DeSIRA-LIFT

DeSIRA-LIFT is a service facility supporting DeSIRA, an initiative funded by the European Commission that aims to contribute to climate-relevant, productive, and sustainable transformation of agri-food systems in the global South. DeSIRA supports research and innovation projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and strengthens research capacities and governance involving key actors at the national, regional, and global levels. DeSIRA-LIFT (June 2021 – May 2025) is the result of close collaboration between Agrinatura (the European Alliance on Agricultural Knowledge for Development), the European Forum on Agricultural Research for Development (EFARD), and the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA). DeSIRA-LIFT supports the current and future activities of the DeSIRA Initiative. It manages and delivers 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, relevant European delegations, and stakeholders at large. Services DeSIRA-LIFT provides services to DeSIRA Initiative’s implementers under three service areas, aligned with the DeSIRA pillars: Service Area 1 Support to the country-based DeSIRA projects to enhance their impacts by promoting Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) thinking and the use of developmental evaluation approaches. Service Area 2 Support African apex organisations for research on agricultural development (CORAF, ASARECA, CCARDESA and FARA), extension (AFAAS), and higher education (RUFORUM), and add value to global initiatives TAP and GFAR. Service Area 3 Support the co-creation of knowledge and evidence to feed policy dialogues and programming on agri-food systems in the Global South.