EWA-BELT Project brings Farmer-centered lessons at the High-level Forum: "From Commitment to Action: Delivering the KAMPALA Strategy for Agricultural R&D in Africa"
- OCCAM - Observatory on Digital Communication
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Cairo, June 15–19, 2025 – The African Union Commission and AUDA-NEPAD launched the high-level forum “From Commitment to Action: Delivering the Kampala Strategy for Agricultural R&D in Africa” as part of the broader rollout of the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035. Held in Cairo, Egypt, the forum brought together key stakeholders to define how research, extension, and Capacity development (education) actors will support the implementation of the CAADP Kampala strategy and action plan at national, regional, and continental levels for the agricultural transformation across Africa.
Dr. Laura Altea, from the University of Sassari, showcased the EWA-BELT Project experiences, particularly in the fields of education, agricultural research, and capacity building, as a practical example of inclusive and community-driven research. EWA-BELT’s contribution to the forum highlighted several crucial aspects of farmer-centered agricultural development. On one hand, a key focus was the collaborative definition of research priorities, emphasizing the need to work directly with farmers, particularly women and youth, to identify the real, daily challenges they face in agriculture. On the other hand, EWA-BELT stressed the importance of traditional knowledge held by farmers, which should not only be respected but actively integrated into the development of new technologies and innovations. Indeed, by combining scientific research with local wisdom, solutions become more relevant, culturally appropriate, and effective.
The development of vocational training and capacity-building programs that are designed specifically around the practical needs of rural communities was also emphasized: these trainings aim to empower farmers by improving their technical skills, knowledge, and resilience in the face of environmental and economic pressures. Finally, EWA-BELT shared its efforts in creating ICT-based tools that are user-friendly, accessible, and directly applicable to farmers’ work, such as the PlantHead Platform for crop diseases. These technologies are developed not as abstract innovations but as hands-on solutions that support productivity, knowledge-sharing, and decision-making in the field.
Through these pillars, the EWA-BELT Project demonstrated how it is possible to develop a model for inclusive, participatory, and sustainable agricultural research aligned with the goals of the CAADP Kampala Strategy, which promotes a shift toward resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agri-food systems. As Africa moves beyond the Malabo commitments, the new Kampala Strategy aims not only to boost production but also to support agri-food value chains, innovation, and human dignity.
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