Developing a joint AU-EU Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) supporting the Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) partnership

Expected Outcome

A successful proposal should support the European Green Deal priorities, contribute to the African Union-EU High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation and to the respective R&I partnerships on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) and on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy. Proposals should contribute to the climate objectives of the African Union and the EU, and to the commitments of the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework. Projects will therefore contribute to the expected impacts of this Destination by developing innovative tools and approaches to improve the resilience, adaptation to climate change and sustainability of agriculture and food systems in Africa.

Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:

• the understanding, sharing of experiences and science-policy interfaces are strengthened for agri-food system actors to improve knowledge flows and development of an effective AU-EU AKIS, in view of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and in line with the FNSSA roadmap;
• R&I actors in AU and EU, including farmers, advisors, other business and service providers, and consumers, are better informed and integrated within a well-functioning joint AU-EU AKIS supporting the climate transition implementation of agroecological approaches both in Africa and in the EU;
• better experience sharing among AKIS actors in the EU and AU is achieved.

Scope

AKIS is defined as the combined organisation and knowledge flows between persons, organisations and institutions who use and produce knowledge for agriculture and interrelated fields. Technological, non-technological and social innovation should be considered in an AKIS. In the context of the FNSSA, developing an effective AKIS in close cooperation with the International Research Consortium on FNSSA will strengthen long-term sustainability and foster the co-creation and flows of knowledge and innovation aimed at ensuring food and nutrition security and improving sustainability of agriculture through the agroecological transition and the adaptation to climate change.

Proposals should:

• identify, map and study the main AKIS actors and AKIS structures at different levels (local, national, regional) and their relationships in a set of countries in the African context to support the agroecological transition, in close cooperation with the FNSSA International Research Consortium;
• explore how to effectively and efficiently enhanced cooperation and knowledge flows between AKIS actors through activities at various geographical levels;
• develop relevant models and formulate operational recommendations for a joint AU-EU AKIS to improve resilience and sustainability of agrifood systems both in Africa and Europe;
• pilot and animate a joint AU-EU Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) as a bi-continental networking and knowledge sharing platform linking African and European AKIS actors to exchange experiences and best practices on how to enhance co-creation and flows of knowledge and innovation aimed at food and nutrition security.

Proposal should contribute to the implementation of the short-term and medium-term actions outlined in the AU-EU Innovation Agenda in the priority area of Green Transition, particularly in the priority area of Green Transition (notably actions (4) and (5) among short-term actions and (1) and (3) for medium-term actions), and aim to translate R&I efforts into tangible business, products, services, development and employment opportunities in Africa and Europe. Proposals should be in line with the conclusions of the 2023 AU-EU Agriculture Ministerial Conference[1] and support the African Free Trade Area. To leverage opportunities for furthering impact and outreach, proposals should frame an active collaboration with the project resulting from the call “HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-05-two-stage: Developing agroecology living labs and lighthouses for climate action under the Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) partnership”.

Proposals should also contribute to the implementation of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) adopted R&I roadmaps by researchers, farmers and policymakers pertaining to climate change, particularly in the areas impact of water scarcity and drought in rural areas, sustainable agriculture production, biodiversity and changing climate.

Proposals must implement the ‘multi-actor approach’ to ensure the adequate involvement of the public authorities, advisory services and farmer organisations.

Proposals should adopt an inclusive approach that respects and integrates local knowledge and practices alongside technological and scientific expertise, where indigenous insights are enriched by innovative approaches and new technologies through mutual learning.

The JRC may contribute to foster synergies with the PANAP[2] community, engagement with stakeholders, dissemination of results, notably to policy-makers, and through cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Global Food and Nutrition Security.

[1] https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/events/5th-african-union-au-european-union-eu-agriculture-ministerial-conference-2023-06-30_en

[2] DataM - PANAP official website - European Commission (europa.eu)