Abuja: The West and Central African Food Systems Transformation (CGIAR) have commenced its annual and wrap-up workshop on the Regional Integrated Initiative Transforming Agrifood Systems in West and Central Africa (TAFS-WCA) programme in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The objective of the workshop is to discuss completed and ongoing activities of the Initiative, assess and summarize the achievements of the three years of implementation, organize roundtables with partners for sharing experiences and fostering synergy, and discuss future activities, particularly focusing on the new CGIAR portfolio.
According to Voice of Nigeria, the TAFS-WCA is a regional integrated initiative aiming to improve nutrition, incomes, and food security amid climate change in West and Central Africa through nutritious, climate-adapted, and market-driven food systems. The initiative is structured into five integrated work packages: Sustainable Intensification and Diversification for Nutritious and Safe Food and Resilient Food Production,
Informed Digital Agriculture for Climate Resilience, Sustainable and Inclusive Landscape Management, Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Models, and Accelerating Impact of Investments and Catalyzing Impact at Scale.
The workshop’s expected outcome includes evaluating the activities carried out during the initiative’s implementation, summarizing the achievements over the three years, and helping participants understand the new portfolio, particularly the Scaling Accelerator and Policy Science Program. This four-day event is gathering stakeholders in agricultural technology and representatives from participating countries, including Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, and Rwanda.