By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has called for stronger science-driven partnerships, increased investment in agricultural research, and the adoption of emerging technologies to accelerate Africa’s agricultural transformation and guarantee long-term food security.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, made the call on Tuesday while declaring open the Science and Partnership for Agriculture Conference (SPAC) 2026 in Abuja.
The conference forms part of the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW) and the 10th General Assembly of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).
Addressing researchers, policymakers, development partners, farmers’ organizations, universities, and private sector stakeholders, the minister described SPAC as Africa’s foremost platform for advancing agricultural science, innovation, and strategic collaboration.
He said the conference provides an opportunity for stakeholders to collectively develop practical solutions to the continent’s agricultural challenges while advancing the objectives of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Declaration.
Abdullahi reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to promoting research, innovation, and technology as critical tools for transforming agriculture.
He noted that the Tinubu administration, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, is implementing reforms aimed at strengthening food security through mechanization, climate-smart agriculture, digital technologies, scientific research, and stronger collaboration among research institutions, farmers, and the private sector.
The minister acknowledged the progress made by African countries in establishing National Agricultural Research Systems, universities, specialized research institutes, and centres of excellence, saying their research has contributed significantly to improved crop production, livestock development, fisheries, forestry, natural resource management, and better livelihoods for millions of farmers.
Despite these gains, he stressed that stronger institutional collaboration is needed to address emerging challenges confronting the agricultural sector.
According to him, rapid advances in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, genomics, robotics, digital agriculture, and big data are transforming global food systems, while climate change, land degradation, water scarcity, and population growth continue to threaten agricultural productivity across Africa.
He urged African governments to invest more in frontier science, accelerate the commercialization of research findings, create sustainable funding mechanisms for scientific research, encourage responsible sharing of scientific data, and deepen collaboration between public research institutions and the private sector.
Abdullahi emphasized that agricultural research should ultimately be judged by its ability to improve farmers’ livelihoods, create jobs, stimulate agribusiness growth, protect the environment, and contribute to national development.
He also challenged participants at the conference to ensure that their deliberations result in stronger partnerships, evidence-based policies, and practical innovations capable of transforming agriculture and improving the lives of millions of Africans.
Earlier, FARA Director of Research and Innovation–Emeritus, Dr. Irene Annor-Frempong, said SPAC was established to translate scientific discoveries into practical and scalable solutions that improve agricultural productivity and sustainability across Africa.
She noted that the initiative demonstrates the continent’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing in tackling common agricultural challenges and promoting climate-resilient food systems.
