The document summarizes the key recommendations from 36 side events focused on innovations to improve agricultural productivity and resilience in Africa. The events addressed topics like mainstreaming agricultural research, technological innovations in post-harvest and water use, developing foresight tools, building capacity in biotechnology, and mobilizing investments. Recommendations included establishing platforms for knowledge sharing on food security, prioritizing the water-food-energy nexus, and investing in agricultural value chains and aquatic agricultural systems. The events provided discussions and guidance on actions needed to advance productivity and sustainability across African agriculture.

1. Key Recommendations from Side Events
Theme: Innovations to Improve
Productivity and Resilience
‘Wale Adekunle

2. Innovations to Improve Productivity and Resilience
The need for Africa agriculture to come up with
technological, institutional and infrastructural
innovations that ensure high productivity and
yet maintain the integrity of natural resources is
a key to the development of the sector
36 side events were held to address this theme
in the first two days of this Week.

3. 1. FARA delivered the proof of IAR4D concept to
stakeholders and launched the Innovative Fund for
Agricultural Transformation.
2. Mainstreaming the IAR4D into ARD structure
necessitates increasing awareness , capacity
development of the different stakeholders, and policy.
3. Technological innovation needs to give attention to
issues of postharvest, agricultural-nutrition nexus;
and sustainable water use.
Key outcomes Group 1: Development and use of initiative
that generate Innovations that benefit all stakeholders

4. 4. The foresight tool is very vital for sustainability and for
the future ARD Africa. There is however need for
capacity building
5. There is the need to link short and long-term
assistance to revitalise local institutions for resilient
livelihood solutions for food insecurity.
6. Countries should build critical mass of Scientists in
Biotechnology and biosafety to internalize issues of
Biotechnology Stewardship.
7. The Science Agenda discussions needs to broaden the
consultations to involve the National Agricultural
Research Institutes (NARIS) and the various science
based networks, it also needs to develop a funding
mechanism.
Key outcomes Group 2: Visioning a prosperous future
for Africa Agriculture

5. 7. Wheat is an important commodity in Africa, as such
there is a need to support the establishment of an
Africa led partnership mechanism for coordinating and
managing wheat initiative in Africa.
8. Food security issues in crises areas will require the
establishment of a joint consultative platform for
Africa, Asia and the Near East to share lessons learned
and good practices of recovery from protracted crises.
9. Good attention should be giving to the water-food-
energy nexus, using the ecosystems approach to
assure sustainability in food production.
10. Mobilize political will and leadership to implement the
$4.5 billion 10 point plan of reforms to improve land
governance over the next 10 years
Key Outcomes Group 3: Issues and Commodities that
Require Targeted Effort for Innovation and Impact

6. 11. More investments needs to be made on
agricultural market value chain to facilitate the
development of the public-private partnership.
12. There is a need for investment for workable
Aquatic Agricultural Systems ( AAS) platform under
FARA to bridge the boundary between research,
policy and development.
13. FARA needs to emphasize the creation of an
EverGreen Agriculture in Africa to increase
resilience and productivity of agricultural systems.
Key Outcomes Group 4: Investment for innovation

7. The thematic focus for sustainable innovation
H: Gender and
nutrition as cross-
cutting interface
G: Product development
– productivity and
gender interface

8. Institutions that organized side events

9. Conclusion
• The 36 side events that were organized under
the theme : Innovation to Improve
productivity and Resilience adequately
responded to the theme.
• The events also provided relevant discussion
and pointers to what should be done.
• All commodity groups in agriculture viz.,
crops, livestock, fisheries & aquaculture
commodities were considered along side
with ecological and socioeconomic issues.