News

A new research and development intervention designed to help build resilient communities in West and Central Africa is about to become operational.

Funded by theEuropean Union and administered by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Science-led Agricultural Climate Transformation in West and Central Africa (SISTA) project will help CORAF and its partners leverage science, technology and innovation to achieve the food productivity targets agreed under the Integrated Program for the Development of Agriculture in Africa (IPDAA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

SISTA is part of the Development of Intelligent Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) program - a European Union initiative designed to deploy science and innovation to achieve an inclusive, sustainable and climate-smart transformation of agriculture and related food systems in partner countries around the world.

In addition to CORAF in Africa, a consortium of players has been mobilized to implement this program across the continent. These include the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) and the Coordinating Centre for Agricultural Research and Development in Eastern and Southern Africa (CCARDESA).

The total amount of the four-year grant is around 30 million euros for all implementing partners, who could benefit from co-financing from IFAD and other organizations.

Overall, the aim of SISTA is to contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in particular goals 2 (zero hunger), 5 (gender equality), 10 (reducing inequalities), 12 (responsible consumption) and 13 (combating climate change) as well as the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the Malabo Declaration.

CORAF will be held accountable for five general outcomes:

• the ability to successfully implement the program;
• the ability to improve multi-stakeholder collaboration between sectors, geographical regions and agricultural value chains;
• developing and establishing policies, advocacy activities and market links;
• the ability to use relevant knowledge and communications to support decision-making; and
• effective planning, coordination, monitoring, evaluation, learning and reporting.