The Partnership for Agricultural Research, Education and Development (PAIRED)

West Africa continues to face enormous challenges in the production, distribution, and widespread use of certified seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. These agri-inputs are normally not delivered to farmers as a package (seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and best practices), leaving farmers incapable of fully benefiting from advanced technologies and innovation. To improve agricultural productivity, the agri-input delivery system requires a holistic approach that considers access, affordability, availability and incentives for farmers to adopt technological packages.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

PAIRED is a five-year regional program that aims to strengthen the institutional capacity of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF). PAIRED supports CORAF to improve its internal operations and project implementation as it strives to be recognized as a competent, financially stable and sustainable regional coordinator of agricultural research. PAIRED also helps CORAF to more effectively engage with relevant stakeholders to design and implement activities that improve food and nutrition security for millions of rural families.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

PAIRED consists of three mutually reinforcing components that provide CORAF with financial, technical and human resources to execute its core mandate. They include:

• Strengthening CORAF institutional capacity with a priority focus on strategic planning and governance, financial sustainability, and organizational structure and efficiency.
• Scaling up promising agricultural technologies and innovations to farmers and other technology users throughout the major agricultural value chains in the region.
• Increasing production and availability of quality agri-inputs through the promotion of business models in support of contractual arrangements for marketing of seeds and fertilizers. 

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Increased number of Member States (13 out 15) effectively implementing the ECOWAS harmonized seed regulation.
• Agri-Inputs packages (510) of seeds and fertilizers developed and disseminated for 11 countries in West Africa.
• Functional Innovation Platforms (36) supported for Agricultural Technology & Innovations upscaling.
• Knowledge and information dissemination tools developed to increase access to quality Agri-Inputs (seeds and fertilizer) information (digital online platforms such as FeSeRWAM, MITA and Seed Demand Forecasting tool).
• Up-to-date regional catalogues of plant species and varieties developed, every two years, and disseminated to key users, especially private businesses.
• Regional Quarantine Pests List (RQPL) developed and adopted for West African countries and national plant protection officers trained in each of the 15 members states.
• An integrated Regional Agri-inputs strategy developed for West Africa.

Program Information

Goal: To increase agricultural growth, food and nutrition security, and poverty reduction in West Africa.

Life of Program: June 2017 – June 2022

Total USAID Funding: $15 million

Geographic Focus: West Africa Region

Implementing Partner: West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF)

Regional Partners: ECOWAS, CILSS, AFSTA-West Africa