The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), in collaboration with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its partners, wishes to inform all registered participants, partners, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, media representatives and the general public of an important change of venue for the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW9) and the 10th FARA General Assembly.

New Venue: Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria
Dates: 27–30 July 2026 

This venue change replaces the previously announced Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

All other arrangements remain unchanged, including the event dates, theme, programme, side events, exhibition, General Assembly, registration and participation arrangements.

The Abuja Continental Hotel provides an excellent conference environment with world-class meeting facilities and hospitality services that will ensure a seamless experience for all delegates while supporting the delivery of one of Africa’s premier agricultural research, innovation and agribusiness platforms.

The four-day programme will continue as planned, featuring high-level opening and plenary sessions; the Science and Partnership for Agriculture Conference (SPAC); parallel technical sessions aligned with the four thematic areas; ministerial and donor dialogues; side events; exhibition and networking opportunities; Nigeria Day activities; and the 10th FARA General Assembly.

Under the theme “Innovation and Partnerships for Resilient and Sustainable Agrifood Systems in Africa,” AASW9 will convene policymakers, researchers, farmers, private sector leaders, development partners, youth, women, investors and civil society organisations from across Africa and beyond to advance partnerships and practical solutions for transforming African agrifood systems.

FARA appreciates the understanding and continued support of all participants and partners as preparations enter the final stages. We remain committed to delivering a memorable, impactful and well-organised Africa Agriculture Science Week.

Participants are encouraged to update their travel and accommodation arrangements accordingly and continue following official AASW9 communication channels for further event updates.

We look forward to welcoming delegates to Abuja Continental Hotel from 27–30 July 2026 for another landmark edition of Africa Agriculture Science Week.

Media Contacts

AASW9 Secretariat
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
Email: aasw@faraafrica.org Copying babugri@faraafrica.org, nuhuyusuf2005@gmail.com and spennaneach@faraafrica.org
Website: www.faraafrica.org

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Accra, Ghana | 1–3 July 2026

The CIRAWA Agroecology Conference 2026 concluded in Accra with a renewed call for stronger partnerships, evidence-based policies, and greater investment in agroecology and nature-based solutions as pathways to transforming Africa’s food systems.

Held under the theme “Agroecology and Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Food Systems in Africa,” the conference convened scientists, policymakers, development partners, private sector representatives, farmer organizations, civil society, and academia from across Africa and Europe to exchange knowledge, showcase innovations, and develop practical pathways for scaling agroecological transformation.

A High-Level Gathering for Africa’s Food Systems Transformation

The conference officially opened with representation from the Office of the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana. Hon. Dr. Alex Segbefia, Chief of Staff, Dr Miriam Rahinatu Iddrisu, Policy Advisor – Social Sector, and Dr Hamza Bukari, Policy Advisor – Economic Sector, represented H.E. Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Vice President of Ghana, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and food systems transformation.

Hon. Dr. Alex Segbefia, Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana

Participants also included representatives from the European Union, UNESCO, IUCN, FARA, CORAF, CARTIF, the University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), World Vision, Amaati, and several research and development organizations.

Their collective presence underscored the growing recognition that no single institution can address the complex challenges of food insecurity, climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation alone.

Science Meets Indigenous Knowledge

Throughout the three-day event, keynote presentations highlighted the importance of combining scientific research with indigenous knowledge systems to accelerate agroecological transitions.

Participants networking and exchanging knowledge

The conference explored how nature-based solutions can improve agricultural productivity while restoring ecosystems, strengthening soil health, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing resilience to climate change. Sessions also examined how education, innovation, and community participation can drive long-term agricultural transformation.

FARA Champions Healthy Soils and Circular Agriculture

One of the conference highlights was the keynote delivered on behalf of FARA Executive Director Dr. Aggrey Agumya by Prof. Oluwole Fatunbi, Acting Director of Research and Innovation.

