The Future Agricultures Consortium (FAC) aims to encourage critical debate and policy dialogue on the future of agriculture in Africa. The Consortium is a partnership between research-based organisations in Africa and the UK , with work currently focusing on Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi.
Through stakeholder-led policy dialogues on future scenarios for agriculture, informed by field research, the Consortium aims to elaborate the practical and policy challenges of establishing and sustaining pro-poor agricultural growth in Africa, with a focus on Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi. Current work focuses on four core themes:
Policy processes: what political, organisational budgetary processes promote or hinder pathways to pro-poor, agriculture-led growth? What role should different actors, including Ministries of Agriculture, have in this?
Growth and social protection: what are the trade-offs and complementarities between growth and social protection objectives?
Agricultural commercialisation: what types of commercialisation of agriculture both promote growth and reduce poverty? What institutional and market arrangements are required?
Science, technology and innovation: how can agricultural technology be made to work for the poor? How are technology trajectories linked to processes of agrarian/livelihood change?