After over a year of preparatory work, the new Africa-Australia Partnership was officially launched in Nairobi during key stakeholder workshops.
In November 2024, Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced a new partnership intended to help strengthen climate resilience in Africa. The Africa-Australia Partnership for Climate Responsive Agriculture would fund additional investments for climate responsive projects in North and West Africa, in addition to our long-established work in the south and east of the continent.
ACIAR started investigating appropriate research design and engaged with potential new partners in focus countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco as part of the program development.
Following a year of preparation and design work, the partnership officially launched in Nairobi in December 2025, with more events planned for 2026.
Africa and Australia face similar challenges
Australian High Commissioner to Kenya, Jenny Da Rin, opened the workshop, speaking about the shared climate challenges that Africa and Australian face, and hopes for the partnership.
'This initiative sparks informed research, co-creation, shared learning and inclusive development. I am especially encouraged by the program's focus on gender equality, capacity building and ensuring that women and young people contribute fully to climate-resilient agricultural transformation.'
She encouraged all participants to use the workshop to forge new connections, clarify shared priorities and identify opportunities for impactful collaboration, to ensure the program delivers tangible benefits for farmers, communities and landscapes across the region.
Workshop explores local climate priorities
The Nairobi workshop brought together participants, from Ghana, Nigeria and Egypt, to validate priorities developed at an earlier workshop with participants from Egypt and Morocco. Participants discussed regional priorities and national actions, which they began to develop into collaborative research concepts.
At the end of the workshop, participants left energised and enthusiastic about the priorities and the potential for forming partnerships under the program.
'The AAPCRA priorities are apt and prove a collaborative, practical, and adaptive approach that aligns strongly with African priorities. In Nigeria, these priorities will enhance food security, strengthen the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, and support their adoption of climate-resilient practices. They will also help build the capacity of local institutions and stakeholders,' said Edith Ihegwuagu, Assistant Director Research and Agrochemist at the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARC).
Zita Richie, Australian-based ACIAR Research Program Manager responsible for the partnership, reflected on the workshop.
'The workshop was a great opportunity to hear first-hand from participants about the climate challenges faced in northern and western Africa. These sessions built consensus on research priorities for the focus countries, with participants contributing innovative ideas for developing research concepts. I look forward to seeing how ACIAR can partner and help advance project development that will promote climate responsive agriculture throughout the continent.'
Further events to launch the Partnership, and ACIAR's expanding presence across Africa, will take place in coming months.
Learn more about the Africa-Australia Partnership for Climate Responsive Agriculture.
