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GFAR-DURAS Roundtable Discussion on Competitive Grants

Following a request by participants of the Pre-Plenary Session on "Lessons Learned in the ASARECA Competitive Grants" at the FARA General Assembly at Entebbe (Uganda), the GFAR Secretariat organized a Roundtable Discussion on Competitive Grants Schemes (CGS) on 03 December 2005 in Marrakech (Morocco) in conjunction with the GFAR Annual Statutory Meeting. This round table discussion was preceeded by an electronic discussion on the same topic.

The activity aimed at sharing experiences and lessons learned on the use of CGS as a tool for leveraging partnerships as well as for building scientific and institutional capacities. The discussion focused on issues related to determining research focus of a CGS; types of accompanying measures to ensure that CGS funds reach target groups; evidence of CGS impact on national research capacities; and sustainability of research partnerships developed through the use of CGS.

Speakers in this Roundtable debate included an interesting mix of stakeholders that are involved in CGS, namely the donor community (USAID); implementers of CGS at various levels- programme (Generation Challenge Programme), regional (FONTAGRO) and sub-regional (ASARECA); and a recipient of a CGS funding (local research organization in South Africa).

This consultation was supported through the DURAS project.

Follow this link to read the Discussion Highlights:
egfar.org../pdf/GFAR-DURAS_CGS_RT.pdf

O.S. & Oliver Oliveros