Kigali, Rwanda, September 5, 2022. Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is convening a half-day event to discuss evidence with stakeholders on "Innovating to transform food systems in Africa” at the Lemigo Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda. The event is organised as part of the 2022 African Green Revolution Forum(AGRF) to be held in Kigali from 6 to 9 September 2022.

The event is bringing together researchers, policy makers, private sector, and development stakeholders to share knowledge based on current evidence and key lessons on what is working from projects funded by IDRC and partners on building resilience and sustainable food systems in the African context. During the event, key results about what has worked are disseminated for wider uptake by development partners and other stakeholders.

Santiago Alba-Corral, Director of Climate Resilient Food Systems at IDRC said: "The overall objective of the event is to bring scientific evidence into the AGRF discussions of transforming African food systems and disseminating results and lessons learned from research supported by IDRC and co-funding partners. It is also aimed at bringing a strong voice about food systems in the climate change discourse ahead of CO27 in Egypt."

Food security and climate change are two major development challenges facing the world. In Africa, the challenge is even more daunting. According to the World Bank, in 2020, more than one in five people on the African continent faced hunger and about 282 million people were undernourished. Food security declines by 5 to 20 percent with each flood or drought and Africa experiences about 1.4 percent reduction in food calories per year from key food security crops.

To support developing countries to cope with the impact of climate change on food production using research-based evidence, IDRC funds research that helps build equitable, inclusive and sustainable food systems in developing countries, helping to develop resilience among communities severely affected by climate change and address emerging health threats that arise from food systems.

Recommendations from this event will contribute to shaping discussions during the AGRF 2022 which aims, among other things, to (i) spotlight innovations in food systems and showcase a diversity of voices and stakeholders contributing to the transformation of Africa’s food system, (ii) explore the ongoing interventions needed to mitigate and address the interlinkages between climate, fragility, nutrition, and social inclusion, and (iii) elevate the coordinated African voice about food systems in the climate change discourse ahead of CO27 in Egypt.

About IDRC

As part of Canada’s foreign affairs and development efforts, IDRC champions and funds research and innovation within and alongside developing regions to drive global change. IDRC invests in high-quality research in developing countries, shares knowledge with researchers and policymakers for greater uptake and use, and mobilizes its global alliances to build a more sustainable and inclusive world. For more information, visit: www.idrc.ca.

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