Africa’s agri-food systems stand at a critical crossroads. With a population projected to surpass 2.5 billion by the year 2050, the continent faces mounting pressure to ensure food and nutrition security, create jobs, and build climate-resilient economies. Yet, too often, agricultural policies are developed and implemented without sufficient evidence, leading to incoherent policies, inefficiencies, unintended consequences, and missed opportunities. The stakes are too high for decisions to be made on guesswork.