Eight agricultural innovations spanning Africa and other developing regions have been selected for support under the 2026 CGIAR Scaling Fund, in a programme aimed at expanding practical solutions to food production, climate change and rural livelihoods.
The selected innovations, drawn from seven CGIAR research centres and covering ten countries, include digital farming advice, solar-powered irrigation, improved fertiliser recommendations, tree restoration and climate-smart fish processing.
The initiative seeks to bridge the gap between successful agricultural research and widespread adoption, helping innovations reach more farmers and communities.
One of the standout initiatives is Kenya-linked My Farm Trees, a digital platform developed by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. It has enabled approximately 9,000 farmers to plant 440,000 trees across 4,500 hectares of restored land.
The platform connects farmers, tree nurseries and seed suppliers while using digital monitoring and performance-based payments to encourage restoration. Kenya’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry is integrating it into national verification systems, while the World Bank is supporting its digital infrastructure.
Another innovation, AKILIMO, is expanding access to tailored agricultural advice in Tanzania and Nigeria. The digital platform combines guidance for cassava and rice farmers, helping them make better decisions on planting, fertiliser application and crop management.
In Rwanda, a digital fertiliser recommendation tool is being integrated into the country’s Smart Nkunganire System, which serves approximately 3.2 million registered farmers and more than 3,000 agro-dealers. The system aims to improve access to appropriate fertiliser recommendations and strengthen agricultural productivity.
Ghana is also advancing affordable irrigation through a solar-powered, pay-as-you-go model designed to reduce the high upfront costs that often prevent smallholder farmers from accessing irrigation equipment.
On Lake Victoria, a climate-smart fish processing initiative is introducing solar tent dryers, solar-powered freezers and improved smoking kilns. The technologies are expected to improve fish quality, extend shelf life, reduce dependence on firewood and create better income opportunities, particularly for women and young people involved in fish processing.
The wider selection also includes innovations supporting livestock services in Nepal, integrated health services for pastoral communities in the Horn of Africa and improved rice processing technologies.
The CGIAR Scaling Fund provides grants, technical expertise and institutional support to help promising solutions overcome barriers to wider adoption. Its focus is not simply on developing new technologies, but on ensuring that farmers and communities can access and sustain them.
For Africa, where agricultural productivity remains closely linked to food security, employment and rural incomes, scaling such innovations could have far-reaching benefits.