CAADP’s Legacy: A Continental Framework for Evidence-Driven Growth

At the heart of this effort is the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), a flagship African Union initiative designed to achieve agricultural growth and food security by promoting evidence-driven strategies. For over two decades, CAADP has championed investments in research and innovation, and achieving its ambitious goals requires equipping African scientists with the tools to generate actionable insights and ensure that agricultural policies are informed by data, not assumptions. This is where initiatives like the Strengthening Evidence-Based Policy Practice for Sustainable Food Systems (StEPPFoS) project become important. Funded by the European Union StEPPFoS (coordinated by FARA), aims to bridge the gap between policy and practice in a way that addresses Africa’s unique agricultural and nutritional challenges.

Through partnerships with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, and 16 partner organisations and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), StEPPFoS is working to strengthen the technical capacities of Africa’s researchers in policy analysis and provision of technical support to decision making in the agricultural sector of Africa, particularly those in the Pan-African Network for Economic Analysis of Policies (PANAP) Network. PANAP serves as a hub for African researchers to analyse the socio-economic impacts of agricultural and food system policies, providing policymakers with evidence that can guide investments and reforms.

DEMETRA Training: Equipping Researchers with Advanced Modelling Tools

A striking example of this commitment to capacity building is the 2025 DEMETRA Modelling Training Workshop, held in Kigali, Rwanda, in June 2025. Twenty-three agri-food researchers from across the continent gathered to deepen their understanding of the Dynamic Equilibrium Model for Economic Development, Resources, and Agriculture (DEMETRA), a cutting-edge tool developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. DEMETRA is designed to simulate the ripple effects of policy decisions or shocks, such as changes in trade policies or climate events, on national economies, food systems, and livelihoods. What made this training stand out was its practicality. Participants worked in small groups to apply the DEMETRA Computable General Equilibrium model to real-world policy scenarios. This hands-on approach moved beyond theory, empowering participants to see how their analyses could influence actual policy decisions. The workshop not only improved their modelling skills but also fostered a community of practice where African researchers can collaborate and exchange ideas to drive food systems transformation.

Investments in initiatives like StEPPFoS and networks like PANAP demonstrate a shift toward empowering African expertise. For too long, the continent has relied heavily on external analyses to inform agricultural policy, but the future depends on building homegrown capacity to generate relevant, context-specific insights. By training African researchers to master advanced modelling tools like DEMETRA, these initiatives are laying the foundation for evidence-based policymaking that reflects Africa’s realities.

Toward a Food-Secure Africa: Strengthening the Research-Policy Interface

As countries work toward achieving Kampala CAADP’s vision of a food-secure and prosperous Africa, strengthening the research-policy interface is critical. This means expanding and strengthening platforms like PANAP, sustaining long-term investments in agricultural research, and fostering closer collaboration between scientists and decision-makers. Africa’s transformation will not be driven solely by political will or financial investment; it will require robust evidence to guide every step.

Op-Ed By:  Dr. Kwaku Antwi, Cluster lead, Research Policy and Investments, FARA and Daniel Obloni Kweitsu, Communications Expert, FARA

The post Unlocking Africa’s Agri-Food System Through Evidence-Based Policy Decisions appeared first on FARA Africa.

Duration: FARA/StEPPFoS & CEA-FIRST/Adv./Programme Officer/2024

Initial 12 months, renewable for another 24 months Issue Date: Monday, September 16, 2024 Submission Deadline: Tuesday, October 01, 2024

1. The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is the apex organization coordinating agricultural research for development (AR4D) in Africa. It serves as the technical arm of the African Union and leads initiatives that support agricultural transformation at continental and sub-continental levels. FARA’s mandate is to enhance food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture across Africa. Food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (FNSSA) are policy priorities for many African countries and are integral to the AU/EU international development agenda. Under the AU-EU High-Level Policy-Dialogue in 2016, a Research and Innovation (R&I) Partnership was established to promote sustainable food systems. Through EU Horizon Europe funding, FARA is implementing two key projects:

• StEPPFoS: Strengthening Policy Analysis and Partnerships for Food Systems.
• CEA-FIRST: Consortium Europe Africa on Research and Innovation for Food Systems Transformation.

Both projects aim to support FNSSA’s roadmap and create enabling environments that integrate R&I with food systems transformation efforts.

FARA is seeking a Programme Officer for Results Measurement and Learning to design and implement a comprehensive monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework for the StePPFoS and CEA-FIRST projects. This role will ensure that project activities align with key performance indicators (KPIs) and track progress to enhance project impact.

2. This request for expression of interest aims at engaging a candidate to carry out the following functions:

• Developing Results Measurement & Learning frameworks for the StePPFoS and CEA-FIRST projects
• Designing and implementing data collection systems and supporting baseline development
• Conducting regular monitoring and data analysis to assess project progress.
• Preparing and submitting periodic reports, including quarterly, mid-term, and final reports
• Providing recommendations to improve project execution.
• Supporting FARA-wide M&E initiatives and contributing to future project proposals

3. If you are passionate about Africa’s agri-food systems transformation, have a good grasp of emerging trends and approaches to results measurement/monitoring and evaluation, a persuasive communicator (both oral and written), a good presenter and a learning mindset, we would like to interact further with you.

4. The ideal candidate should have:

• An advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., M&E, statistics, economics, social sciences); Proven experience in designing and managing M&E systems, preferably in agriculture and research & development settings; Strong analytical and report-writing skills; Familiarity with data analysis tools (SPSS, Excel, STATA, SAS); and Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

5. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their Expression of Interest, including a detailed CV and a cover letter explaining how they meet the requirements.

Please download the Terms of Reference below, for further information on this opportunity.

TOR – Results Measurement Learning Consultant

6. Applications should be submitted electronically to [recruitment@faraafrica.org] and addressed to Dr. Aggrey Agumya, Executive Director of FARA, No 7 Flower Avenue, New Achimota, Mile 7, Accra, Ghana, no later than Tuesday, October 01, 2024, at 16h00 GMT. Tel: +233 302 772823/744888.

7. FARA Affirmative Action Statement on Recruitment: there is no discrimination based on gender race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability, or health status.

Executive Director of FARA

The post REOI: Programme Officer, Results Measurement & Learning appeared first on FARA Africa.

The African Union and the European Union together with a number of implementing partners on the African continent and across Europe launched the Strengthening Evidence-Based Policy Practice for Sustainable Food Systems under the EU-AU Partnership #StEPPFoS Project at the Alisa Hotel in Tema, Accra-Ghana. 

StEPPFoS Implementing Partners General Assembly, Alisa Hotel Tema, Accra-Ghana

The #StEPPFoS Project is designed to promote policy coherence and alignment across the Pan-African Network for Economic Policy Analysis of Policies PANAP and Food and Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture #FNSSA to contribute towards minimizing the fragmentation of policy initiatives in the agri-food sector at national and regional levels across the African Continent. 

The Strengthening Evidence-Based Policy Practice for Sustainable Food Systems under the EU-AU Partnership is a 4-year project running from January 2024 till December 2027.

Dr Stephen Onakuse, Dr Kwaku Dei Antwi, Dr Kwamena Quaison, Paola De Caro, Dr. Aggrey Agumya and Raffaele Quarto

Funding for the implementation of the project is granted by the European Union as part of the  Green Deal’s “From Farm to Fork”  strategy (Horizon Europe budget envelope), which forms a crucial part of the EU’s “Global Gateway” strategic vision, aiming at establishing sustainable and reliable connections serving citizens and the planet.  

Raffaele Quarto, European Union

A total of 18 participating organizations come together to make up the StEPPFoS implementation partnership, populated by a wide range of experts and stakeholders (including researchers, NGOs, donors, extension workers, etc.) involved in the field of Policy research analysis, capacity building and food and nutritional security and sustainable agriculture.

Ibrahim Gariba, African Union Commission

At the event were the European Union Delegation Representative to Ghana, Raffaele Quarto, Ibrahim Gariba, a Senior Communication Specialist representing the African Union Commission, Paola De Caro of the European Commission, the REA_EC Project Officer Adelma Di Biasio Biaso and Kwamena Quaison, a Chief Director representing the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) Ghana.

