Food and nutrition security (FNS) remains a challenge for Africa, despite efforts made in agricultural research and extension in the past, due to inefficient implementation and exchange of technologies and knowledge to end users. The main objective of InnovAfrica is to improve FNS by integrating sustainable agriculture intensification (SAI) systems, innovative institutional approaches (IIAs) with novel extension and advisory services (EASs) and enhancing smallholder adaptive capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). InnovAfrica addresses main challenges of the work programme (SFS-42-2016), through a strong multidisciplinary EU-Africa consortium of 16 partners, supported by 6 active Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) in 6 case countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and South Africa). InnovAfrica will test, integrate, and disseminate SAI systems suitable to smallholders, institutional approaches (e.g. MAPs, seed delivery systems) and EASs (e.g. dynamic knowledge platforms supported by smart phones, Village Knowledge centers). The main outcomes of InnovAfrica include: i) better understanding of the needs and opportunities of SAI systems in Africa, ii) improved knowledge and innovation capacity of farmers to implement SAI systems supported by IIAs and EASs, iii) improved product value chains through viable IIAs benefiting women and youth, iv) Innovative policies, increased knowledge of public-private partnerships to strengthen agri-business model in case countries with a view to upscaling successes in other regions through functional MAPs, v) Wider dissemination of SAI systems to smallholders and women within and outside project areas through effective use of smart phones and social media, and vi) Stronger EU-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership to achieve FNS. The outcomes will contribute to smallholder productivity, profitability; and nutritional benefits while reducing negative environmental impacts and enhance FNS and sustainable agriculture in Africa.

CEA-FIRST, the Consortium Europe Africa on Research and Innovation for Food Systems Transformation, consists of 21 partners from Africa and Europe, partly from the former LEAP4FNSSA, extended with new public and private network partners. CEA-FIRST will operationalise the International Research Consortium (IRC) as a long-term platform on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (FNSSA) in line with the FNSSA Roadmap of the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD). This IRC is a member-based, multi-actor platform and will work towards increasing synergies and coherence while reducing fragmentation and duplication of research efforts. Its aim is to promote higher returns on investments and impact on business development in Africa and Europe, by linking actors, research and innovation projects, initiatives, and funding programmes. CEA-FIRST will: 1. provide public access to a large knowledge platform, 2. offer a sound method for analysis of R&I activities, 3. support the updating of the FNSSA Roadmap, 4. establish operational working groups and thematic research calls. The final output will be a fully functional IRC, including governance bodies. CEA-FIRST will also support its liaison with the High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD). It will create a learning environment, including communication channels, to support multi stakeholder networks and to strengthen R&I coordination. The IRC will also serve related AU-EU policy priorities, such as the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy and the Innovation Agenda of the HLPD, as well as the European Green Deal priorities (and farm to fork strategy) and the AU priorities like the African Free Trade Area.

The aim of Soils4Africa is to provide an open-access soil information system with a set of key indicators and underpinning data, accompanied with a methodology for repeated soil monitoring across the African continent. The soil information system will become part of the knowledge and information system of FNSSA and will be hosted by an African institute. Activities are: (i) define use cases and indicators in consultation with stakeholders; (ii) make a functional design of the soil information system; (iii) develop detailed procedures and tools for the field activities based on the LUCAS methodology and collect 20000 soil samples; (iv) develop detailed procedures for laboratory work and analyse the collected soil samples at one reference laboratory located in Africa; and (v) develop the technical infrastructure for the soil information system and serve the results as open data linked with open EO data. The project addresses the work programme of SC 2 in the following ways. First, it contributes to priority 2 (Fostering functional ecosystems) because the soil information system is a tool to target interventions that improve soil quality and provides insight in the impact of these interventions. Secondly, it contributes to priority 1 (Addressing climate change and resilience on land and sea), as the soil information system will contribute to the assessment of carbon losses from soil and the identification of areas with high potential for soil carbon sequestration. Finally, the soil information system provides a platform for the development of sustainable business models by service companies aiming at the development of sustainable food systems, contributing to priority 3 (Boosting major innovations on land and sea). Soils4Africa is linking with relevant H2020 projects and Copernicus on EO data use. It actively connects organizations across Africa and Europe for synergies and promotes an open science approach.