By Jacob D.H. Mignouna

For many smallholder farmers in Africa, maize is life. Since its introduction onto the continent several centuries ago, maize has become a staple crop in many parts of Africa.

Today, more than 300 million Africans depend on it as their main food source providing carbohydrates, protein, iron, vitamin D and minerals. And it is also a crucial source of additional income to support farmers and their families as well.

Yet the impacts of climate change are threatening maize yields and millions of farmers across Africa.

Three-quarters of the world’s most severe droughts over the last 10 years have occurred in Africa, destroying millions of hectares across the continent while also pushing families into hunger and poverty. The most recent and severe of such droughts has blighted stretches of land from northern Kenya through central Somalia and into eastern Ethiopia.

Public-private partnerships provide a useful approach for addressing the complexities of sustainable agricultural development and the global food security challenge, especially in less developed areas.

In Africa, such partnerships are being developed by governments, private companies, donors and development institutions to conduct advanced crop research, develop new technologies and deploy existing tools and knowledge to small-scale farmers.

In response to a growing call by African farmers, leaders, and scientists, a new public-private partnership called Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA), was formed in 2008 to help address the effects of drought in a way that is cost effective for African smallholder farmers.

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