THE Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to harnessing science, innovation, and strategic partnerships as indispensable drivers of sustainable agricultural transformation and food security across Africa.
The Minister made this declaration while delivering his Opening Address at the Science and Partnership for Agriculture Conference (SPAC) 2026, a major component of the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week (9AASW) and the 10th General Assembly of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), held on Tuesday in Abuja.
Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi described the conference as a defining intellectual engagement that brought together experts and key stakeholders to collectively examine Africa’s agricultural challenges and chart innovative pathways for advancing the continent’s agricultural transformation in line with the CAADP Kampala Declaration.
He revealed that SPAC remains the premier continental platform dedicated to uniting key agricultural actors—including National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), the African Union, Sub-Regional Organisations (SROs), and CGIAR Centers—to shape the future of innovation across Africa.
Renewed Hope Agenda Driving Bold Reforms
Abdullahi stated that under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Government is implementing bold reforms aimed at strengthening food security through research, innovation, mechanisation, climate resilience, digital agriculture, and stronger partnerships among research institutions, farming communities, and the private sector.
The Minister acknowledged Africa’s remarkable progress in establishing National Agricultural Research Systems, universities, specialised research institutes, and centres of excellence.
He noted that these institutions have generated technologies that have significantly enhanced crop production, livestock development, fisheries, forestry, and natural resource management while improving the livelihoods of millions of farmers across the continent.
However, he emphasised the need for stronger institutional convergence, stressing that although scientific excellence exists across Africa, greater collaboration and alignment are required to effectively address emerging agricultural challenges.
Call for Multidisciplinary Approach to Emerging Challenges
“SPAC was conceived by FARA to provide a unique continental platform where researchers, policymakers, development partners, universities, farmers’ organisations, and the private sector can collectively shape Africa’s agricultural research agenda and strengthen partnerships for greater impact,” the Minister said.
He added that the agricultural sector is being rapidly transformed by emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, digital agriculture, genomics, robotics, and big data, while climate change, soil degradation, water scarcity, and population growth continue to redefine food systems.
He therefore called for a new generation of scientists equipped with multidisciplinary knowledge and skills capable of delivering climate-smart, technology-driven, and commercially relevant solutions that respond to Africa’s evolving needs.
Research Must Deliver Tangible Impact
The Minister further urged African countries to strengthen investment in frontier sciences, accelerate the commercialisation of research outputs, establish sustainable financing mechanisms for scientific research, promote responsible sharing of scientific data, and foster stronger collaboration between public research institutions and the private sector.
He pointed out that research must ultimately be measured by its impact on farmers’ livelihoods, job creation, agribusiness development, environmental sustainability, and national prosperity.
The Minister urged participants to ensure that the deliberations at SPAC 2026 translate into stronger partnerships, evidence-based policy decisions, and innovative solutions that will improve the lives of millions of African farmers and consumers while positioning science as the cornerstone of Africa’s agricultural transformation.
SPAC Vision: Translating Science into Scalable Solutions
Earlier in her presentation, the Director of Research and Innovation – Emeritus at FARA, Dr. Irene Annor-Frempong, stated that the vision behind SPAC is to transform agricultural productivity and sustainability by translating scientific breakthroughs into practical and scalable solutions that benefit farmers across Africa.
She explained that the initiative reflects Africa’s commitment to collaboration and collective action in addressing common agricultural challenges. According to her, SPAC is designed to drive innovation, strengthen strategic partnerships, promote knowledge exchange, and accelerate climate-resilient agricultural development across the continent.
Book Launch Marks Conference Highlight
The highlight of the event was the official launch of the book, Reimagining Agricultural Research in Africa: Demand, Innovation and Transformation, performed by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, the Minister of Livestock Development, and other distinguished dignitaries.
The conference, which has drawn delegates from across the continent, underscores the growing recognition that Africa’s agricultural future depends on robust investment in research, innovation, and collaborative partnerships capable of addressing the continent’s unique challenges while unlocking its vast agricultural potential.
