During the first Side Event at the recent CGIAR Science Week held in Nairobi, Kenya, thought leaders, policymakers, and researchers convened under the theme, “The power of research and partnerships to scale – Lessons from experience.”
Speaking during his opening remarks, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, said the urgency to transform food, land, and water system for a more sustainable and food secure future has never been greater.
Adding that the collective ability to meet this challenge depends not only on generating cutting edge science, but also on how effectively stakeholders translate science into impact at scale.
Moderating a discussion session with H.E. Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Former President of Nigeria, Dr Ehui spotlighted how strategic alliances, and innovative science can transform African agriculture at scale.
Drawing from his administration’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), Dr Jonathan illustrated the profound impact of visionary leadership and multisectoral partnerships. He highlighted how coordinated efforts between governments, research institutions like IITA and other CGIAR centers, the private sector, and international development partners remarkably improved food security and reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imports.
“Through strategic partnerships, we scaled Nigeria’s cassava value chain and boosted domestic rice production while creating opportunities for young people through programs like the Nagropreneurs,” Dr Jonathan noted. “These efforts demonstrate that research and innovation can be truly transformative with the right support systems.”
Dr Ehui echoed the call for enabling policy environments, institutional backing, and inclusive innovation models to replicate and scale similar successes across Africa. The roles of digital agriculture and technology platforms were also emphasized as game changers, enabling broader, faster outreach to millions of farmers.
“Partnerships have always been at the heart of CGIAR’s success. Whether through collaboration with national agricultural research systems, private sector, governments, farmers groups, or development organizations, we have seen repeatedly that collective action drives meaningful and lasting change,” Dr Ehui added.
As CGIAR and its partners continue to push for a unified agenda to scale innovations, this session served as a compelling reminder that transformative impact comes from the fusion of science, policy, and people-centered partnerships.
Contributed by ’Timilehin Osunde
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