RUFORUM ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: WHAT TO EXPECT THIS YEAR
The week of 17th – 21st November 2025 marked the official kick-off of a series of RUFORUM Annual General Meeting (AGM) pre-events, sending ripples of anticipation across Africa’s agricultural innovation landscape. The blended meetings draw together the vast RUFORUM Network, and other key stakeholders of Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) to share space, exchange insights, and formulate a roadmap to accelerate efforts towards a resilient, sustainable and future-ready agri-food system for Africa.
The week was launched with a Scientific Forum, showcasing Africa’s growing scientific power. Researchers from across the continent presented breakthrough work on how Artificial Intelligence (AI), data science, and emerging technologies, to name a few are transforming farming systems, boosting climate resilience, and reshaping decision-making.
Key innovations presented included:
- AI-powered crop disease diagnosis
- Drone-based and satellite imaging for soil and water management
- Digital twins for predictive livestock health
- Chemometric tools for rapid plant and soil analysis
- GIS-based analytics
- Fuzzy-logic early warning systems
Importantly, presenters highlighted that pairing AI models with indigenous knowledge systems enhances cultural relevance, farmer trust, and local accuracy, proving that digital transformation is most powerful when grounded in community experience.
Yet, the forum also raised red flags: gender gaps, unequal access to digital tools, limited investment in research and weak rural connectivity continue to limit equitable AI adoption. Researchers called for stronger data governance policies, ethical AI standards, and investment in rural digital infrastructure. Universities and private sector actors were urged to work hand-in-hand to accelerate technology transfer and develop the continent’s next generation of data scientists and digital extension officers.
Alongside the AI session, the discussion on Green Energy Transitions for Sustainable Agricultural Systems also garnered significant attention. With African agriculture under pressure from climate change, and rising production costs, presenters stressed the urgency of shifting to renewable energy-powered farming as an alternative.
Discussions focused on:
- Solar irrigation, biogas, and agrivoltaics to strengthen food security
- Energy-efficient technologies to reduce post-harvest losses
- Community-led renewable energy adoption
- Financing models, including grants and low-interest loans
- Public–private partnerships to scale innovations
- Policy integration between energy and agriculture sectors
- Robust monitoring systems to track real impact
The takeaway: renewable energy is more than a climate solution – it is an economic lifeline that can boost productivity, cut costs, and build climate-resilient rural economies.
What’s Next? A Packed Week Ahead in Gaborone
From 24th to 28th November 2025, RUFORUM will continue its pre-AGM events in Gaborone, offering a series of thematic activities designed to build momentum ahead of the main AGM. These sessions will further refine action points that will guide implementation in 2026. You can access the pre-AGM events here.
All Roads Lead to the 2025 RUFORUM AGM: 1 to 5 December
The official AGM (1st to 5th December 2025) will consolidate recommendations from the scientific and policy fora, spotlight successful innovations from across the RUFORUM network, and convene African ministers, vice-chancellors, deans, principals, researchers, youth innovators and development partners. With agriculture at a crossroads, this year’s AGM carries a clear message: Africa is ready to lead its own transformation, with science, innovation, and inclusive policy as its compass.
