July 21, 2025: A major step toward advancing sustainable agriculture and food systems transformation was taken today as the African Union–European Union (AU–EU) Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) International Research Consortium (IRC) successfully concluded its virtual consultation on the Strategy and Operational Plan (SOP). Organized under the CEA-FIRST project, the meeting brought together 121 participants from across Africa and Europe, including researchers, policymakers, NGOs, and private sector representatives. The consultation provided a platform to test and refine the SOP while exploring how the IRC can play a catalytic role in delivering on the AU–EU FNSSA roadmap. The session was moderated by Jim Woodhill of Foresight4Food and Tim Fry from the University of Reading, who guided a robust exchange of ideas among diverse stakeholders.
Focus on Turning Research into Impact
Participants agreed that for the IRC to make a lasting contribution, it must focus on ensuring that scientific outputs reach end users and drive real-world solutions. Key priority areas were identified:
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Community-driven impact: translating locally generated research into practical tools for farmers and communities.
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Climate resilience: supporting farmers with adaptation strategies that respond to the growing threats of climate change.
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Stronger extension services: empowering extension workers to serve as the link between scientific knowledge and smallholder farmers.
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Food safety and innovation: advancing research that strengthens food quality, safety, and nutrition outcomes.
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Inclusion: ensuring women and youth are empowered to benefit from and contribute to research and innovation.
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Markets and trade: promoting greater access to markets through research and innovation that supports agricultural value chains.
Defining the IRC’s Strategic Role
Panelists and participants emphasized that beyond technical research, the IRC has a crucial role as a broker, convener, and connector between Africa and Europe. Among its central responsibilities are:
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Sustaining stakeholder engagement and mobilizing funding for long-term impact.
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Building bridges across similar AU–EU initiatives to reduce duplication of efforts.
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Aligning its work with African-led priorities, particularly the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
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Reducing fragmentation in the FNSSA agenda by creating shared frameworks for collaboration.
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Supporting the meaningful scaling of research outputs to transform food and agriculture systems across both continents.
A Step Toward Food Systems Transformation
The consultation reaffirmed that the IRC on FNSSA is uniquely positioned to strengthen ties between African and European researchers, policymakers, and development actors, while fostering inclusive innovation ecosystems. The insights generated will be instrumental in finalizing the IRC’s Strategy and Operational Plan, which is expected to guide the consortium’s work in the coming years.