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How can French-speaking West and Central Africa combat hunger, ensure food security and prosperity for all through high-quality research? Three leading institutions in this field have recently committed resources to tackling these challenges through agricultural research.

At an international event aimed at stimulating investment and growth in Africa's agricultural sector, held recently in Abidjan, representatives of three research institutions recognized the critical importance of research in achieving food security and agricultural transformation.

These include the Dakar-based Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Développement Agricole (CORAF), the Centre de Recherches pour le Développement International (CRDI) and the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agricole pour le Développement(CIRAD).

African economies are heavily dependent on agriculture. In West and Central Africa, agriculture is the main source of income and food for a total population of around 400 million people. The agricultural sector also accounts for around 60% of jobs on the continent.

Policy-makers and scientists agree that a considerable increase in food production is needed over the next decade to feed the growing population. Agricultural research and development are essential to the expected increase in the sector.

In collaboration with the Université Nangui Abrogoua and the Côte d'Ivoire Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the three institutions recognized the importance of working in partnership to meet the food needs of French-speaking countries in both regions.

"Post-harvest losses are increasing for most farmers in the West and Central regions due to the lack of adequate technologies to process produce. This is why agricultural research is so crucial to the transformation of agriculture. In 30 years of existence, this has been the value of CORAF and its partners", said Dr. Abdou Tenkouano, Executive Director of CORAF.

"As part of the World Bank-sponsored agricultural productivity program in West Africa, CORAF has disseminated some 160 technologies over the past 08 years, and today supports farmers, including women and young people, to increase incomes and enjoy better living conditions".

Côte d'Ivoire's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has been at the forefront of investment in agricultural research and development in West Africa.

Mrs Ly Ramata Bakayoko, Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, stressed the importance of agricultural research and innovation in development policies aimed at reducing poverty and ensuring food security.

On a regional level, agricultural research is also seen as the key to agricultural transformation. This explains why CORAF has been mandated as the technical arm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC).

The African Green Revolution Forum brought together leading thinkers from governments, development organizations, the private sector, civil society organizations, universities, research institutions and farming groups to consider ways of ensuring food security for Africans while stimulating economic growth.

Several senior CORAF officials accompanied the Executive Director to the forum.