Africa south of the Sahara (SSA) has seen unprecedented economic growth since the turn of the millennium, and in recent years poverty rates have steadily declined; yet, while this recent growth has improved rural livelihoods in many of the region’s countries, especially the larger ones, numerous countries continue to face an array of serious challenges. Agriculture is the economic mainstay of many of the countries in SSA, providing a significant source of employment and staple food needs. Rapid population growth, rising and volatile food prices, increased agricultural imports, health and nutritional issues, and the adverse impacts of climate change—among numerous other issues—necessitate an acceleration of agricultural productivity without delay. Research and development (R&D) has returned as a priority for donors and policy and decision makers. The heads of state at the 2012 G20 meeting in Mexico, for example, highlighted the importance of R&D in promoting agricultural productivity and food security. The key role of R&D in increasing food protection while protecting natural resources was also stressed in the UN post-2015 development agenda and has also gained more attention through the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). More recently, the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa (S3A) was adopted at the 2014 African Heads of State Summit, necessitating the development of a continent wide implementation plan.