The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in collaboration with the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), has launched a three-day strategic partnership meeting in Addis Ababa aimed at advancing climate-smart agriculture and sustainable soil health management across the IGAD region.
The meeting brings together technical experts from both institutions to discuss the implementation of the Data, Climate, and Agricultural Services (DACAS) Network Action Plan and the IGAD Fertilizer and Soil Health Hub initiatives, which were endorsed during the 2nd Africa Climate Summit held earlier in Addis Ababa.
Supported financially by the World Bank, the engagement builds on a Letter of Collaborative Agreement (LoCA) signed between IGAD’s Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) and AICCRA.
The agreement defines key areas of collaboration, including climate-informed digital agro-advisory services, resilience policy and practices, and gender and social inclusion—all aligned with the institutions’ shared strategic priorities.
The partnership seeks to accelerate the identification, scaling, and adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies and services across IGAD Member States.
Opening the meeting on behalf of Daher Elmi, IGAD’s Director of Agriculture and Environment, Dr. Sylvia Henga, Policy and Food Security Expert under the FSRP, underscored the urgency of the initiative.
“The IGAD region faces a range of complex challenges, including economic and humanitarian crises driven by droughts, floods, pandemics, conflicts, and food insecurity. These are compounded by vulnerability to climate change, desertification, governance gaps, and the lack of adequate data, information, and knowledge necessary for effective decision-making,” Dr. Henga said.
The three-day discussions aim to develop an annual work plan for the DACAS Network, define a methodology for identifying CSA technologies suitable for IGAD Member States, and explore funding and donor engagement strategies to support the regional Soil Health Hub.
These actions directly contribute to the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, a continental framework promoting sustainable land and soil management.
According to Dr. Dawit Solomon, AICCRA East and Southern Africa Regional Program Leader, the meeting marks a key milestone in transforming regional commitments into practical outcomes.
“The Strategic Partnership Meeting between IGAD’s FSRP and AICCRA East and Southern Africa, guided by the Letter of Collaborative Agreement, is a pivotal step toward translating commitments into implementable actions,” said Dr. Solomon.
“It advances digital agro-climate advisory service (DACAS) networks, facilitates the institutionalization of the IGAD Region’s Soil Health Hub to enhance soil management and climate-smart agriculture, and strengthens World Bank–supported regional collaboration for resilient food systems in Eastern and Southern Africa. By aligning institutional priorities and leveraging technical expertise, this partnership demonstrates how regional organizations and WB-supported initiatives can effectively work together to drive sustainable development, climate resilience, and agricultural transformation across the IGAD region.”
The collaboration between IGAD and AICCRA represents a significant step toward achieving Africa’s goals for sustainable food production and climate resilience, reinforcing the region’s leadership in developing actionable partnerships that harness science, data, and innovation for long-term impact.
As the Horn of Africa continues to grapple with climate-induced shocks, the partnership underscores a united front for a more resilient, food-secure, and sustainable future.
IGAD is calling on Member States, regional organizations, and development partners to actively engage, invest in, and scale up initiatives that transform agriculture and livelihoods across the region.
