Makeover minute: Africa gets a new science agenda

Delegates break into discussion during the Africa Agriculture Science Week in Accra, Ghana.

In 2008, Sub-Saharan African countries spent more than $ 1.7 Billion on Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D). Nevertheless, food insecurity there is more severe than anywhere else in the world: about 240 million people still go hungry every year. With all that money being spent, shouldn’t we be looking at a more encouraging statistic?

During the 6^th Africa Agricultue Science Week (AASW6) hosted by FARA in Accra, Ghana (15-20 July), African policy makers and stakeholders underlined the need for a new Science Agenda to tackle the overwhelming problem of hunger on the continent. Specifically, the agenda must be one that emphasizes the application of science, technology, extension, policy and social learning to meet ever-evolving development goals.