MIL-OSI Global: Research and development are key to resilient food systems in Africa (The Conversation)

The Conversation published an article posing the question, “What will it take to build sustainable, resilient food systems in African countries? This was one of many questions considered at the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit in late July that aims to identify bold, innovative actions, with measurable outcomes. These actions are needed to achieve many of the Sustainable Development Goals The article references work from the Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) database that finds for the latest available year, only six of the 40 sub-Saharan African countries tracked – Botswana, Cabo Verde, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe – spent more than 1% of agricultural GDP on agricultural R&D. As a continent, Africa has set a target and made a political commitment. It needs to get serious about achieving this target. The consequence of not achieving it includes constrained productivity and limited transformation of Africa’s agricultural sector and slower progress in reducing poverty and food insecurity.  Also published in Foreign Affairs (New Zealand).