Agriculture in Africa has long been focused on “production augmentation”—simply growing more. But the IIABA initiative (2020–2023) proved that the real bottleneck isn’t the soil; it’s the institutions.
The Three Pillars of Institutional Innovation
The IIABA project, supported by the French Development Agency (AFD), focused on a holistic synergy between research and practice. By conducting over 20 roundtable discussions across Morocco, Tanzania, and Uganda, the project identified three areas where innovation is mandatory:
- Public Policy: Moving organic agriculture from a “voluntary practice” to a state-supported mandate with dedicated budgets.
- Market Dynamics: Transitioning from “hope-based marketing” to territorial markets and supply agreements for mass catering.
- Certification Systems: Implementing Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) to make “Organic” a label that every smallholder can afford.
Bridging the Gap
One of the most significant outcomes of the IIABA initiative was the synergy created between research institutions like CIRAD/INRAE and grassroots federations like NOGAMU and TOAM. This bridge ensures that academic findings are immediately translated into “specific manuals and tools” that farmers can use today.
The Legacy of 1.5 Million Euros
With a budget of 1.5 million euros, the mandate was clear: expedite the advancement of organic agriculture. As the project concludes its initial phase, the tools generated serve as a blueprint for the rest of the continent to follow.