PROGRAMME
Agenda & Programme
The Africa Crop Forum 2026 is a working partnership event rather than a conventional conference. Our goal is always to co-create climate resilient crop research partnerships that start with African priorities. We listen to our breeders, scientists and funders on the greatest opportunities for impact and build projects and partnerships aimed at active proposal calls in 2027.
The programme will be active engaging in conversations, short talks and long converstions, live panel discussions and interactive working sessions to develop new collaborations around shared priorities for African crop-systems.
Who the programme is designed for
- African scientists, breeders and national research partners
- Cambridge and international researchers
- Early-career and mid-career scientists
- Farmer-facing organisations and value-chain partners
- Funders, mentors and strategic partners
- Project teams seeking stronger collaboration and proposal development
In-person places are limited and curated. Online participation may be available for wider project teams, mentors and collaborators where relevant.
What to expect
The interactive and engaging sessions will include concise talks, structured discussions, and group work to turn broad ideas into clearer concept notes, partner plans, and follow-up actions.
African priorities and field realities
Participants will hear from African scientists, breeders, national partners and farmer-facing organisations about the crop-system challenges shaping research priorities.
Projects and emerging opportunities
The programme will highlight current and emerging work across crop resilience, breeding, pest and disease pressure, soil–microbe interactions, nutrition, processing and adoption pathways.
Funder perspectives and future calls
Participants will explore how emerging ideas may connect relevant funding opportunities in 2027 and beyond.
Working sessions for new collaborations
The event will include structured time to identify partners, sharpen research questions, develop concept-note ideas and plan follow-up.
Indicative programme flow
The exact session titles, speakers and timings are being developed. The outline below shows the intended flow of the event.
Monday 12 October
Optional visits
Subject to local feasibility and capacity, small groups may have the opportunity to visit farms, breeder activities, processing settings or women’s cassava processing collectives.
Tuesday 13 October
Setting the priorities
The first day of the Africa Crop Forum will focus on African crop-system priorities, field realities, current funded projects, research opportunities and the partnership landscape.
From challenges to research questions
Interactive sessions will help participants connect crop-system challenges with scientific expertise, user needs and potential research questions.
Wednesday 14 October
Building fundable collaborations
The second day will focus on project development, mentoring, funder perspectives, concept-note refinement and follow-up plans.
Next steps and follow-up
The forum will close by identifying emerging collaboration teams, mentoring needs, likely funding routes and practical next steps.
Thursday 15 –
Friday 16 (morning) October
Independent funder-organised meeting
A separate invitation-only cassava trait preferences meeting will take place after the Africa Crop Forum event. This meeting is for funder-invited participants only.
Friday 15 October
Separate Gates Ag One meeting
A separate Gates Ag One invitation-only cassava trait preferences meeting will take place after the Africa Crop Forum 2026 for invited participants only.
In-person places are limited and curated. Online participation may be available for wider project teams, mentors and collaborators where relevant.
Wednesday 14 October
Building fundable collaborations
The second day will focus on project development, mentoring, funder perspectives, concept-note refinement and follow-up plans.
Next steps and follow-up
The forum will close by identifying emerging collaboration teams, mentoring needs, likely funding routes and practical next steps.
Expected outcomes
The forum is designed to leave participants with practical next steps, stronger partnerships and clearer routes to funding.
Developed concept notes that can be taken forward into full proposals.
New collaboration teams linking African, Cambridge and international partners.
Mentoring relationships that support early-career and mid-career researchers.
Stronger Africa–Cambridge partnerships grounded in African priorities and field realities.
Clearer pathways to funding opportunities in 2027 and beyond.
A follow-up process that tracks proposals, awards and new collaborations after the event.
Interested in the Africa Crop Forum 2026?
The 2026 forum builds on the partnership model developed through the 2025 event in Cambridge while focusing on African-led priorities, field realities and future funding opportunities.