The food system is linked to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and influences the achievement of these goals. Agriculture as the primary sector for the production of foods plays a major role in foods systems.  Currently, the global agricultural system requires significant attention to ensure that the value chain actions “from production to consumption” is sustainable and equitable. In Africa, agriculture remains the most important sector to birth the desired turn around for social and economic wellbeing of the populace. Yet, the sector is hampered by low productivity, rapid degradation of the natural production assets and other institutional constraints.

FARA and its partners the SROs (ASARECA, CCARDESA and CORAF), the Africa Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) and other stakeholders in Africa agriculture have engaged strongly with the UNFSS through the Science Group to gather, collate and present the opinions of stakeholders on interventions required to strengthen African agricultural research and innovation to improve the continent’s food system.  This initiative and its outcome are referred to as the “One Africa Voice”. This One Africa Voice outlined seven policy shifts that will enable the realization of the five action tracks outlined for sustainable food systems in Africa.

The main objective of the webinar is to propose actions and modalities for mobilization of the investments in Africa’s agricultural research and innovation required to put the continent on track to achieve the continents food system targets as elaborated in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)-Malabo 2025 commitments and SDG 2 (zero hunger).  These proposals will feed into the UNFSS process and contribute to outcomes of the Summit.

The expected participants in this dialogue cover the spectrum of actors in the food system that are involved, contribute, are affected and benefit from agricultural research and development.  These include research, education and extension institutions at all levels (from local, national, sub-regional, continental and global); farmers and their organizations; policy makers and policy advocacy actors, agribusiness actors (support services, e.g., financing and logistics, input dealers, processors, agro-bulking and storage service providers, exporters and retailers), consumer organizations, regulatory bodies and funders.