Prof. Wole Fatunbi, Ag. Director of Research and Innovation, FARA

The presentation, titled “Soil Health, Agro-Waste and Circularity – Recycling: Nature’s Pathway to Healthy Soil,” emphasized the importance of restoring soil fertility through circular approaches that transform agricultural waste into valuable resources.

The keynote reinforced FARA’s commitment to promoting healthy soils as the foundation of resilient food systems and sustainable agricultural productivity across Africa.

Rich Scientific Exchange

The conference featured an extensive programme of scientific sessions covering key themes critical to Africa’s agricultural future, including:

• Agroecological technologies and practices
• Nature-based solutions
• Soil health and circularity
• Metrics, indicators, and monitoring systems
• Agroecology transitions
• Policy, scaling, and gender integration

Research Poster Presentation Sessions

Poster exhibitions, technical discussions, and interactive workshops provided additional opportunities for participants to share research findings, practical experiences, and innovative solutions from across the continent.

From Knowledge Sharing to Action

Beyond scientific presentations, participants engaged in policy dialogues and collaborative workshops designed to bridge the gap between research and implementation.

A section of audience at the Opening Plenary Session

Sessions focused on strengthening partnerships for agroecology, developing holistic approaches to assessing agroecological systems, scaling successful practices, and advancing digital decision-support tools for sustainable crop planning.

These discussions reinforced the importance of translating scientific evidence into practical actions that benefit farmers, communities, and national food systems.

Partnerships at the Centre of Transformation

A recurring message throughout the conference was that successful agroecological transitions depend on collaboration.

Team Members of Local Organizing Committee

Organizers acknowledged the collective efforts of institutions including CIRAWA, CORAF, FARA, IUCN, UDS, World Vision Ghana, EPA Ghana, Amaati, FIDEP, the European Union, and numerous project partners whose collaboration made the conference possible.

Participants also recognized the leadership of conference organizers, keynote speakers, moderators, rapporteurs, communications teams, logistics personnel, and volunteers whose contributions ensured a successful event.

A Shared Vision for Africa

Reflecting on the outcomes of the conference, organizers noted that the three days had delivered far more than presentations. The event fostered meaningful scientific exchanges, practical demonstrations, policy reflections, exhibitions, workshops, and stronger partnerships dedicated to advancing agroecology across Africa.

A section of audience at the Day 2 Plenary Session

Participants left with a shared commitment to ensure that the conference recommendations translate into concrete actions capable of supporting resilient farming systems, sustainable food production, improved livelihoods, and healthier ecosystems.

Looking Ahead

As Africa continues to confront the interconnected challenges of climate change, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity, the CIRAWA Agroecology Conference has reinforced the importance of investing in science, innovation, partnerships, and locally adapted solutions.

For FARA and its partners, the conference represents another important milestone in advancing agricultural research for development and strengthening Africa’s transition toward resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems.

The partnerships forged, knowledge exchanged, and recommendations developed during the conference are expected to contribute to future policies, research programmes, and investments that place agroecology at the heart of Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda.

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The training serves as a pre-event capacity building initiative toward the CIRAWA Agroecology Conference 2026 (July 1-3, 2026) and is organized under the Regional Multi-Actor Research Network (RMRN) initiative. It brings together researchers and technical experts from across Africa to strengthen their capacity to apply Earth Observation (EO) technologies in agroecological research, policy development, and sustainable land management.

Building Digital Capacity for Africa’s Agroecological Transition

Agroecology is increasingly recognized as one of the most promising pathways for transforming Africa’s food systems. By integrating ecological principles into agricultural production, agroecology supports improved soil health, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

However, scaling agroecological practices requires more than sound agricultural knowledge. Researchers and decision-makers also need accurate, timely, and spatially explicit data to monitor landscapes, assess crop performance, evaluate biodiversity, and understand environmental change.

Earth Observation technologies—including satellite imagery, remote sensing, and geospatial analytics—provide exactly these capabilities. Yet across many African institutions, limited technical capacity has constrained their widespread adoption.

