Strategic Partnerships to Build African Scientific Capacity for Agriculture

The world faces an enormous challenge over the next 50 years, to double the amount of food produced globally, but without further depleting the soil, water, and other natural resources. This challenge will require a great deal of ingenuity and effort, and will rely on the capacity of the scientific community to develop new and improved crop varieties, to combat pests and diseases. It will require farmers and scientists to make better use of poor soil while addressing droughts, and to communicate about the importance of science and technology in agriculture. The United States should be proud of its impressive legacy of educational exchanges in Africa, which have helped to build a generation of leading African scientists. It should revitalize this important cooperation in ways that will support and energize a new generation of scientists and researchers to work together on the challenges of feeding a growing population and reducing poverty. The following report provides an overview of agricultural science cooperation within the African research system; the university system; and the role of partnerships with the private sector.