The aim of this paper is to analyse the recent developments in agricultural research in sub-Saharan Africa in the 21^st century (2000-2020), focusing on research productivity, collaborations, and thematic trends. The analysis was based on 18,199 articles retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database. The data was analysed using Bibliometrix and the VOSviewer software was employed to visualise results. The findings indicate a positive trend in research activity as the number of published articles steadily increased during the last period. Sub-Saharan African has experienced substantial growth in agricultural research output from 2000 to 2020, with an annual growth rate of 9.89.   Thematically a shift in research focus is detected, from traditional topics such as plant biology, crop production, and livestock to contemporary concerns such as sustainable agriculture and environmental issues. Moreover, collaboration networks between countries have shifted from colonial ties to more diverse global collaborations in later years. Agricultural research in the region is growing at an accelerated rate compared to the world average, highlighting the region’s emphasis on agriculture as the main force for economic development and food security. While regional collaboration is increasing there is still a need to enhance and support knowledge exchange among African countries.  Limitations include the restricted coverage of African science in databases such as WoS, suggesting future studies should integrate multiple data sources for a more comprehensive view of sub-Saharan African research. The paper also sheds light on emerging global collaborations, with China, other Asian countries, and South America becoming key contributors to the region's evolving scientific landscape.

Keywords: Bibliometrics; Collaboration network; Agricultural research; Sub-Saharan Africa; Research trends