Advancing Africa's Post-Malabo Agricultural Transformation Agenda: A conversation with CGIAR's Namukolo Covic

Namukolo Covic—An African #Nutrition and #FoodSystems expert, is the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Director General's Representative to Ethiopia and the CGIAR Regional Director for East and Southern Africa and CGIAR’s Ethiopia Country Convenor.

Covic made the following remarks in an interview by ILRI's Cynthia Mugo, who heads up ILRI’s external advocacy and stakeholder engagement work.

READ the blog article: "CGIAR's strategic role in advancing the post-Malabo Agricultural Transformation Agenda: A conversation with Namukolo Covic", here: https://bit.ly/3wSRZWO

The Africa Union’s new Post-Malabo Roadmap is in the process of identifying ten-year agricultural priorities after Malabo in 2025.

CGIAR can support African countries with implementing their Post-Malabo roadmap.

CGIAR’s 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy comprehensively addresses today’s most burning #FoodSystem challenges—from food production to consumption: https://www.cgiar.org/how-we-work/strategy/.

CGIAR’s holistic approach aligns with the AU Agenda 2063 and key frameworks like the AU's CAADP, the AU Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022–2032) and the Science, Technology & Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA–2024).

With its many partnerships with the AU's Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, continental research organizations like Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa - FARA , regional research organizations like CORAF | West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development , ASARECA and Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) , as well as national agricultural research systems (#NARS), CGIAR is well positioned to respond to Africa’s priorities.

CGIAR’s extensive structure and presence across Africa enables it to work with a wealth of partners in tailoring its agricultural research agenda to best suit African realities, constraints and opportunities.

CGIAR’s new structure (2022–2024), which has established Regional Integrated Initiatives for Africa’s two sub-regions (East and Southern, West and Central) and partnerships well as country conveyors, led by African experts, can help Africa advance its continental, regional and national agenda.

CGIAR’s many collaborations with African national research organizations helps to drive research and innovation to respond directly to national priorities.

To address #ClimateChange, for example, CGIAR is developing with local partners climate-resilient crops and livestock and promoting sustainable agricultural and land management practices.

They are using advanced breeding techniques and agronomic practices to enhance the resilience of Africa’s livestock and crops to drought, heat stress and other climate-related challenges.

While Africa is not on track to fulfill its Malabo commitment to end hunger and undernutrition by 2025, AU CAADP notes that several countries are making significant strides.

The AU-DARBE Commissioner recently identified specific areas of potential engagement with CGIAR. These include assisting AU Member States in implementing the AU Climate Strategy and Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change to deliver on the outcomes of last year's Climate Change meeting (COP28).

Another potential area of AU-CGIAR engagement is operationalizing the AU Multi-Hazard Early Warning System and Situation Room, focusing on knowledge management and capacity building.

Further potential areas of joint work are implementing the Sustainable Forest Management Framework for Africa, supporting the design of a new Post-Malabo AU CAADP framework and rolling out the African Agro-Parks program.

Africa has also asked CGIAR to support implementation of the UN Conference of Water recommendations and to strengthen collaboration on food systems resilience and implementation of the Africa Blue Economy Strategy.

Right now—as Africa determines its Post-Malabo Agricultural Transformation Agenda and CGIAR revisits its research portfolio to strengthen its delivery and impact—is a highly opportune time for Africa and CGIAR to be determining the best entry points for their future engagement.