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publication Innovations for Ending Hunger and Improving Food Security in Africa: Perspectives of African Partners on German Green Innovation Initiatives

This study offers an African perspective on the German initiative ‘One World - No Hunger’ and the Green Innovation Centres in Africa.

Published: 2025

Authors: A. Admassie, F. Asante

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The study at hand by Prof. Assefa Admassie (Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia) and Prof. Felix Asante (University of Ghana) was conducted as part of the PARI program (Program of Accompanying Research for Agricultural Innovation). It offers a comprehensive African perspective on the German initiative ‘One World – No Hunger’ (SEWOH) and the Green Innovation Centres (GICs) in Africa.

The aim was to draw lessons for future cooperation from the perspective of African partners and to identify ways in which cooperation between Africa and Germany can contribute to the long-term transformation of agricultural and food systems. The study synthesizes experiences and lessons from 11 African countries participating in Germany’s One World – No Hunger (SEWOH) initiative and its Green Innovation Centres (GICs). Implemented since 2014, the program aimed to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen value chains, and improve food security through technological, organizational, and institutional innovation. This summary focuses on what African partners identified as the most significant lessons learned in design, implementation, and sustainability.

The following overarching conclusions can be drawn for the development partnership in the agri-food system:

  1. African ownership and strategic orientation: Africa has its own coherent strategies – in
    particular the CAADP, the Malabo Declaration (2014) and the Kampala Declaration (2025).
  2. For the BMZ and partner institutions, the study recommends
    • Supporting African strategies (CAADP, Malabo, Kampala) instead of new agendas;
    • Long-term investment in research, innovation and training;
    • Strengthening local institutions and financing systems;
    • Promoting the participation of young people, women and smallholder farmers;
    • Expanding regional learning and exchange platforms.

A sustainable transformation of African agricultural and food systems can only succeed if innovations are African-led, locally anchored and supported in the long term. The SEWOH initiative has laid important foundations for this. Future partnerships should build on these successes – with Africa as the architect of its own development.

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