The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) have renewed their partnership through the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during a virtual ceremony attended by senior officials from both institutions.
The renewed five-year collaboration reaffirms the shared commitment of FAO and RUFORUM to advancing higher agricultural education, research, and innovation across Africa, thereby accelerating the transformation of agrifood systems. The partnership aims to strengthen institutional and technical capacities, promote knowledge exchange, and foster innovation for sustainable and climate-resilient food systems.
Speaking at the ceremony, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, highlighted that the renewed partnership underscores the vital role of academia in driving Africa’s agricultural transformation.
FAO’s collaboration is aligned to the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031 and its Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
Professor Patrick Okori, RUFORUM executive secretary, welcomed the renewed collaboration, reiterating that FAO’s technical expertise, combined with RUFORUM’s extensive academic network of 175 universities across 40 countries, provides a strong platform to nurture innovation, empower youth, and build resilient rural economies.
