RUFORUM and the University of Port Harcourt Showcase Innovations and Strategic Alliances at the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week
Abuja, July 27th – 30th, 2026 – At the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW9) and 10th Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) General Assembly, which were held in Abuja, Nigeria, the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) and its member universities in Nigeria demonstrated their advancement to this year’s theme, “Innovation and Partnership for Resilient and Sustainable agrifood systems in Africa,” by embracing the Mens et Manus philosophy in higher education. Through the integration of academic knowledge with practical application, they showcased how RUFORUM member universities are translating research, innovation and partnerships into tangible solutions that are building resilient and sustainable agrifood systems across Africa.
Among the participating institutions was the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev) 2.0 programme at the University of Port Harcourt (UniPort) in partnership with Agrisiti, which joined RUFORUM throughout the week to showcase successful science-driven innovations that are improving livelihoods and strengthening food systems in response to the continental anchor, the CAADP Kampala Declaration and Agenda 2063 , upon which the conference theme is built.
The RUFORUM exhibition pavilion
The RUFORUM exhibition pavilion amongst others featured the UPIA 2 and UPIA 3 improved rice varieties, developed by researchers at UniPort and disseminated to farmers through the TAGDev 2.0 programme. The improved varieties are Grade A long-grain rice, high yielding and resilient to key abiotic stresses, including drought and iron toxicity, reaching and enabling over 350 farmers to increase productivity and incomes in Nigeria.
There was a flurry of activity at the RUFORUM booth as people sought out information about RUFORUM’s work, creating a prime setting for fruitful conversations and network exchanges. RUFORUM was particularly honoured to welcome Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, alongside other officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, who visited the booth to engage with the collaborative works and innovations.
Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha at the RUFORUM exhibition pavilion, committing to eating a climate friendly diet
Beyond its exhibition presence, RUFORUM strategically utilised two high-level conference platforms to showcase its research leadership, and continental policy influence.
The first platform was a dedicated session on the Regional Multi-Actor Research Network (RMRN) Initiative, a collaborative programme spearheaded by FARA and RUFORUM. During this session, RUFORUM’s Manager for Research, Innovation and Development, Professor Jackson Majaliwa, presented the initiative’s key achievements, highlighting enhanced scientific and technological capacities across member consortia, the generation of policy-relevant research to bridge science-policy gaps, strengthened multi-stakeholder partnerships and co-creation frameworks, and targeted grant support for early-career researchers and academic institutions to scale sustainable agri-food innovations, among other outcomes. The session provided an important platform for demonstrating the value of collaborative research networks in driving evidence-based agricultural transformation across Africa.
Professor Jackson Majaliwa during the RMRN presentation
The second session focused on “Agroecology and Ecological Organic Agriculture at Scale: Levers and Inhibitors for Sustainable Food Systems,” under the broader theme, “Food Sovereignty in Africa: Scaling Agroecology and Ecological Organic Agriculture for Resilient and Sustainable Agrifood Systems in Africa.” The session unpacked pathways for accelerating the adoption and scaling of agroecological approaches as a foundation for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems across the continent. RUFORUM made a significant technical contribution to this high-level dialogue through a presentation delivered by its Manager for Skilling and Engagement for Community Development, Professor Anthony Egeru. On behalf of RUFORUM, Professor Egeru presented an executive policy brief prepared for ministerial-level consideration, outlining strategic recommendations to support the integration and institutionalization of agroecology within national and landscape-level policies. This contribution, demonstrated the importance of agroecology as a key pathway towards achieving food sovereignty, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable agrifood systems in Africa.
Professor Anthony Egeru on the panel “Agroecology and Ecological Organic Agriculture at Scale: Levers and Inhibitors for Sustainable Food Systems,” at AASW9
On the sidelines of the conference, RUFORUM, led by the Executive Secretary, Professor. Patrick Okori, accompanied a delegation from the Association of Deans of Agriculture of Nigerian Universities (ADAN), and the TAGDev 2.0 UniPort team on a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu. The engagement underscored the importance of strengthening partnerships between universities, national institutions and regional networks to accelerate agricultural innovation, higher education reform and human capital development.
During the meeting, the TAGDev 2.0 Programme Coordinator at UniPort, Prof. Ibisime Etela, highlighted the programme’s achievements in expanding access to agricultural education through scholarships, promoting agripreneurship, experiential learning and curriculum improvement. He noted that the programme has achieved 70% female participation, 25% refugee inclusion and 10% inclusion of Differently Abled Persons (DAPs), reflecting its commitment to inclusive agricultural transformation.
In response, Prof. Ribadu reaffirmed NUC commitment to working closely with RUFORUM, its member universities and programmes such as TAGDev 2.0 to strengthen agricultural education, research and innovation in support of Nigeria’s national development priorities.
Professor Patrick Okori, Executive Secretary at RUFORUM and Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, Executive Secretary at NUC
Closing the week, in his goodwill message, Professor Okori thanked FARA for convening Africa’s premier agricultural science platform, noting that the meeting had garnered new partnerships, facilitated knowledge exchange and enabled stakeholders to co-create actions that will advance Africa’s agricultural science agenda.
He stressed that achieving the ambitions of the CAADP Kampala Declaration will require Africa to move beyond agricultural expansion driven by increased land use toward productivity growth powered by science, technology and innovation. He further emphasised that strategic partnerships between institutions such as RUFORUM, FARA, universities, governments and development partners remain essential for delivering resilient agrifood systems, to strengthen Africa’s scientific capacity and preparing the next generation of agricultural scientists and innovators.
