From April 7–12, 2025, Nairobi, Kenya, became the epicenter of global agricultural innovation as CGIAR, together with the Kenyan Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), launched CGIAR's first-ever Science Week. ICARDA was proud to be at the heart of it all.
In the face of escalating hunger, malnutrition, and the deepening climate crisis, CGIAR Science Week offered more than dialogue; it sparked collaboration, challenged norms, and laid down a roadmap for transforming food, land, and water systems.
The week-long gathering brought together global thought leaders, researchers, policymakers, and partners united by a single goal: to harness the power of science for a climate-resilient, nutrition-secure future.
A High-Profile Presence in Plenaries and Strategy Dialogues
ICARDA’s Director General, Aly Abousabaa, played a pivotal role in the event’s high-level plenaries, including the “2050 Vision for Africa: A Dialogue Between CGIAR Leaders and Key Partners” session on April 9. “The challenges we face today are beyond the capacity of any single CGIAR Center to tackle alone. That is why One CGIAR, which brings us together to focus on the best interests of the countries we serve, is the way forward,” he said.
His insights highlighted the urgency—and possibility—of transforming African agri-food systems through science, innovation, and inclusive partnerships.
“At ICARDA, our research themes focus on water, crops, and livestock. To address today’s complex challenges and maximize opportunities, we must move beyond traditional conventional approaches and adopt a systems-level perspective,” he added.
Throughout the Strategy Dialogues, ICARDA scientists and leaders contributed to the discussions about CGIAR’s new 2025–2030 Portfolio, ensuring that its programs, from Breeding for Tomorrow, Capacity Sharing Accelerator, Genebanks Accelerator Strategy Dialogue to Climate Action, and more, remain relevant, demand-driven, and inclusive.
Leading the Charge for Resilient Drylands
A major highlight of ICARDA’s presence was co-hosting the flagship side event, Delivering Resilient Drylands, on April 10, a marathon day of dryland science, strategy, and sharp elbows in policy circles. In partnership with ten sister CGIAR centers, ICARDA held an event to discuss the updates and highlights of CGIAR’s 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands (GSRD), a bold blueprint for food systems that we launched on December 4, 2024, at UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The morning kicked off with remarks from CGIAR leadership, followed by a deep dive into ICARDA’s flagship Integrated Desert Farming Innovation Platform (IDFIP), an ambitious effort to turn dust and heat into viable farmland through a mix of climate-smart crops, clever water use, farmer-led innovations, and even fish.
A particularly urgent session spotlighted the Red Palm Weevil, a pest chewing its way across global palm plantations. ICARDA introduced a new global initiative to combat this threat, developed in collaboration with the UAE government, the Gates Foundation, and international partners. The initiative will be formally launched at the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in Abu Dhabi on April 16, a timely move to rally research and resources before the damage becomes irreversible.
The day wrapped with a forward-looking conversation between ICARDA’s Director General Aly Abousabaa and ICRISAT’s Dr. Himanshu Pathak on what it will take to make drylands matter on the global agenda, not just as zones of crisis, but as frontiers of innovation.
Exhibitions that Educate and Engage
At the CGIAR Science Week expo, ICARDA’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team took center stage with its exhibition “Monitoring and Evaluation for CGIAR Science Success.” Attendees engaged in interactive quizzes and Helpdesk discussions, discovering how robust data and learning loops are essential to scaling impact across CGIAR initiatives.
Additionally, at the GSRD joint booth with ICRISAT, visitors engaged with CGIAR's transformative approach to building resilient agri-food systems in dryland regions. Furthermore, through "Breeding For Tomorrow: Partnering to Transform Crop Innovation for Smallholder Impact," ICARDA's Dr. Khaled Al Shamaa hosted an interactive journey simulating a crop breeder's year. Visitors navigated through the seasons, each symbolizing crucial phases of crop development, and uncovered CGIAR's role in supporting global agricultural advancements.
Diverse Representation, One Unified Vision
ICARDA was also proud to contribute to the launch of the CGIAR Sustainable Farming Science program, an ambitious effort to address agricultural challenges in low- and middle-income countries through innovation and collaboration. During the "Capacity Strengthening and Scaling Science-Based Solutions" session, ICARDA's Dr. Vinay Nangia presented Egypt's GeoAgro-MiSR smartphone app, a homegrown digital tool helping farmers make more informed decisions.
He was joined by Dr. Fadl Hashem, Executive Director of the Climate Change Information Center, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt, who underscored the country's commitment to digital transformation in agriculture, emphasizing the role of partnerships and knowledge exchange in making that vision a reality.
Another key moment during the week was the launch of the Capacity Sharing Accelerator Program (CapSha), where ICARDA's Charles Kleinermann joined the panel to present CGIAR's bold new approach to capacity sharing. The CapSha model champions mutual learning, co-creation, and equal partnerships.
ICARDA's strong delegation of scientists and specialists represented a wide swath of expertise, from data-driven insights to capacity development and crop innovation. Other highlights from our team's engagements included:
A parallel session on Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods (SAAF)
Discussions on livestock, nutrition, and climate mitigation
Knowledge-sharing sessions on agronomic data solutions and the power of digital training
These sessions not only elevated ICARDA's contributions to global food system challenges but also strengthened our ties with partners across the region and beyond.
Looking Ahead
The week proved that the path to transformation is not only possible, it's already underway, powered by science, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to a better future for dryland communities. We thank our partners, peers, and CGIAR for a powerful inaugural Science Week.
Explore ICARDA's day-to-day highlights at CGIAR Science Week on LinkedIn.
On the International Day for Biodiversity, ICARDA turns the spotlight on the first-of-its-kind goat pangenome. This game-changing livestock breakthrough brings us closer to harmony with nature.
As we look to 2025, our commitment to resilient agriculture and sustainable livelihoods remains stronger than ever, thanks to our trusted partners, funders and dedicated teams.
