African agricultural production over the past two decades has not kept up with population
growth. Political and natural factors have inhibited investment, technological change and growth.
Without substantial improvements in agricultural productivity and sound natural resource
management, most African rural dwellers will not be able to improve their well-being for the
foreseeable future. Increasing agricultural production to achieve food security, higher incomes and
sustainable economic growth while preserving the natural resource base remains the central

Recognising the FARA vision for agricultural research in sub-Saharan Africa and
acknowledging that there is an approved CG Strategy for sub-Saharan Africa, the
FARA/CGIAR consultation concluded that:
! The CGIAR Centres and their partners are committed to integration of research
activities in SSA based on work currently undertaken in the two-subregions of WCA
and ESA.
! Programmatic integration will be developed in the context of established sub-regional
priorities.

Africa¿s basic industry is agriculture-based, not only in supporting the rural masses in their quest for food but also providing a large share of the GDP, contributing 30-40% of exports and 70% of employment.

NEPAD is a merger of the Millennium Partnership for Africa¿s Recovery
Programme (MAP) and the Omega Plan.
· The merger was finalised on 3 July 2001.
· Out of the merger, the New Africa Initiative (NAI) was born.
· NAI was then approved by OAU Summit Heads of State and Government on
11 July 2001.
· Its policy framework was finalised by HSIC on 23 October 2001, forming the
NEPAD.

At the FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa) meeting of March 2002 held in Maputo, Mozambique, the World Bank and European Union (EU) jointly presented a concept note outlining a new road map, that emerged through a consultative process, to enhance and sustain the institutional and financial base of agricultural technology systems in SSA.