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The 14th Ordinary Session of the CORAF General Assembly got underway on April 15 in Cotonou, focusing on the theme: "Increasing collaboration with the private sector in West and Central Africa to mitigate the impact of climate, health and security crises on agriculture". The Minister of Agriculture, Gaston Cossi DOSSOUHOUI, and his colleague in charge of Higher Education, Éléonore YAYI LADEKAN, officially launched the proceedings.

The general aim of this 14th session is to define mechanisms for collaboration with the private sector to meet the challenges of adapting to climate change, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and valorizing agricultural innovations.

The private sector at the heart of agricultural solutions

Opening the 14ᵉ Ordinary Session of the CORAF General Assembly, Minister Gaston Cossi DOSSOUHOUI stressed the importance of private sector involvement in funding agricultural research and scaling up agricultural technologies and innovations, a point highlighted by CORAF in recent years. He identified as major challenges the promotion of agri-businesses, the alignment of research programs with the needs of the private sector, and the management of the intellectual property of research results.

For the Minister, " the adoption of quality technology and innovation, high-paying market access, free trade and the availability of adequate regulatory frameworks are also necessary conditions for increasing agricultural productivity and transforming the agricultural system in West and Central Africa. It is therefore essential to create a favorable environment for private investment to meet the growing needs of the agricultural sector."

According to Dr Angela Maria da Veiga Moreno Doutora, Chairwoman of CORAF's Board of Directors, the involvement of the private sector in all aspects of the development and valorization of innovations is essential if tangible results are to be achieved in promoting value-added chains in agricultural sectors that generate wealth and inclusive growth. " The agricultural sector is the mainstay of the economy and the livelihood of the majority of families in the region ", she stresses, calling for the collective commitment of all stakeholders.

"Over and above public investment, it is important to find the mechanisms and approaches needed to make the business environment conducive to the mobilization of private capital to better meet the investment needs of the agricultural sector within the framework of a win-win partnership," says Dr. Aifa Fatimata Ndoye Niane, Senior Agricultural Economist at the World Bank's Dakar Office.

The role of CORAF 

"On a regional level, CORAF plays a coordinating role for national agricultural research systems, pooling human, infrastructure and material resources, mobilizing funding through regional programs and scaling up the innovations generated", says Adolphe Adjanohoun, Managing Director of the Institut national de recherche agricole du Bénin (INRAB). Efficient organization of agricultural research is therefore essential to cope with agricultural crises. In addition to research, investment and appropriate innovation are key to increasing agricultural productivity and output, as well as the value of processed products. Industrialization and the preservation of the environment and natural resources are also priorities to ensure the sustainable development of the agricultural sector.

"Cooperation between the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and CORAF is of vital importance in this process, providing essential support to member states in the field of agricultural and agri-food research," says Honoré Tabuna, Commissioner for the Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development at the Commission of the Community of Central African States (ECCAS). 

Dr. Angela MORENO, President of CORAF's Board of Directors, expressed her gratitude to the Government of Benin for hosting this General Assembly, testifying to Benin's commitment to agricultural development. She encouraged participants to work with openness and innovation for the future of agriculture in West and Central Africa.