ASARECA and CGIAR Deepen Collaboration to Drive Agricultural Transformation in Eastern and Central Africa
BY GENEVIEVE APIO
Kampala, Uganda — May 2025
ASARECA continues to play a pivotal role in fostering regional collaboration with CGIAR centers to promote agricultural transformation, resilience, and food security in Eastern and Central Africa. Over the years, ASARECA has built a strong and strategic relationship with CGIAR partners, working together to co-design and implement impactful research-for-development initiatives across the region.
This longstanding collaboration was recently reaffirmed during the CGIAR System Board meeting held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Sendusu Station in Uganda, where ASARECA’s Interim Executive Director, Dr. Sylvester Dickson Baguma, was invited as a special guest.
A History of Partnership for Impact
ASARECA’s collaboration with CGIAR centers is rooted in a shared mission: to harness science, innovation, and policy support to deliver effective solutions for the millions of smallholder farmers in the region.
Over the past two decades, ASARECA has partnered with several CGIAR centers, including:
- ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute)
- ICRAF/CIFOR (Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry)
- CIAT and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
- IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute)
- IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture)
- IWMI (International Water Management Institute)
- ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics)
These collaborations have yielded tangible results in areas such as:
- Climate-Smart Agriculture
- Water and Land Resource Management
- Land, Soil, and Crop Information Systems for Climate Smart Agriculture.
- Evidence-Based Policy Development
ASARECA’s Participation in the CGIAR–IITA Board Meeting in Sendusu
In a demonstration of mutual commitment to deeper engagement, Dr. Sylvester Dickson Baguma participated in the IITA–CGIAR System Board Meeting hosted at the IITA Sendusu Research Station. The high-level meeting brought together CGIAR leadership, regional partners, and key stakeholders to deliberate on the strategic direction of agricultural research and innovation in Africa.
Key discussions focused on aligning CGIAR’s integrated partnership model with regional frameworks and national development priorities. The Sendusu meeting marked a significant milestone in advancing CGIAR’s goal of stronger regional integration and deeper collaboration with African-led institutions. ASARECA’s participation reaffirmed its role as a vital regional partner for CGIAR in Eastern and Central Africa.
ITA Sendusu Showcases Cutting-Edge Agricultural Technologies
During the visit, the IITA Sendusu team demonstrated how their research is being translated into practical, scalable solutions for smallholder farmers. IITA scientists and technical staff offered participants a guided tour of the station’s state-of-the-art research facilities and experimental fields, where a range of innovative agricultural technologies were showcased.
Among the key technologies exhibited were:
- Aflasafe Biocontrol Technology – A natural, environmentally friendly product designed to reduce aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnuts, with demonstrated success in improving food safety and enhancing marketability for farmers.
- Tissue Culture and Molecular Laboratories – Equipped for advanced diagnostics and propagation, these labs are critical for producing pathogen-free planting materials and for conducting molecular breeding to accelerate varietal development.
- Climate-Smart Field Trials – Plots showcasing improved, drought-tolerant, and early-maturing varieties of cassava, banana, maize, and legumes, offering climate-resilient options for farmers across the region.
- IITA Youth Agripreneurs Incubation Center – A dynamic space dedicated to empowering young people with agribusiness skills, entrepreneurship training, and access to modern technologies, fostering the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Dr. Baguma applauded IITA’s practical, solution-oriented approach to research, stating that the innovations on display were “well-aligned with ASARECA’s regional priorities and the needs of our member countries.”
Strengthening the CGIAR–ASARECA Partnership
With 15 member countries and a continental mandate to coordinate regional agricultural research, ASARECA stands uniquely positioned to accelerate the uptake and scaling of CGIAR innovations. The field demonstrations at Sendusu highlighted the immense potential for synergy between scientific research outputs and regional policy frameworks.
