SIA 2026: CIRAD strengthens its scientific and partnership activities in West Africa

An edition marked by Côte d’Ivoire being honored as the guest country of honor.

Held in Paris from February 21 to March 1, 2026, the International Agricultural Show honored Côte d’Ivoire in this edition. This distinction provided increased visibility for Ivorian agricultural value chains and for the innovation dynamics driven by the country’s public and private stakeholders.

The CIRAD Regional Director for West Africa– Forest and Humid Savannah, Serge Marlet, welcomed several members of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to the CIRAD–AFD stand for high-level discussions on the country’s agricultural, forestry, and pastoral priorities. Exchanges with the Minister of Water and Forests,  Jacques Assahoré Konan, focused on CIRAD’s scientific support for agroforestry transitions, particularly within the framework of the second phase of the Forest Investment Project (PIF2). This work aims to promote production models that combine economic performance, environmental sustainability, and the preservation of forest resources.

Discussions with the Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources, Sidi Tiémoko TOURE, provided an opportunity to further explore issues related to pastoralism a central theme of the CIRAD–AFD stand at the 2026 International Agricultural Show—and a strategic lever for strengthening the resilience of livestock systems in West Africa.

The Minister Delegate in charge of Food Crop Production, Bernard Kini Comoe, reaffirmed the importance of strengthening the partnership between CNRA and CIRAD. This structured cooperation is reflected in particular through projects on plantain banana, the quality of roots and tubers, as well as the preparation of a national cotton research program. New perspectives are also being explored in areas such as rubber cultivation, cocoa- and oil palm-based agroforestry systems, the fight against Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus, and genomic analysis to support varietal improvement and innovation.

These exchanges confirm CIRAD’s role as a leading scientific partner, supporting public policies and sustainable agricultural and forestry transitions in Côte d’Ivoire.

A strategic platform for dialogue on African agriculture.

The International Agricultural Show provides a key platform for dialogue between public decision-makers, professional organizations, and technical and scientific partners. Four main sequences structured the Regional Director’s participation.

1. Discussions with the Nigerian delegation

A meeting was held with the Nigerian delegation focusing on the challenges of sustainable productivity, the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change, and regional scientific cooperation. These discussions helped identify shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration at the West African level.

     2. Dialogue with stakeholders in the oil palm sector

The Regional Director and the Director of the UMR ABSYS, Frédéric Gay, met with the management of PALMCI, in the presence of its Managing Director, Lacina Coulibaly, and its Director of Agricultural Development and Supply, Raymond Tagouya. Discussions focused on ongoing collaborations, particularly within the Biovea program, as well as innovations in agroforestry and plantation fertilization management.

    3. Dialogue with stakeholders in the natural rubber sector

This followed in-depth discussions with the President of APROMAC, Charles-Emmanuel Yacé, and his team, including the Presidents of the growers’ and processors’ colleges, Jules Dally and Lamine Sanogo, as well as the Executive Secretary, Pacôme Kouamé, and the Director of Studies and Projects, Dr. Kouadio Dian. The discussions focused on the potential contributions of research to APROMAC’s goal of establishing 500,000 hectares of rubber plantations over the next ten years, particularly in the areas of varietal selection, agroecological transition, and climate adaptation. It was agreed that CIRAD would shortly submit a note to APROMAC outlining these contributions.

      4. Participation in institutional consultations

Alongside the Show, the Regional Director took part in an interministerial meeting of Côte d’Ivoire dedicated to national agricultural priorities and prospects for international cooperation.

He also participated in a meeting alongside MEDEF International, focused on public-private partnership dynamics and investment opportunities in agricultural value chains.

These sessions helped position research as a key driver of agricultural policies and economic development.

A framework agreement to structure cooperation between ANADER and CIRAD

A highlight of this participation was the signing of a scientific cooperation framework agreement between ANADER and CIRAD.

Signed by Dr. Sidiki Cissé, Director General of ANADER, and Serge Marlet, Regional Director of CIRAD for West Africa – Forest and Humid Savannah, this agreement aims to strengthen the link between research and agricultural advisory services.

The ceremony was held in the presence of:

• Nicole Aphing-Kouassi, Deputy Director General of ANADER;
• Mathieu Le Grix, Head of the Agriculture, Rural Development and Biodiversity Division at the French Development Agency;
• Claire Cerdan, Director of the “Environments and Societies” Department at CIRAD;  
• Selim Louafi, Deputy Managing Director for Research and Strategy at CIRAD.

The agreement provides for the development of joint research projects, the co-construction of innovations tailored to local contexts, capacity building for agricultural advisory services, and improved dissemination of scientific results to producers.

It was followed by an expanded working meeting attended by Élisabeth Claverie de Saint Martin, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of CIRAD. The expectations of ANADER were reviewed across several areas, namely:

• The capitalization and transmission of endogenous agricultural knowledge, and the hybridization of knowledge with local practices. This topic partially aligns with CIRAD’s work under the FRACTURE NUMERIQUE project.
• Youth employment in rural areas and agricultural entrepreneurship. This issue also relates to work carried out under the JobAgri project.
• The use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. A proposal is currently under discussion between ANADER and CIRAD.
• The climate resilience of Ivorian agriculture.
• Sustainable production and processing across value chains, based on their economic value.

The 2026 edition of the International Agricultural Show thus represented a structuring milestone for CIRAD’s action in West Africa. In a context marked by Côte d’Ivoire being the guest country of honor, the institutional and professional engagements carried out during the Show helped strengthen strategic alliances with agricultural value chain stakeholders and public partners. These meetings reaffirm CIRAD’s role as a scientific partner to key agricultural value chains in West Africa.