Kwamena Quaison, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation of Ghana

The project is coordinated by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), a continental apex technical institution of the African Union Commission , and the European Alliance on Agricultural Knowledge for Development (AGRINATURA), an Association of European Universities and Research Centres.

Dr. Kwaku Dei Antwi, StEPPFoS Coordinator, FARA

As outlined by the Project Coordinator, Kwaku Dei Antwi of FARA, StEPPFoS aims to contribute to the FNSSA 10-year roadmap and the global transition towards sustainable food systems through the implementation of activities that link PANAP to the FNSSA partnership. Specific objectives are: 

1. to improve capacities of stakeholders  
2. to enhance science-policy interface  
3. to improve strategies that promote scientific support within policy development.  
4. to expand and strengthen the PANAP Network.  

The project will be implemented through its  eight work packages (WPs) over a period of 48 months using Capacity building, stakeholder engagements, participatory monitoring, evaluation, and learning as the main methods to deliver on the project’s objectives whiles adhering to open science principles and effective data management practices. StEPPFoS will further leverage expertise from academic, research, and policy institutions in both Europe and Africa. 

Paola De Caro, European Commission

Governments worldwide invest heavily in crafting policies to tackle public priorities such as sustainable food and nutrition. However, there’s often a notable disparity between policy goals and actual outcomes, highlighting a universal challenge in policy formulation and implementation Food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (FNSSA) represent crucial development priorities in Africa, receiving significant attention from both national governments and international agendas such as the AU/EU partnership. FNSSA was identified as a priority area in the AU-EU High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology, and Innovation, leading to the establishment of the Pan-African Network for Economic Analysis of Policies (PANAP).

The final outcome of the StEPPFoS initiative will be an enhanced collaboration between the FNSSA Research and Innovation Partnership and the Pan-African Network for Economic Analysis of Policies PANAP within EU-AU cooperation. It will further provide support for African agricultural and food systems policy making process through enhanced cooperation in economic, social and environmental impact (including biodiversity) analysis of policy options for food systems, nutrition performance, agrifood trade, and development of rural areas.

Dr Stephen Onakuse, President of AGRINATURA

The President of AGRINATURA, Dr Stephen Onakuse during his closing remarks at the General Assembly of Implementing partners held as part of the inception meetings expressed his delight in the deliberations and decisions for implementation settled on by the general assembly and the need for synchronicity among implementing partners for the success of the project and ultimate realization of the project outcomes.

Dr. Aggrey Agumya, Executive Director, FARA

On his part, the Executive Director of FARA, Dr. Aggrey Agumya, expressed honor in the trust bestowed on FARA to coordinate the project and pledged his commitment to seeing a strengthened AU-EU partnership. 

Project Implementing Partners 

1. Forum For Agricultural Research In Africa, Ghana – FARA, Coordinator

2. The Registered Trustees Of The Association For Strengthening Agricultural Research In Eastern And Central Africa – ASARECA
3. Conf. Respons. Recher. Agronom.Afriq. De L’ouest & Du Centre – CORAF/WECARD
4. Council For Scientific And Industrial Research – CSIR-GH
5. European Centre for Development Policy Management – ECDPM
6. Food Agriculture And Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network – FANRPAN

7. Regional Universities Forum For Capacity Building In Agriculture – RUFORUM
8. Universitaet Hohenheim
9. European Alliance on Agricultural Knowledge for Development Agrinatura
10. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis KIPPRA, Kenya

11. Stichting Wageningen Research – WR
12. African Forum For Agricultural Advisory Services – AFAAS
13. Universita Ca’ Foscari Venezia – UNIVE
14. Universite Felix Houphouet Boigny, Benin
15. E-Science European Infrastructure For Biodiversity And Ecosystem Research – LifeWatch
16. Eastern Africa Farmers’ Federation Society – EAFF
17. The Association of Commonwealth Universities – UK
18. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission – EC-JRC

The post THE EU-AU Partnership launches the Strengthening Evidence-Based Policy Practice for Sustainable Food Systems Project.  appeared first on FARA Africa.