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Farmers' Organizations

Welcome to the Farmers' Organizations' Page of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR).

Farmers' Organizations as a form of "civil society organizations" have the potential to play an important role in developing a strong "social capital" in rural areas that is regarded as a pre-requisite for food security and sustainable development.

The evolution from National Agricultural Research Institutions (NARIs) model to the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in developing countries was one of the major outcomes of the recognition of the vibrant role that farmers and their apex organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), universities, and agri-business private sector could play in achieving the objectives of poverty alleviation, food security, and sustainable use of natural resources.

The same approach is being developed at the regional and sub-regional levels by involving Farmers' Organizations in Regional and Sub-Regional Fora (RF/SRF) decision-making bodies. In 1996 when the seven stakeholders came together to establish GFAR, one of the main objectives was to institutionalize this concept of involving farmers in the ARD agenda at all levels from local to global.

GFAR believes Farmers' Organizations are a relatively untapped resource in global agricultural research and could play a prominent role in the promotion of agricultural production, food security and sustainable utilization of natural resources. Through their involvement in GFAR this constituency will have new opportunities to help tailor agricultural research in ways that would better fit farmers' needs. This outcome would only be achieved if farmers take their rightful place in decision making bodies that set ARD agenda at national, regional and global levels.

What is the problem

Lack of true farmers' representation at the governance structure of some of the RFs/SRFs, firstly, due to lack of capacity to effectively and efficiently participate and debate at these fora, especially in developing countries and secondly, a less than universal willingness from NARS, RFs and SRFs to fully accept farmers as equal partners.

How can GFAR help

The value added of GFAR rests upon its participatory approach and the opportunity it provides to its stakeholders especially the less vocal (i.e., farmers), through a neutral platform, to develop strategic partnerships amongst each other as well as with other actors involved in ARD. A platform that allows: farmers to share knowledge and exchange information; build partnerships for the development and implementation of activities that efficiently address issues that concern their constituencies; empowers and supports less privileged stakeholders so that they can contribute effectively to the global ARD dialogue.

GFAR plans to directly or indirectly support projects and programs that empower farmers by building their capacity to contribute to the regional, subregional and global ARD agenda. GFAR will also establish collaborative programs with some Farmers' Organizations at the global level such as International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) to address issues concerning farmers at the global level.

What does GFAR want to achieve

Since its inception GFAR has been trying to address the issue of capacity development for farmers so that their voice can be heard among other actors in the ARD platforms whether at the regional, sub-regional or global level.

Through its projects GFAR hopes to develop an appropriate model for facilitating and promoting effective linkages between farmers (together with NGOs and agri-business sector as civil society organizations) and the research systems.

GFAR envisions and works towards a multi-purpose agriculture that thrives on research outputs obtained in a participatory manner by stakeholders working together in cost-effective partnerships centred around farmers and producers.

Survey

Please take a moment to fill out the following short survey in the language you prefer. The survey should only take few minutes to complete. The information you provide on this form will only be shared with other GFAR stakeholders to facilitate networking and collaboration among the various stakeholders.

(English)       (French)       (Spanish)       (Arabic)


Database

See our FODABASE for a database of national Farmers' Organizations resulting from a survey promoted by GFAR in the year 2005.

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Stakeholders' websites


ARD Regional Fora Websites
  • FARA - Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
    FARA is the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, an umbrella organization bringing together and forming coalitions of major stakeholders in agricultural research and development in Africa.
     
  • AARINENA - Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa
    The Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA) was established in 1985 to strengthen cooperation among national, regional and international research institutions and centres through the dissemination and exchange of information, experiences and research results.
     
  • APAARI - Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions
    "Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) in the Asia-Pacific region is effectively promoted and facilitated through novel partnerships among NARS and other related organizations so that it contributes to sustainable improvements in the productivity of agricultural systems and to the quality of the natural resource base that underpins agriculture, thereby enhancing food and nutrition security, economic and social well being of communities and the integrity of the environment and services it provides".
     
