World's largest agricultural research network showcases innovations for Africa's food transformation. At Africa Food Systems Forum, CGIAR highlights scalable and investment-ready innovations to deliver on Africa's CAADP Strategy and Action Plan. Scaling science that works is the missing link between the continent's ambitious transformation goals and the real-world impact to make them reality." - Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR KIGALI, RWANDA, September 3, 2026 / EINPresswire.com / - Scalable innovations in climate resilience, digital agriculture and nutrition were on display at this year's Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), underscoring science's critical role in the transformation of Africa's food systems. Presented by CGIAR, the world's largest publicly funded agrifood research network, the innovations demonstrate investable opportunities to scale up proven science-backed, agrifood innovations to drive the continent's agriculture agenda. Innovations showcased include a digital fertilizer advisory system that has improved yields by up to 25% for nearly 50,000 farmers in Ethiopia, a bundle of climate-smart, digital, financial innovations boosting crop yields for women farmers in rural Kenya by 80%, and a novel financing model unlocking $1.5 billion in funding towards agriculture innovations in Nigeria, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In recent years, CGIAR has developed more than 470 food systems innovations globally, benefitting in excess of six million farmers across the continent. The Africa Food Systems Forum brought together CGIAR leadership together with African governments, international funders and other actors to co-design ways to scale the delivery and impact of the most promising innovations. This year's Africa Food Systems Forum takes place as African countries embark on the ambitious Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Strategy and Action Plan (CAADP) 2026 - 2035 to transform their food systems into engines of economic growth and prosperity. The transformation faces several headwinds. Africa is currently bearing the largest burden of hunger. At the same time, an intensifying El Niño and extreme weather is forecast to reduce rainfall and agriculture yields across several parts of the continent. Global geopolitical volatility is also driving up the cost of agriculture inputs, while several armed conflicts put millions at risk of severe malnutrition. All this is happening as African governments endure high debt burdens with constrained development budgets and as traditional aid contracts. "The innovations Africa needs to solve its food systems challenges exist and are proven. What's missing is the partnerships and funding infrastructure needed to de-risk investment and deliver these solutions at scale," said Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of the CGIAR. "Scaling science that works is the missing link between the continent's ambitious transformation goals and the real-world impact to make them reality." At least four of CGIAR's centers are headquartered in Africa, with at least 10 having significant operations on the continent. Through its forthcoming Strategy 2040, CGIAR's priority in Africa is to connect proven science with development finance, policy and national delivery to scale the delivery of innovations that work and realize the CAADP transformation agenda. CGIAR's comparative advantage is evidence: decades of science that shows which innovations actually work, for whom, and under what conditions, before anyone commits capital. That science has already returned roughly $10 for every $1 invested once brought to scale, which is exactly the kind of track record that makes multilateral lenders like the World Bank and the African Development Bank want to put their money behind innovations developed by CGIAR centers and its partners, especially as traditional aid shrinks," said Tim Krupnik, Director of CGIAR's Scaling for Impact Program. Donna Bowater Marchmont Communications [email protected] Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. Agriculture Industry Today do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

IUCN and CGIAR strengthen partnership for nature-positive land and food systems. Dated: August 24, 2026 The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and CGIAR are strengthening their collaboration to promote sustainable land restoration, resilient agricultural systems and nature-positive approaches at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP17 in Mongolia. CGIAR has joined the IUCN Pavilion as a Gold Sponsor, marking the first major public collaboration between the organisations since they signed a Memorandum of Understanding earlier in 2026. The IUCN Pavilion, running from 17 to 28 August under the theme "From Promise to Practice: Nature Delivering Now," is hosting discussions focused on land restoration, sustainable agriculture, agrifood systems and multifunctional landscapes. CGIAR, the world's largest public agricultural research network, is contributing 10 sessions to the programme. Key discussions are examining how climate action, biodiversity conservation and land management can be better integrated through sustainable agrifood systems. Another major focus is restoring rangelands while supporting pastoralist livelihoods through nature-based solutions, water-smart approaches and increased investment in dryland communities. The partnership reflects growing recognition that land restoration and food security are closely connected. IUCN and CGIAR are working to advance multifunctional landscapes, ecosystem restoration, sustainable farming and livestock systems, climate resilience, water management and other approaches that can benefit both people and nature. The collaboration also supports broader implementation of global environmental agreements, including the Rio Conventions. With the 2026 International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists highlighting the importance of sustainable dryland management, the partnership aims to strengthen policy advocacy and accelerate practical action. Through their continued cooperation, IUCN and CGIAR seek to turn scientific knowledge, conservation expertise and agricultural innovation into scalable solutions for healthier landscapes, resilient food systems and sustainable livelihoods.

CGIAR joins IUCN Pavilion at UNCCD COP17 to advance nature-positive land, food and agricultural systems. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - IUCN welcomes CGIAR as the Gold Sponsor of the IUCN Pavilion at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Conference of the Parties (UNCCD COP17), currently underway here. This marks the first major public collaboration between the two organisations since they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier this year. "From Promise to Practice: Nature Delivering Now" is the theme of the IUCN Pavilion, which has a full programme from 17-28 August, including 10 sessions hosted by CGIAR, the world's largest public agriculture research network, on land restoration, agrifood systems, multifunctional landscapes and more. Two events that speak most directly to IUCN's key messages for COP17 are: Aligning Climate, Biodiversity and Land Action through Agrifood Systems Transformation (24 August), anchoring farmers, soil health and Nature-based Solutions for agriculture in achieving Land Degradation Neutrality; and Restoring Rangelands, Sustaining Pastoralist Livelihoods: NbS, Water-Smart and Investable Pathways for Drylands (25 August), calling for greater investments in rangelands and empowering pastoralists as leaders in sustainable land management. See the other CGIAR events published on the IUCN Pavilion Events page. The IUCN Pavilion programme reflects the shared ground between IUCN's mandate to advance nature-positive land, food and agricultural systems and CGIAR's mission to transform food, land and water systems in a climate crisis - issues that are also central to the 2026 International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. Under the IUCN-CGIAR MoU, the partnership is committed to scaling up and accelerating action on multifunctional landscapes and ecosystem restoration, sustainable farming and livestock systems, climate change resilience and mitigation, as well as water resource management. The organisations have also pledged to take joint action on policy advocacy and support the implementation of the Rio Conventions. IUCN appreciates CGIAR's contribution to the IUCN Pavilion and looks forward to building on this collaboration in the months ahead.