The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the African Union Commission (AUC) have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity in Africa through research, technology development, and its adoption by farmers.
The partnership agreement seeks to deploy agricultural technologies to address farm productivity challenges faced by smallholder farmers in Africa, including the impact of climate change and infestations of pests and diseases.
The AU’s commissioner for agriculture, rural development, blue economy, and sustainable environment, Her Excellency Amb. Josefa Sacko expressed her commitment to driving collective action and collaboration to achieve the common goals and shared aspirations of Agenda 2063: the African we want. She offered personal congratulations to AATF for the May launch of the 2023-2027 AATF Strategy, which focuses on commercialisation and scaling to improve farmer productivity, livelihoods, climate change resilience, and food and nutrition security in Africa.
The executive director of AATF, Dr. Canisius Kanangire highlighted that the partnership agreement with AUC will strengthen efforts to raise agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers on the continent. He emphasised the remarkable results achieved in previous collaborations between the organisations and expressed confidence that the renewed partnership with AUC will accelerate technology transfer efforts, ensuring that innovations and products reach farmers for food and a nutrition-secure Africa.
Kanangire also outlined the key features of AATF’s new strategic plan for 2023-2027, which builds on past successes and provides a clear roadmap for scaling technological interventions for maximum impact. He stressed that the plan aims not only to contribute to food and nutrition security but also to drive agricultural transformation and resilient food systems in line with the aspirations of the Africa Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063.
AATF will continue to convene strategic dialogues on agricultural technology in Africa, bringing together various voices to explore the role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in agricultural development and how Africa can effectively leverage it for economic growth and the attainment of the Malabo Declaration, Africa’s agricultural vision and Agenda 2063.
In October 2023, AATF will host the first African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT) in Nairobi, Kenya. The platform will advocate for the uptake of agricultural innovations and advance agricultural technology transfer across Africa.