  • FORAGRO - Forum for the Americas on Agricultural Research and Technology Development
    Dialogue and Articulation for Regional Agricultural Research and Technological Development
     
  • EFARD - European Forum on Agricultural Research and Development
    EARD-InfoSys+ was initiated by the European Initiative for Agricultural Research for Development (EIARD) which serves as a mechanism that enables better coherence between relevant policies in ARD within the European Member States (incl. Norway, Switzerland).
     
  • NAFAR - North American Regional Forum on Agricultural Research
    NAFAR is the North American Regional Forum on Agricultural Research. It is a part of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR).
     
  • CACAARI - Central Asia and the Caucasus Association of Agricultural Research Institutions
    The general objective of CAC-RAIS is to increase the effectiveness of the agricultural research in the region through improvement of existing information facilities in the region, strengthening them, developing synergism among them, and increasing their capacities to reach the end-user with relevant data.
     


CGIAR and CG Centers
  • CGIAR
    The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is a strategic alliance of members, partners and international agricultural centers that mobilizes science to benefit the poor.
     
  • Africa Rice Center (WARDA)
     
  • Bioversity International
    (was IPGRI)
     
  • CIAT - Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical
     
  • CIFOR - Center for International Forestry Research
     
  • CIMMYT - Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo
     
  • CIP - Centro Internacional de la Papa
     
  • ICARDA - International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
     
  • ICRISAT - International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
     
  • IFPRI - International Food Policy Research Institute
     
  • IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
     
  • ILRI - International Livestock Research Institute
     
  • IRRI - International Rice Research Institute
     
  • IWMI - International Water Management Institute
     
  • World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
     
  • WorldFish Center
     
  • Rice-Wheat Consortium
    The RWC is a CGIAR initiative and has its origin in many years of collaborative research between CIMMYT, IRRI and the national research centers for rice and wheat in South Asia.
     


FAO
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
    The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information.
     
  • Agricultural Information Management Standards website
    A FAO initiative to harmonize the decentralized efforts currently taking place in the development of methodologies, standards and applications for management of agricultural information systems; consequently, providing a 'one-stop' access to system designers and implementers.
     
  • FAO Research and Extension Portal
    This Portal provides a gateway to sound information on research, technology, extension and their linkages in order to enable decision-makers, research institutes, extension services and regulatory bodies, to make informed decisions.
     


ARD Information Services Regional Agricultural Information Systems (RAIS)
  • EARD-InfoSys+ (EU RAIS)
    The European Information System on Agricultural Research for Development (ARD)
     
  • FARA RAIS
    This site enables you to participate in developing the African agricultural information system. It is linked with each of the FARA subregional organizations.
     
  • AARINENA RAIS
    AARINENA, in co-operation with the Global Forum for Agricultural Research (GFAR) and the countries of the region, is establishing and developing a Regional Agricultural Information System (RAIS) for the WANA Region.
     
  • Infotec (FORAGRO RAIS)
    Scientific and Technological Information System for the Agricultural Sector in the Americas
     
  • APARIS (under the APAARI website)
    Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions
     
  • CACAARI RAIS
    The Regional Agricultural Information System (RAIS) for the Central Asia and Caucasus (CAC)
     
  • AgroWeb CAC
    AgroWeb Central Asia and Caucasus, a part of the AgroWeb Network is an interactive portal for agriculture information and knowledge sharing on rural and agricultural development and integration to the world agricultural community.
     
  • AgroWeb SEE
    AgroWeb South Eastern Europe
     

Stakeholders


Regional Fora  
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Donors  
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Private Sector  
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NGOs  
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ARIs  
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IARCs  
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Farmers' Organizations  
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See also:

Institutions Database  

FODABASE  
GFAR Secretariat
c/o FAO (SDR), viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153, Rome
Tel. +39.06.5705.3413 Fax +39.06.5705.3898 E-mail:  Webmaster: