The GFAR Program Committee and Steering Committee for 2006 were held in Washington, US from Nov. 30th to Dec. 3rd 2006.

Program Committee

The GFAR Program Committee met during 30th November and 1st December 2006 at Washington. It reviewed the progress of various GFAR activities, including those of the Regional Forums, Global Partnership Programs (GPP) and GFAR Secretariat. Two new Global Partnership Programs on Non-Timber Forest Products led by International Network by Bamboo and Ratan and Linking Farmers to Markets led by a multi-stakeholder Interim Steering Committee were given a green light to go-ahead. The Interim GFAR Work Plan and Budget for 2007 was also approved by the Program Committee and recommended for approval by the GFAR Steering Committee. The revised GFAR Work Plan and Budget for 2007 will be considered by the Program Committee after the GFAR Triennial Business Plan for 2007-2009 has been prepared.

Steering Committee

The GFAR Steering Committee Meeting was held from 2nd December 2006 to 3rd December 2006 at Washington. Among its agenda were considering the Global Partnership Program Review Report, draft 2nd GFAR External Evaluation Report, the recommendations of the Program Committee, activities of the GFAR Secretariat and strengthening further linkages between GFAR-CGIAR. The CGIAR Chair, Katherine Sierra and CGIAR Director, Francisco Reifschneider, also participated in the meeting in the morning of 3rd December 2006. During the deliberations on strengthening GFAR-CGIAR linkages, the CGIAR Chair recognized the contributions of GFAR especially in organizing the CSO Forum, the Stakeholder Committee of Generation Challenge Program and in initiating YPARD. Future areas of linkages such as GFAR Stakeholder participating in CGIAR research priority setting were also deliberated upon.

Donor Support Group

The Donor Support Group (DSG) of GFAR met in the afternoon of 3rd December 2006 at Washington. Dr. Ola Smith, Executive Secretary, GFAR presented the progress made by GFAR during 2006. Rodney Cooke, Chair of the DSG presented the draft 2nd GFAR External Evaluation Report. Dr. Adel El-Beltagy requested the Donor Support Group to further support GFAR, especially through core contribution for the GFAR Secretariat so that GFAR can with vigour pursue its objectives to strengthen ARD, especially through global and regional inclusive partnerships of all stakeholders.

Minutes of the Statutory Meetings and full reports will be soon available on the EGFAR website.