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In a significant move to advance agricultural innovation and strengthen food security across Africa, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has officially launched its Regional East and Southern African Scaling Hub in Nairobi, Kenya.
This initiative is set to enhance the scaling of science-based solutions to address critical food, land, and water challenges across the continent.
The new hub is part of CGIAR’s global strategy to deliver agricultural solutions that can be adapted and deployed at scale, benefiting farmers, communities, and businesses.
It aims to drive collaboration between key stakeholders in the agricultural sector, fostering innovative partnerships and ensuring that cutting-edge research and technologies are accessible to those who need them most.
Inga Jacobs-Mata, a key architect of the Scaling Hub, emphasized the hub’s role in connecting agricultural innovators and local communities:
“This hub serves as a physical and collaborative space where CGIAR, along with its scaling partners, can come together to co-create and implement scientific solutions tailored to Africa. Our focus is on ‘science for the last mile’ – how to take proven innovations and bring them to farmers in more inclusive, affordable, and sustainable ways.”
The hub is designed to catalyze collaboration among a wide range of stakeholders, including farmers, cooperatives, government agencies, international financial institutions, universities, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
By bringing these groups together, the hub aims to drive knowledge exchange, accelerate the uptake of new technologies, and scale successful agricultural practices to reach millions of people across East and Southern Africa.
The launch of the hub is a key part of CGIAR’s new global strategy for 2025-2030, focused on delivering long-term agricultural solutions that can transform livelihoods. Through the Scaling for Impact Program, the hub is expected to directly benefit over 62 million people, with a particular focus on women, youth, and other marginalized groups. The program’s goals include creating 250,000 jobs and improving access to healthier food for over 480,000 individuals, half of whom will be women.
Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), underscored the importance of the hub’s mission: “CGIAR has been at the forefront of developing solutions for Africa’s small-scale farmers. With this new scaling hub, we are creating a platform where these innovations can be shared and implemented at scale, ensuring they are relevant, accessible, and impactful for communities across the region.”
By providing a space for collaboration and innovation, the Regional Scaling Hub is set to be a transformative force in African agriculture, helping to bring the benefits of scientific research to the people who need them most, while boosting the resilience and sustainability of food systems across the continent.
