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Publicly-funded institutions have been primarily responsible for the generation and adoption of innovations in West Africa. For example, National Agricultural Research Systems (mainly public) are the main drivers of food system technologies - but they often struggle to get them to the final beneficiaries (producers, farmers and businesses).

At a recent West Africa Technology Fair(WATEF), organizers acknowledged the relatively low level of private sector participation, and called for greater private sector involvement in future fairs.

According to CORAF and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), "Private sector participation has not been as strong as desired".

WATEF was jointly initiated by CORAF and IITA through their respective technology generation and dissemination networks - the National Specialization Centers(NSCs) and the Technologies for Transforming African Agriculture (TAAT) program.

Therefore, special efforts must be made to engage the private sector through national chambers of commerce and other private sector associations at regional or national level."

CORAF and IITA

"Technologies deemed suitable for scale-up must go through the brokering process, which implies a link with and role for the private sector," wrote CORAF and IITA in the final declaration approved by participants at the end of WATEF. 

"Special strategies need to be put in place to engage the private sector in this brokerage business, including resource mobilization." 

The CNS and TAAT were asked to create a favorable environment for the private sector to flourish.

Read the full Call to Action here.