PUBLIC SECTOR COLLABORATION
A. Government & Public Sector Partners
BecA Sweden Partnership
With funding from the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Sida, the BecA-ILRI Hub collaborates with African research institutions, universities, private sector partners and international organizations to develop innovative research projects addressing food security and climate change mitigation in Africa.
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BecA Australia Partnership
The Australian Government, through DFAT, ACIAR and CSIRO, supports BecA-ILRI Hub's agricultural research, livestock health, food security and scientific capacity building. Australian Aid funding and research partnerships strengthen collaboration between African and Australian scientists.
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UK Government Partnership
The UK Government, through UK Aid (DFID) and BBSRC, supported BecA-ILRI Hub's research capacity, scientist fellowships and crop improvement. Joint funding advanced genomics-based research on bean virus control and durable rice blast resistance, strengthening African agricultural research.
US National Science Foundation Partnership
The US National Science Foundation (NSF-PIRES) funded collaborative research at the BecA-ILRI Hub to combat cassava mosaic disease, supporting studies on viral evolution and plant disease resistance while strengthening partnerships with US, Kenya and Tanzanian research institutions.
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Canada’s IDRC co-funded an international symposium supporting the BecA-ILRI Hub’s knowledge exchange and research partnerships on cavy production, connecting African and Latin American stakeholders to explore sustainable livestock opportunities for poverty reduction.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
USAID, through its Feed the Future initiative, supported the scaling of BecA-ILRI Hub's climate-resilient Brachiaria forage research in Kenya and Mali. This helped extend improved livestock feeding technologies to farmers, strengthening productivity and agricultural resilience.
PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT
B. Private Foundations & Philanthropic Partners
Gates Foundation Partnership
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded the BecA-ILRI Hub’s operations, key scientific staff in genomics, bioinformatics and crop breeding, and capacity building through workshops, visiting scientist fellowships and regional research exchanges.
Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture
The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture funds the BecA-ILRI Hub’s operational activities and key staff salaries while subsidizing research services, making advanced biosciences more accessible to African scientists and strengthening the Hub’s capacity-building programmes.
SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION
C. Research & Institutional Partners
Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)
KALRO partners with the BecA-ILRI Hub on genomics-driven crop improvement, rice blast resistance, aflatoxin research and climate-resilient forage development. It contributes field research, farmer engagement and researcher exchanges to turn bioscience advances into agricultural solutions.
International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)
ISAAA AfriCenter collaborates with the BecA-ILRI Hub to strengthen science communication, biotechnology knowledge sharing and researcher capacity building. It supports public and policy engagement, helping translate bioscience research into accessible knowledge and agricultural innovation.
Seed Systems Group
Seed Systems Group advances access to improved, climate-resilient crop varieties by strengthening African seed systems, supporting local seed enterprises and connecting agricultural innovations with smallholder farmers to improve productivity, food security and livelihoods.
The African Seed Trade Association (AfSTA)
The African Seed Trade Association (AfSTA) strengthens Africa’s seed sector through policy advocacy, seed trade facilitation, industry collaboration and improved access to quality seeds, helping connect agricultural research and crop innovations with commercial seed systems.
2Blades
2Blades partners with the BecA-ILRI Hub to develop disease-resistant crops through advanced plant biotechnology. The collaboration strengthens research capacity, crop improvement and genetic resistance to maize diseases and mycotoxin-producing fungi, supporting African smallholder farmers.
The Pan-African Sorghum Alliance (PASA)
The Pan-African Sorghum Alliance (PASA) advances climate-resilient sorghum production through improved breeding, seed systems, research collaboration and market development. It connects agricultural innovation with farmers and industry to strengthen food security and livelihoods across Africa.
Demand-Led Breeding (DLB)
Demand-Led Breeding (DLB) collaborates with BecA-ILRI Hub to modernize African crop breeding through market-driven variety development, breeder training and research partnerships. It helps align improved crop varieties with farmers' needs, market demand and climate resilience.
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
ICRISAT collaborates with BecA-ILRI Hub on molecular crop breeding, genomics and scientific capacity building. It contributes expertise in dryland crops, co-organizes breeding workshops and supports researcher mentorship to strengthen climate-resilient agricultural research in Africa.
BioStruct-Africa
BioStruct-Africa strengthens Africa's structural biology expertise through AI-driven protein modelling, computational drug discovery, scientific training and mentorship. Its collaborative approach expands access to advanced research tools and develops African bioscience capacity.
The International Potato Center (CIP)
The International Potato Center (CIP) collaborates with BecA-ILRI Hub on potato and sweet potato improvement, genomics and disease resistance research. The partnership advances biotechnology, plant diagnostics and scientific capacity building to strengthen food security in Africa.
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
IITA partners with BecA-ILRI Hub on crop biotechnology, genome editing and molecular breeding. Through its biotechnology platform at the Hub, it advances disease-resistant, climate-resilient crops and provides hands-on training to strengthen African scientists' research capacity.
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
IRRI collaborates with BecA-ILRI Hub on rice research, crop improvement and scientific capacity building. As a hosted CGIAR research partner, it contributes scientific expertise, research leadership and mentorship to advance agricultural innovation and food security in Africa.