Bridging agricultural science and policy: A Capacity-Building Workshop on Political Economy and Collaboration
2026-03-18 09:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Paris)
On 18 March 2026 from 09:00-13:00 CET, CORAF in collaboration with ECDPM is co-organising an online workshop with West African national agricultural research institutes aimed at strengthening the integration of scientific evidence into policy processes and bridging the gap between research and policy decision-making.This is a closed-door and invite-only event.
Background

The next few years will provide key opportunities to advance regional agricultural integration in West Africa, given the domestication of the CAADP’s Kampala Declaration, the implementation of the AfCFTA, and the new ten-year cycle of ECOWAP, among others. Regional agricultural integration is fundamental for West Africa to develop more resilient, sovereign, and productive agricultural systems and to attract the necessary finance for such development, both at the regional level (such as for regional corridors) and at the national level.
Despite this potential, bridging the gap between scientific evidence and actionable policy remains an intricate challenge. While technical data is often abundant, it frequently fails to influence decision- making because scientists and decision-makers lack a common baseline. This disconnect is further exacerbated by “knowledge asymmetry,” in which both groups use different vocabularies, follow conflicting timelines, and prioritise divergent priorities. Furthermore, traditional policy development commonly encounters “analytical blind spots,” focusing strictly on technical “what” needs to be done while neglecting the “political economy”, the elaborate network of vested interests, institutional power dynamics, and economic incentives that ultimately dictate whether a policy is implemented or sidelined.
To address these static methodologies, CORAF and ECDPM, under the project “Strengthening Evidence Based Policy Practice for Sustainable Food Systems” (StEPPFoS), an EU Horizon-funded project that provides the overarching structure for these Science-to-Policy Co-Labs, plan to organise two workshops to help regional stakeholders move beyond theoretical discussions and deliver practical, hands-on capacity building.

2026 Virtual Knowledge Forum on Sustainable Food Systems
2026-05-20 08:00 - 2026-05-22 17:00 UTC
The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), in collaboration with partners, will host a Virtual Knowledge Forum on Sustainable Food Systems from 20–22 May 2026. The forum is part of the Strengthening Evidence-Based Policy Practice for Sustainable Food Systems (StEPPFoS) project, which aims to bridge the gap between research evidence and policy implementation in Africa’s agri-food systems.
The online forum, themed “Linking Evidence, Policy, and Action,” will bring together policymakers, researchers, development partners, private sector actors, and civil society organizations to discuss practical solutions to Africa’s food and nutrition security challenges. Discussions will focus on strengthening evidence-based policymaking and fostering collaboration to support sustainable and inclusive food systems across the continent. Key thematic discussions will include nutrition and food safety, value addition, continental trade and market access, financing for agriculture, youth and gender inclusion, digital innovation, technology transfer, and climate adaptation for resilient food systems.
The forum will also feature a Virtual Innovation Exhibition, where innovators, researchers, farmer organizations, and technology developers will showcase practical solutions such as digital agriculture tools, climate-smart technologies, and community-driven initiatives that strengthen food systems. These sessions will combine demonstrations, evidence of impact, and interactive discussions aimed at encouraging collaboration and scaling successful innovations.
The initiative is implemented through a broad partnership that includes organizations such as FARA, ASARECA, CORAF/WECARD, AFAAS, ECDPM, and Stichting Wageningen Research, alongside African and European research institutions.Expected outcomes include stronger policy alignment across national and regional frameworks, strategies to mobilize investments for sustainable food systems, and a synthesized knowledge resolution outlining key commitments and actions to advance food systems transformation in Africa.
Register Here: Meeting Registration – Zoom

StEPPFoS Summer School, 2026
2026-05-25 - 2026-05-29
Overview: The StEPPFoS Summer School is a five-day intensive programme held in Entebbe, Uganda, from the 25 to 29 of May 2026. The school aims to equip participants with advanced economic modelling skills to describe, investigate and interpret the future challenges for Africa’s agricultural sector and food security, with particular focus on climate change.
The curriculum balances theoretical lectures on economic shocks within the FNSSA sector with hands-on practical sessions using a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model and a farm-level microeconomic model. The programme includes parallel sessions for each model type, tailored to participants’ backgrounds and preferred modelling approaches.
The StEPPFoS Summer School is organised in the frame of the Pan-African Network for Economic Analysis of Policies (PANAP), co-hosted by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), combining academic expertise and policy-oriented research to deliver a rigorous, applied training experience.
Who can Apply
The summer school is targeted for PhD students and early-career researchers from Africa.
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria. These are preferential, not exclusive — candidates who do not fully meet all criteria are still encouraged to apply, as motivation and research interests will be considered.

Background knowledge of Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modelling
Knowledge of quantitative methods and/or basic programming languages for modelling (GAMS/GEMPACK)
Strength of motivation letter and relevance of research profileIf you are applying for the CGE track, please consider enrolling in the freely available DEMETRA course in advance and include the course certificate in your application. To access the course, users first need to create an EU Login account at: https://trusted-digital-identity.europa.eu/index_en

How to Apply
To apply, please submit the following documents:

Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
Motivation letter (max. 1 page) — including your research background, reason for interest in the Summer School, and any preference for parallel session track
Copies of any CGE course certificates and/or JRC online course certificates (if available)
Indication of whether you are applying for financial support (yes/no)

Please send your complete application to: JRC-PANAP@ec.europa.eu
Application deadline: 12 April 2026, 11:59 pm
Successful applicants will be notified by: 30 April 2026
