A meeting was held in Washington, D.C. (July 19-21, 2016) sponsored by the Scientific and Technical Partnerships in Africa Program, hosted at IFPRI and supported by IFAD, in partnership with the CGIAR research program on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM). The gathering brought together nearly 40 participants from CGIAR Centers and fellow CRPs, CAADP partner institutions, development partners and NGOs (see Annexes B and C for full program and participant list). The meeting reviewed the work underway on two of the three workstreams. This work includes an overview of the initial technology assessments (a total of 10 will be completed under the program’s first phase) and further discussion as to how the various tools, CGIAR and partner generated technologies and existing platforms are working together to address the goals and alignment activities, in partial fulfilment of the Memorandum of Understanding between AUC/NEPAD and the CGIAR. The third workstream involving joint work with RUFORUM and ASTI was not covered during this meeting and will feature during RUFORUM’s upcoming biennial meeting in South Africa in October.

During the course of two and a half days the group reviewed the first draft technology assessments and discussed further development of criteria to help deliver on the next round. We heard from partners as to what is both practiced and considered successful (USAID, Technoserve, BMGF and others) in the scaling up of agricultural technologies and the private and public partnerships that result. Important concepts such as alignment of the various research programs, both at the national and sub-regional levels and dealing with the “spill over effect” as technologies are generated and shared were discussed. Also emphasized was the importance of ensuring that endogenous growth takes place when investing in technology and innovation systems – as it is not enough to generate technologies but essential that new innovations are demand-driven, in order to be put to use and shared. The important role that African partner institutions play in the brokering and coordination of the dissemination of agricultural technologies at the national and regional levels was discussed at length.

Technical support for Africa’s science and technology agenda: A partners meeting (Meeting Summary and Agenda)

Day 1, Tuesday, July 19, 2016 | 09:00am—05:00pm

Session: Technology Assessments

Speaker: Gabrielle Persley (Presentation)
Presentation title: CGIAR technology assessments

Speaker: Jagger Harvey (Presentation)
Presentation title: Postharvest technologies as part of an integrated aflatoxin reduction strategy

Presentation title: Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) resistant varieties for Africa (Presentation)

Day 2, Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | 09:00am—05:00pm

Session: Technology Assessments and Analytical Support Tools at the Country Level

Speaker: David Spielman (Presentation)
Presentation title: Making the case for investment in specific technologies

Speaker: Katharine Downie (Presentation)
Presentation title: Identifying entry points for new technologies at the country level

Speaker: Mandi Rukuni (Presentation)
Presentation title: Providing technical support for delivering Malabo food security goal in Tanzania

Speaker: Aboubakar Njoya (Presentation)
Presentation title: Achieving Malabo food security and nutrition goals through adoption of CGIAR technologies: Case of improved rice variety in Senegal

Speaker: Jawoo Koo (Presentation)
Presentation title: Technology platform activities: Background and overview

Day 3, Thursday, July 21, 2016 | 09:00am—12:00pm

Session: Technology Assessment and Platforms: Tools and Reach in Africa

Speaker: Emmanuel Tambi (Presentation)
Presentation title: Technologies and analysis in support of the African agriculture science agenda

Speaker: Alejandro Nin-Pratt (Presentation)
Presentation title: Intensification in Africa: Why not a green revolution yet?

Speaker: Alejandro Nin-Pratt (Presentation1 and Presentation 2)
Presentation title: CSA capabilities in national level decision making and investment processes

Speaker: James Thurlow (Presentation)
Presentation title: Rural Investment and Policy Analysis (RIAPA) Modeling Toolkit

Speaker: Mark W. Rosegrant (Presentation)
Presentation title: Opportunities to apply new food system modeling & metrics

Speaker: Gabrielle J. Persley and Kerri Wright Platais (Presentation)
Presentation title: Reflections on technology criteria and characterization