Nigeria Champions African Push For Sustainable Agric Research Funding

Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will lead an African resource mobilisation drive to develop sustainable financing mechanisms for agricultural research and innovation, including a proposed continental endowment fund.

The initiative was one of the major outcomes of the Abuja Clarion Call on Sustainable Financing for Agricultural Research, Development and Innovation (AR4D) adopted by more than 500 African leaders, policymakers, development finance institutions, researchers, private-sector players and development partners at the ongoing 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW9) in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) said the High-Level Ministerial Dialogue, jointly organised by the Nigeria’s National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and FARA, recognised that persistent underinvestment in agricultural research remains a major constraint to Africa’s food security, climate resilience and economic transformation.

The move is aimed at reducing Africa’s reliance on unpredictable donor funding and creating more stable domestic and continental financing channels for agricultural research, technology development and innovation.

“A landmark outcome of the dialogue was the recognition that Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, will champion an African-led resource mobilisation process aimed at establishing sustainable financing mechanisms, including a continental endowment fund, to strengthen agricultural research, innovation and continental coordination through FARA”, FARA said.

The investment case presented at the dialogue argued that agricultural research is among the highest-return public investments available to governments, while Africa’s food insecurity is linked less to resource scarcity than to inadequate investment in research, innovation and technology.

Under the Abuja Clarion Call, African countries committed to progressively increase domestic funding for agricultural research, strengthen agricultural development funds, expand public-private partnerships and scale up blended finance and impact investment.

FARA said the proposed continental endowment fund would provide a more sustainable financing base for research and strengthen coordination through the organisation.

The framework also seeks deeper collaboration among FARA, the African Union, AUDA-NEPAD, regional economic communities, national agricultural research systems and development partners.

“Financing agricultural research is not merely an expenditure but a strategic investment in Africa’s future.

Africa must transition from fragmented, externally dependent financing towards predictable, African-led investment in agricultural research, development and innovation.”

“The Abuja Clarion Call therefore represents a continental commitment to move from declaration to delivery by translating political commitments into sustained investments.

The agricultural transformation of Africa will ultimately be determined by Africa’s willingness to invest in its own science,”FARA added.

FARA noted that development finance institutions, commercial banks, philanthropic organisations and private investors would be critical to mobilising blended finance and other innovative instruments capable of reducing investment risks while accelerating research commercialisation and technology deployment.

FARA said stronger investment in agricultural science could generate improved technologies, climate-smart production systems, resilient seed varieties, competitive value chains and new employment opportunities, particularly for Africa’s growing youth population.

The dialogue was attended by the Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, FARA Board Chairperson Bongi Njobe, FARA Executive-director Dr Aggrey Agumya, NADF Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Abu Ibrahim and Bank of Agriculture managing-director Ayodeji Oludare Sotinrin, among other stakeholders.