The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), in collaboration with key African Agricultural Research, Innovation and Education Institutions (AARIEI), has been at the forefront of strengthening the continent's Agricultural Knowledge ecosystem. This initiative aims to foster synergies, enhance institutional mandates, and sustain progress in Knowledge sharing, learning and management.
As part of this broader collaboration, the institutions jointly implement the Africa Agriculture Space (AASpace)- A Digital knowledge repository powered by Dspace. This robust and scalable platform enables the seamless integration and management of library resources across institutions, extending its reach to the country and institutional levels. The initiative seeks to enhance Agricultural knowledge management across Africa by leveraging ILRI's Leadership and experience in developing and maintaining CGSpace, a CGIAR-wide Dspace platform. The collaboration will drive experience sharing-sharing, inform best practices, and establish a sustainable roadmap for widespread Dspace adoption within the CAADP-XP4 consortium, ensuring last-mile knowledge accessibility.
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Recent Submissions
Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan: 2024–2034
(AUC, 2024-06) African Union Commission
The Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan: 2024–2034 provides a continental framework for improving soil health, fertilizer access, affordability and efficiency, and sustainable agricultural productivity across Africa. Developed in the context of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2024, the Action Plan builds on previous continental commitments, including the 2006 Abuja Declaration, and responds to persistent challenges of soil degradation, nutrient depletion, low agricultural productivity, food insecurity, climate change and vulnerability to external fertilizer market shocks.
The Action Plan adopts an integrated soil fertility management perspective that combines efficient mineral and organic fertilizers with improved seeds, water-use efficiency, sustainable soil management and other complementary interventions. Its overall goal is for African soils to become healthier and sustainably contribute to agricultural growth and environmental resilience.
The framework is organised around four principal outcomes: strengthened policies, investment, finance and markets; improved access to and affordability of fertilizers; greater efficiency, resilience and sustainable use of fertilizer inputs alongside enhanced soil health interventions; and strengthened institutional and human capacity for sustainable soil health and fertilizer management.
Toolkit for Supporting National Implementation of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan (2024–2034) & the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA)
(FARA, 2025-09) FARA
The Toolkit for Supporting National Implementation of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan (2024–2034) & the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA) provides practical guidance for translating Africa's continental commitments on soil health, soil fertility and fertilizer management into coordinated action at continental, regional, national, local and farm levels. The Toolkit complements the Nairobi Declaration, the ten-year Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan (AFSH-AP), and the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA) Framework, providing implementers and partners with a practical roadmap for domestication and implementation.
The Toolkit contains six principal tools covering stakeholder mapping; country engagement and domestication processes; summaries of the AFSH-AP and SIA Companion Document; coordination mechanisms; monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL); and financing mechanisms.
It addresses key systemic constraints to soil health in Africa, including soil degradation, inadequate soil information, limited human capital in soil science, weak extension capacity, low and imbalanced fertilizer use, insufficient financing, and fragmented implementation. It proposes multi-level institutional arrangements, digital data systems, capacity development, knowledge management, farmer-centred extension, sustainable financing and coordinated monitoring to support achievement of the AFSH-AP and SIA objectives.
Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan (2024–2034) & the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA): Companion Document
(FARA, 2025-09) FARA, Soil Initiative for Africa
The Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan (2024–2034) & the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA): Companion Document provides detailed technical and analytical guidance supporting implementation of Africa's continental soil-health agenda. It expands the strategic provisions of the SIA Framework and the AFSH-AP by examining the technical, institutional, financial and knowledge requirements for improving soil health, soil fertility, fertilizer efficiency and agricultural productivity across Africa.
The document comprises eleven chapters covering soil information systems; economics of soil degradation and restoration; scaling soil health and integrated fertilizer management; agricultural extension and advisory services; human capital for soil science; soil health and climate change; soil and water management; fertilizer production, marketing and use; monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning; and financing mechanisms.
The Companion Document identifies widespread soil degradation, limited accessible soil information, insufficient soil-science capacity, weak extension systems, low fertilizer use and inadequate investment as interconnected barriers to sustainable agricultural productivity. It provides evidence, implementation options and institutional recommendations for addressing these constraints through coordinated action at continental, regional, national and local levels.
Regional Consultation on Opportunity Crops in Africa: Book of Extended Abstracts
(FAO, FARA, 2026-08) FAO, FARA
The Regional Consultation on Opportunity Crops in Africa: Book of Extended Abstracts brings together scientific, technical, policy, institutional, and market-oriented contributions presented during the Regional Consultation on Opportunity Crops in Africa, convened by FAO and FARA in Accra, Ghana, from 9 to 11 June 2026. The consultation focused on repositioning indigenous, traditional, neglected, and underutilized crops as strategic assets for Africa's agrifood systems transformation.
The volume examines practical pathways for integrating opportunity crops into research, breeding, seed systems, production, mechanization, markets, nutrition, education, policy, and public investment. It highlights the potential of these crops to contribute to dietary diversity, nutrition security, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods, cultural preservation, and inclusive economic development.
Organized into four thematic sections, the publication presents evidence and perspectives on strategic framing and institutional transformation; conservation, genetic resources, seed systems and breeding; production systems, agronomy and mechanization; and nutrition, markets, value addition and consumer uptake. Collectively, the contributions provide a multidisciplinary evidence base for translating continental commitments on opportunity crops into coordinated research, policy, investment, and scaling actions.
Reimagining Agricultural Research in Africa: Demand, Innovation and Transformation
(FARA, 2026-07) Fatunbi A. O., Odeke M., Njukwe E., Munoko K., Mabuza M.
Reimagining Agricultural Research in Africa: Demand, Innovation and Transformation examines the current state, challenges, opportunities, and future trajectory of agricultural research systems across Africa. The publication argues that strong, well-funded, and competitive agricultural research systems are fundamental to achieving food security, economic growth, climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and agricultural transformation across the continent.
The book situates agricultural research at the center of Africa’s development agenda and explores how investments in science, innovation, education, and technology can drive the transformation of agrifood systems. It reviews the evolution of National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), regional research organizations, universities, innovation platforms, and continental initiatives such as CAADP, Agenda 2063, STISA-2034, the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa, the Soil Initiative for Africa, and the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan.
The publication introduces forward-looking concepts including Agricultural Research Sovereignty, the Agricultural Research Transformation Index, and the Africa Agricultural Research Transformation Framework, offering practical pathways for strengthening African-led research systems that are globally competitive, digitally enabled, and capable of accelerating innovation and development outcomes.