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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Communities in AASpace

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Recent Submissions

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UNFSS+4 Independent Stakeholders Report
(FAO, 2025-07) UNFSS
This 2025 Independent Stakeholders Report for the UNFSS+4 shows growing emphasis on inclusive governance and stronger accountability mechanisms to challenge structural power imbalances and reaffirm the role of communities in shaping food systems. Multistakeholder platforms and coalitions are increasingly recognized as key avenues for collaboration, but stakeholders stress the need to move beyond participation toward rights-based co-governance - embedding formal roles for marginalized groups, particularly Women and Youth, in decision-making. They are calling for robust monitoring, transparency, and concrete accountability frameworks to ensure national commitments are met, as well as institutionalized participation, dedicated financing, and intergenerational equity strategies. There is also a clear demand for UNFSS+4 to enhance alignment of policies and financing across national, regional, and global frameworks—such as the SDGs, NDCs, and COP30—positioning food systems at the core of sustainable development. Stakeholders in general call for more inclusive national food systems transformation pathways, including processes of pathway development and implementation. They expressed disappointment with what they described as often superficial or symbolic consultation processes. They underlined that without clear feedback loops, follow-up mechanisms and visible commitment from decision-makers, food systems strategies risk ending up being ineffective. Lack of meaningful inclusion is considered not as a technical oversight but as a matter of political will, calling for real joint decision-making.
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Third White Paper on the Integrated Agricultural Research for Development and the Innovation Platform (IAR4D and IP)
(FARA, 2025-07) Fatunbi AO, Ajayi MT and Agumya A
The Third White Paper on Integrated Agricultural Research for Development and Innovation Platforms (IAR4D-IP) reflects on 15+ years of implementing multi-stakeholder innovation systems in African agriculture. Building on the first two white papers, it reviews lessons learned, evaluates current challenges, and proposes ways to adapt the IAR4D-IP model to emerging development needs. The IAR4D concept moves beyond traditional linear research models by promoting collaborative, inclusive innovation among farmers, researchers, policymakers, and the private sector. Central to this is the Innovation Platform (IP), which enables actors along agricultural value chains to co-create solutions, improve market access, and increase productivity. The paper categorizes various types of partnerships—research, value chain, advocacy, and public-private—and identifies key success factors such as trust, shared vision, good leadership, and effective communication. It also presents case studies illustrating how IPs have driven impact across Africa. Given new challenges like climate change, degraded soils, food system transformation, and youth unemployment, the paper calls for a rethinking of the IAR4D-IP model. It recommends integrating climate-smart agriculture, promoting indigenous crops, regenerative practices, and youth engagement into AR4D initiatives, and urges the institutionalization of IAR4D-IP at national and regional levels. Calling for sustained learning, investment, and inclusive partnerships to drive agricultural innovation and development in Africa
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Impact Pathways and Impact Forecast for Sustainable Land Management in Northern Ghana
(FARA, 2025-06) Dorcas Sanginga, Cory Whitney, Javier Miranda, Peter Asare-Nuamah, Janina Dierks & Eike Luedeling