At the FARA Science Week in Burkina Faso last month, a map was launched that details over 300 of the agricultural research programmes currently taking place in Africa.

‘CGMap Ongoing Research in Africa’ enables different research groups to learn about the challenges faced across the continent and also provides opportunities for collaboration.

The map lists information about research projects across Africa, including the project priorities, time frame, location, partners, funders and contact information. According to the map coordinator, Evelyn Katingi, the map represents an ‘86% coverage of information from all 15 centres of the CGIAR.’

According to the map, the focus areas of the projects are divided as follows:

• 21% focus on crops
• 14% focus on policy and institutions
• 10% focus on livestock
• 5% focus on land management
• 4% focus on soils
• 2% focus on fisheries

The majority of the projects are being conducted in East Africa: 120 in Kenya, 91 in Uganda and 87 in Tanzania.

The initiative was coordinated by two CGIAR programmes: Collective Action in Eastern and Southern Africa and ICT-KM (Information and Communication Technologies – Knowledge Management). ‘CGMap Ongoing Research in Africa’ is available to CGIAR staff, partners and other key stakeholders in African agricultural research.