The RMRN-CIRAWA training addresses this challenge by equipping participants with practical skills to integrate EO technologies into agricultural research and innovation systems, ultimately improving research quality, policy relevance, and development impact.

A Strategic Partnership for Research Excellence

The training reflects a growing collaboration between European and African institutions working to strengthen scientific capacity for sustainable agriculture.

Led by Earth Observation specialists from the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EU-JRC), the programme is coordinated by FARA and RUFORUM, who are responsible for logistics, documentation, and knowledge sharing.

Together, the partners aim to build a new generation of researchers capable of using digital technologies to solve complex agricultural and environmental challenges facing Africa.

Nine African Countries Represented

The training programme brings together 14 agricultural experts from the RMRN network representing: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

By bringing together researchers from diverse agroecological zones, the training creates opportunities for peer learning, regional collaboration, and long-term scientific partnerships that extend beyond the workshop itself.

From Theory to Practice

Unlike conventional technical workshops, the training adopts a highly practical learning model.

Participants begin by exploring the fundamentals of satellite remote sensing, land-use mapping, and Earth Observation applications in agriculture before progressing to hands-on exercises using industry-standard tools such as Google Earth Engine (GEE) and QGIS.

The curriculum enables participants to process satellite imagery, generate land-cover maps, and interpret spatial datasets that can support research, extension, and policy formulation.

Real African Case Studies

A distinctive feature of the programme is its emphasis on real-world African applications.

Participants will work on practical case studies focusing on:

• Crop type classification
• Landscape-level crop diversity
• Cocoa and coffee mapping
• Agroforestry characterization
• Land-use analysis
• Shade cover estimation using canopy height data

Hands-on exercises draw on examples from Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, enabling participants to apply Earth Observation techniques to actual agricultural production systems using Sentinel-2 imagery and machine learning approaches such as the Random Forest classifier.

Supporting Better Research and Better Policy

The training goes beyond technical skills.

Participants are expected to strengthen their ability to interpret geospatial information and translate scientific evidence into policy recommendations that support sustainable agriculture.

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Understand key Earth Observation concepts relevant to agroecology.
• Access and process satellite datasets, including Sentinel and Landsat imagery.
• Apply EO techniques to monitor agroecological systems.
• Develop research proposals integrating Earth Observation technologies.
• Strengthen collaborative research networks across Africa.

Advancing Africa’s Digital Agriculture Agenda

Digital innovation is rapidly reshaping agricultural research worldwide.

Earth Observation technologies now support climate-smart agriculture, early warning systems, soil health assessment, crop monitoring, biodiversity conservation, and landscape restoration. As African countries seek to improve food security while responding to climate change, these technologies are becoming indispensable.

Through initiatives such as the RMRN-CIRAWA training, African researchers gain access not only to cutting-edge tools but also to collaborative networks that promote innovation, knowledge exchange, and evidence-based decision-making.

Looking Ahead

The Earth Observation Training marks an important milestone in strengthening Africa’s scientific capacity to accelerate agroecological transformation.

By combining advanced geospatial technologies with collaborative learning, the programme empowers researchers to generate actionable evidence that supports farmers, policymakers, and development partners across the continent.

As preparations continue for the CIRAWA Agroecology Conference 2026, the training demonstrates the shared commitment of FARA, EU-JRC, RUFORUM, and the RMRN initiative to building resilient agricultural systems through science, innovation, and regional collaboration.

The knowledge and partnerships developed during these two days will continue to influence research, policy, and sustainable agricultural development well beyond the conference—helping shape a more food-secure, climate-resilient, and environmentally sustainable future for Africa.

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This call forms part of the NDICI AFRICA/2023/447‑700 programme, which aims to strengthen science–policy interfaces, promote evidence-based advocacy, and advance the integration of agroecology into national and regional agricultural strategies across Africa. Selected projects will contribute directly to improving food system resilience, biodiversity, environmental sustainability, and policy engagement.

Grant Focus Areas

Proposals should address one or more of the following:

• Agroecological principles: biodiversity, soil health, recycling, synergies, resilience, and co‑creation of knowledge
• Policy advocacy for recognition of agroecology in national systems
• Agroecology’s role in food and nutrition security
• Gender-responsive and socially inclusive agroecological approaches

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be members of the RMRN/RCoE Consortium, PANAP, or RUFORUM networks
• Be based in Africa through citizenship or institutional affiliation
• Demonstrate capacity to conduct applied or community‑based research and comply with ethical standards

Grant Amount

Up to EUR 5,000 per proposal. A maximum of 10 proposals will be selected.

How to Apply

Submit the following through the RUFORUM Information Management System (RIMS):

• Technical Proposal
• Detailed Budget
• Work Plan
• CV(s) of key researchers
• Proof of network affiliation

 Submission Portal: https://rims2.ruforum.org/         Application Deadline: 30 March 2026

Download Full Call Details

For further information: Please contact: cgs@ruforum.org

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From 8–13 September 2025, the Regional Multi-Actor Research Network (RMRN) Project, funded by the European Commission with technical support from the Joint Research Centre (JRC), organised a four-day hybrid (online and onsite) Agroecology co-learning workshop.  The workshop, co-organised in collaboration with other projects of the Transformative Partnership Platform on Agroecology (AE-TPP), brought together researchers, partners, and stakeholders from across Africa to strengthen capacity in agroecological transitions, research and innovation. Throughout the workshop, there was an emphasis on holistic agroecology assessments facilitated through the TRANSITIONS METRICS Project, made possible thanks to the generous support of the European Union and coordination of IFAD.

Participants engaged in sessions on the principles and approaches of agroecology as well as exposure to tools for assessing agroecology transitions. The training also covered systems thinking, participatory research methodologies, and science-policy linkages, equipping participants with the knowledge needed to design and implement innovations that can contribute to transforming Africa’s food systems.

A major highlight was a field visit to the Drylands Natural Resource Center (DNRC) at Kalimani in Nairobi, where participants observed firsthand, how agroecological principles are transforming dryland farming systems. The visit showcased community-led agroforestry, soil regeneration, and sustainable livelihoods, offering practical lessons on restoring degraded landscapes and improving food security and resilience.

Participants at the DNRC during the field visit

Founded and led by Kenyan national Nicholas M. Syano, DNRC is a locally registered NGO working with more than 1,000 smallholder farmers to promote sustainable dryland resource management and agroecological farming practices. Reflecting on the visit, Mr. Syano said: “We are honoured to host the RMRN team at DNRC. ” Their insights and suggestions are valuable in helping us improve our work and expand opportunities for research collaboration. This kind of engagement is vital for advancing agroecology principles and scaling sustainable solutions across dryland regions.”

Dr. Florence Nakayiwa, Deputy Executive Secretary for Planning, Resources, Mobilisation and Management at RUFORUM, emphasized the importance of blending theory with practice: “This training has been an important step in building capacity for agroecological transitions. The blend of theoretical concepts with the practical field visit to DNRC allowed participants to see agroecology in action, moving beyond abstract principles to real solutions that work for communities. This approach is vital for strengthening advocacy and driving agroecology transitions at scale across the continent. RUFORUM remains committed to working with partners to ensure that these lessons translate into stronger policies, investments, and partnerships for sustainable food systems.”

Dr. Kwaku Antwi, Coordinator of the RMRN Project at FARA, underscored the networks’ commitment to advancing agroecology: “The RMRNs are fully committed to advancing agroecological transitions across Africa. Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, we aim to ensure that agroecology contributes to food systems transformation. This training has shown us what is possible when science, practice, and policy come together, and we will continue working with partners to scale these efforts for the benefit of farmers and communities.”

The workshop also fostered peer learning and collaboration among participants; laying the groundwork for stronger partnerships and policy advocacy towards advancing agroecology across the continent.

By: Daniel Obloni Kweitsu, Communications Expert, FARA

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