After four years of implementation, the DURAS Project is wrapping up its activities. A project closing seminar is being organized under the auspices of GFAR on 11-13 June 2008 at the FAO Headquarters in Rome.

During this event, stakeholders involved in the projects will present their findings and share lessons learnt in project implementation. The 3-day programme is designed in such a way that the results and experiences of the 12 projects will feed into the working group sessions which will tackle issues ranging from innovation to partnership to sustainability. The parallel sessions will be followed by roundtable discussions on (1) personal and institutional change; (2) translating research priorities into concrete action; and (3) financing agricultural research for development (ARD). See draft agenda.

DURAS is a joint GFAR - Agropolis International initiative supported by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through its Priority Solidarity Fund (PSF). It aims to contribute to strengthening the involvement and enhancing the scientific potential of southern stakeholders in ARD.