EU and Africa to forge research and innovation partnership

The EU and Africa should work towards a long-term, jointly-funded research and innovation partnership to promote food and nutrition security as a first priority, senior officials agreed at talks in Brussels.

The meeting of the EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue on science, technology, and innovation was called to review co-operation and set new priorities ahead of the EU-Africa Summit 2014. The new partnership could be inspired by the achievements of the successful European and Developing Countries’ Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP).

European Commission Director General Robert-Jan Smits said: “Investment in research and innovation creates growth and jobs and is vital in dealing with societal challenges. Enhancing food and nutrition security as well as sustainable agriculture is a challenge common to the EU and Africa, albeit with different dimensions. An increase in EU-Africa co-operation will lead to evidence-based solutions and policy making and an improved availability, accessibility and utilisation of agricultural products and services.”

The EU, as part of its smart, sustainable and inclusive growth agenda, will in January launch Horizon 2020, its biggest ever research and innovation funding programme with a budget of some €79 billion over seven years. Science, technology and innovation co-operation is therefore expected to feature at the next EU-Africa summit.

On 11 December, the European Commission intends to launch the first calls under Horizon 2020 in support of this decision. Focus areas will include sustainably enhancing the agro-food chain, the contribution of family farms and smallholder farms, and water management issues for sustainable agriculture and food and nutrition security. Money will also be set aside to support enhancing EU-Africa co-operation in other areas, including research infrastructures.