Seventeen years later: How AGRA changed the way I see impact

When I joined AGRA in 2008, I’ll admit I was skeptical. Coming from the academic world, where impact is often measured over long periods, I questioned whether this was just another development “wave” that might pass.

What convinced me to take the leap was the possibility of scale, taking the work I had been doing across two universities in 13 countries and expanding it further. In the end, that work reached 15 countries and brought together trainees from 18 countries, which has been both humbling and energising.

In the early years under Strategy 1.0, I had the opportunity to lead a large program of about USD 50 million focused on building human and institutional capacity. We trained scientists, supported seed companies, and strengthened research technicians.

At the same time, AGRA invested heavily in institutions, public sector systems like research, extension, and policy, as well as private sector actors such as seed companies, agro-dealers, and market players. Looking back, while the work was impactful, it often felt fragmented.

Different programs were operating in parallel across seeds, soil health, markets, and policy, sometimes in different geographies, and I couldn’t help but feel that we were spreading ourselves too thin to see big, lasting change in specific communities. The shift to Strategy 2.0 felt like a turning point for me.

There was a deliberate move toward building systems that directly reached farmers at scale, and I found myself drawn into the work on extension systems. Supporting the development of Village/Community-Based Advisors (C/VBAs) was particularly meaningful.

These were people rooted in their communities, working directly with farmers to improve practices, access inputs, and connect to markets. For the first time, I could see how different pieces of the system came together at the farmer level.

The consortia approach, combined with engagement at the state and district levels, created a sense of coherence that had been missing before. It was also deeply satisfying to see tangible results, farmers adopting technologies, improving yields, increasing incomes, and to finally have the data to tell that story clearly.

Now, in Strategy 3.0, I see AGRA building on those foundations with a stronger emphasis on sustainability and resilience. Climate change and economic shocks are no longer abstract concerns; they are real and immediate for the farmers we serve.

I’ve appreciated the growing focus on sustainable farming practices and the intentional effort to create employment opportunities in agriculture, especially for young people. The alignment with government priorities and the strengthening of partnerships, both continental and with the private sector, give me a sense that this work is becoming more embedded and scalable than ever before.

The author is the Lead – Capacity Building & Technical Support- CESSA.