DeSIRA

DeSIRA-LIFT (Leveraging the DeSIRA Initiative for agri-food systems transformation), which ran between 2021 and 2025, was a service facility supporting the DeSIRA Initiative. It managed and delivered pre-defined services and emerging on-demand services in support of the DeSIRA research and innovation projects, African apex organisations for research on agricultural development, extension and higher education, DG INTPA, African Union Commission and stakeholders at large.

DeSIRA-LIFT has worked closely with a wide range of partners to strengthen capacities, conduct scoping studies, foster dialogue, and co-generate knowledge on how R&I projects can prove and improve their impacts. This included a wide range of publications: 

Contributions of DeSIRA projects to  innovation and sustainability transitions

• Learning brief: Actionable learning from a review of DeSIRA projects’ contributions to policy change (2024)
• Learning brief: Actionable learning from a review of Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for Agricultural Innovation in DeSIRA (2025)
• Book: Stories of Change, book 1: Activating agricultural transitions to sustainability through participatory research and co-innovation (2024)
• Book: Stories of Change, book 2: Pathways to agrifood system transformation: From Local Innovation to Policy Change (2025)
• Learn more about the outputs of the DeSIRA Community of Action and Reflection: www.desiraliftcommunity.org 

Enhance the capacities of DeSIRA projects to prove and improve their impacts

• action books (coming soon)
• e-course (coming soon)

Envision the future of agricultural innovation systems in regions across the globe

• Perspective brief: The future of R&I as driver of agrifood system transformation and sustainability transitions: Perspectives from Latin America and the Caribbean (2025)
• Perspective brief: The future of R&I as driver of agrifood system transformation and sustainability transitions: Perspectives from East and Southern Africa (2025)
• Perspective brief: The future of R&I as driver of agrifood system transformation and sustainability transitions: Perspectives from West and Central Africa and Madagascar (2025)
• Perspective brief: The future of R&I as driver of agrifood system transformation and sustainability transitions: Perspectives from Asia-Pacific (2025)
• Perspective brief: The future of R&I as driver of agrifood systems transformation and sustainability transitions: Perspectives from Burkina Faso (2025)

Insights into innovations for  sustainability transitions through agroecology and organic farming

• Knowledge brief: Addressing biodiversity loss and agrobiodiversity (2022)
• Knowledge brief: Biosolutions for improved farming systems (2022)
• Knowledge brief: Digitalisation for smallholder farmers (2022)
• Knowledge brief: What agroecology brings to food security and ecosystem services: a review of scientific evidence (2024)
• Knowledge brief: The potential of the off-farm production, marketing and use of organic & biofertilisers in Africa (2024)
• Knowledge brief: Farmer-managed seed systems' essential role for food security and agrobiodiversity in Africa (2025)
• Learning brief: Actionable learning from a review of DeSIRA projects’ contributions to agroecology transitions (2025)

Insights into policies for climate smart agriculture, seed systems, soil health and agroecology

• Policy brief: Promoting the rights of farmers and their varieties under seed policies on the African continent (2022)
• Study report: Current developments in seed laws harmonisation in Africa (2022)
• Study report: Africa climate smart agriculture - implementation plan 2022-2032 (2022)
• Study report: Durban+10 synthesis report (2022)
• Study report: Exploring the off-farm production, marketing and use of organic and biofertilisers in Africa (2024)
• Study report: Regional Economic Communities in Africa and agroecology. A rapid review of policy opportunities, challenges and gaps (2025)
• Event report: The contribution of agroecology to climate change adaptation and mitigation (2022)
• Event report: Compatibility assessment of agroecology and CSA practices (2022)
• Event report: Gender-responsive mechanisms or incentives for locally based private-sector engagement in strengthening capacity of seed systems in Africa (2023)
• Event report: Improving climate resilience and sustainability of farming and food systems: exploring the contribution of agroecology (2023)
• Event report: Emerging opportunities with organic and bio-organic fertilizers for soil health in Africa (2024)
• Event report: The role of agroecology and regenerative agriculture in farming and food systems in Africa (2024)

Insights into policies and initiatives for agricultural innovation systems

• Study report: Mapping of Science, Technology and Innovation actors championing agroecological practices for sub-Saharan Africa (2023)
• Study report: Mapping of Green Transition actors championing agroecological practices for sub-Saharan Africa​ (2023)
• Study report: E-learning platforms for agricultural innovation management and facilitation in Africa (2025)
• Study report: Co-certification mechanisms for short-term professional agricultural training programs in Africa (2025)
• Study report: Review of national science, technology, and innovation landscape for translation of university research and innovation into enterprises (2025)
• Study report: Women-led innovation, social inclusion and sustainability in Africa’s agri-food systems (2025)
• Event report: Views and experiences of regional organisations on continental agricultural & food research and innovation strategies (2023)

Lessons from the DeSIRA Initiative

• Synthesis note: Lessons and Recommendations from the DeSIRA Initiative (2025)
• Synthesis note: Actionable learning Proving and improving R&I impacts in agrifood systems through project-based approaches (2025)
• Conference report: Boosting agrifood research and innovation cooperation for impact at scale (2025)