Annual Meeting of African Science Academies (AMASA 2022) Report

Agricultural productivity is an important indicator of economic performance of most African countries, with increased productivity and competitiveness enabling countries to feed their
people, export more of their agricultural output to earn foreign exchange and create employment. Raising agricultural productivity and reducing the yield gap of agricultural enterprises in Africa
requires use of modernized technology-led interventions that include biotechnology. This can only be achieved through creation of synergy with other related investments particularly setting
an enabling policy environment, capacity building, and communication. The science academies and research institutions in the continent endeavour to promote technology-led investments in
agriculture by strengthening integrated skills development and entrepreneurial capacity to stimulate commercial financing in agriculture. It is with this understanding that the Annual Meeting of African Science Academies (AMASA) hosted a conference in Nairobi under the auspices of Kenya National Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the Network of African Science Academies, the Africa Population and Health
Research Centre, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications, AfriCenter and International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA).

The conference brought together representatives drawn from African Science Academies, government officials, African Union, the private sector, development organizations, academic and research institutions, etc., across Africa and the world to discuss the latest ideas and appropriate solutions and technologies crucial to boosting Africa’s capacity to sustainably meet the food and nutrition security needs of its population.

The five sub-themes covered by the conference included

(i) science and emerging technologies in agriculture.

(ii) climate change, environment, and agriculture.

(iii) science diplomacy, communication, policy analysis, and food security.

(iv) capacity building, science, technology and innovation and research product commercialization in agriculture.

(v) research capacities of Africa’s universities and research institutes.

This conference was achieved through thematic keynote speeches, presentations, posters, group discussions, and panel discussions. It was recommended that the National Academy of Sciences should become a platform to spearhead the African research agenda/ecosystem to coordinate research-science-policy interface; networks and partnerships including creation research matching platforms online with
institutional and individual profiles, capacity strengthening: writing of award-winning proposals, creation of national innovation hubs, and commercialization of its products. Greater visibility is needed for African researchers, academic and research institutions as generators of research evidence and innovations and drivers of adoption of research evidence for 2 decision-making and policy changes. A more enabling Implementation Research and R&D environment for African women and men academics and early career researchers through the establishment of learning, support, and networking platforms is needed. As already stipulated by the African Union, the governments in Africa should contribute about 2% of their total annualgross domestic product to realize the agenda 2063, of which part of it can be disbursed to the
national academy of sciences to expedite research, science, technology, and innovations.