Private sector engagement key to transforming Africa’s food systems, says IITA DG at AFSF 2024

27 September 2024

At the just concluded Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2024, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, delivered an impactful speech at the official opening plenary during the session titled The Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR). Addressing policymakers, agricultural experts, and development stakeholders, he emphasized the critical role of private sector engagement in transforming Africa's food systems.

In his address, DG Ehui shared several practical examples of how IITA fosters collaborations with private sector partners to scale its research outcomes and agricultural innovations for broader impact. Through the IITA Business Incubation Platform (BIP), a key initiative accelerating the commercialization of research innovations, he highlighted how IITA creates pathways to sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria and across Africa.

He cited specific success stories where research-driven technologies, such as improved seed varieties, biological pest control solutions, and post-harvest management tools, have been effectively commercialized through partnerships with agro-industries, entrepreneurs, and financial institutions. He explained that these partnerships have increased agricultural productivity and empowered smallholder farmers by providing them access to innovative tools and practices that were once confined to research stations.

DG Ehui shared the example of IITA's work in scaling Aflasafe, a biocontrol product developed to reduce aflatoxin contamination in crops. Through strategic alliances with private sector players, Aflasafe has been manufactured and distributed widely across some African countries, benefiting thousands of farmers, reducing crop losses, and improving food safety.

He also highlighted IITA's collaborative efforts with private agribusinesses to enhance mechanization in farming, noting that this provides farmers with affordable, locally adapted machinery. This addresses labor shortages and improves farm efficiency, thus increasing agricultural outputs and incomes for rural communities.

DG Ehui reaffirmed IITA's commitment to fostering innovation through public-private partnerships to drive the adoption of agricultural research technologies. He urged the forum's participants to recognize the value of such collaborations in scaling sustainable agricultural practices and ensuring food security in Africa. By leveraging the power of the private sector and scaling research innovations, IITA continues to contribute meaningfully to the transformation of African agriculture for long-term impact.

Contributed by 'Timilehin Osunde

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