged the importance of partnership and international cooperation in research. She said, “Through this initiative, we can make an impact while supporting the Government of Cameroon to achieve its SND30 Strategy”. She added: “Cameroon is a major research hub in Central Africa, but it is not only because of Cameroonian researchers. We also rely on partners for capacity building and we are grateful MINRESI was associated with this event.”
Participants’ interest in the issues discussed was evident in the fruitful exchanges. In the long run, the discussions will feed into the subsequent proposals to the Government to improve joint actions in the field and the possibilities of strengthening collaboration.
As key recommendations, the audience agreed that there is a need to develop the country’s engagement framework and identify what is needed to bring other CGIAR centers to Cameroon, to develop a joint research program to address the problems they are facing, and develop with MINADER and IRAD, a roadmap of priority crops.
In addition, they emphasize the capacity building of young researchers in specific domains needed by national institutions, improved communication and interaction between the centers, and setting up a transparent mechanism to monitor financing in the country, amongst others.
Contributed by Marielle Diyani
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