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About GCARD3

© Richard du Toit/Corbis
What is GCARD3?
 
GCARD3 is the third Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development. It has been planned and will be implemented as a longer-term engagement process which will provide a variety of opportunities for interaction with diverse groups of stakeholders to positively influence the direction and activities of international research for development over the next ten years.
 
GCARD 3 provides opportunities:
 
  • to learn about and explore ways to align regional and national priorities and activities with CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) and provide CRPs the space to work together and explore further possibilities for future integration
  • to strengthen existing and form new partnerships and partnership modalities for the future
  • to catalyse discussions on how essential changes in the focus, function and capability of national innovation systems (research, extension, education and enterprise), as demanded by thousands of stakeholders and expressed in the GCARD Road Map, can best be resourced and supported in practice through, among others, a new Investment Facility for Agricultural Innovation and Enterprise.
Over its two-year span (2015 and 2016), GCARD3 aims to generate and support a number of outputs (products and processes) including robust engagement processes and well-designed country integration plans. Through the successful implementation of GCARD3 the overall outcome will be the clear – and transparent – identification of international research priorities and activities, and what’s needed to achieve future development goals, in particular for family farmers and poor communities. GCARD3 is being jointly implemented by GFAR (the Global Forum on Agricultural Research) and the CGIAR Consortium, and will be supported by and involve partners and stakeholders from sectors across the globe. It is guided by an Organising Committee and supported by a GCARD3 Implementing Team (CGIAR Consortium Office and GFAR).
 
Overview of processes and activities
 
A number of activities and events will be part of GCARD3, some planned specifically by the GCARD3 Organising Committee and Implementing Team, but also making use of many other relevant activities and events taking place over the time period to contribute to the process.
 
Image - EGFARNote that in the remaining three quarters of 2016 the CRP proposals will be submitted, reviewed and approved. The Investment Facility will initiate implementation activities during this time also. Any GCARD3 consultation process aligned with these activities is still to be defined.
 

Details of GCARD3 activities

 
1.      Consultation on the CGIAR Strategy and Results Framework (SRF) [completed]
As part of the development of the new Strategy and Results Framework (SRF), the CGIAR Consortium and GFAR jointly implemented a broad stakeholder consultation that provided stakeholders and partners, both inside and outside CGIAR, with opportunities to provide feedback and inputs on this important roadmap for agricultural research over the next ten years.  Information and results of the consultation on the SRF is available at: http://www.cgiar.org/srfconsultation
 
  1. Online consultations [planned]
Online consultations will be organised around particular documents, events, decisions or processes as an opportunity to hear the voices of stakeholders on a variety of topics and processes during the GCARD3 time period. Suggestions are welcome and can be forwarded to the GCARD3 Organizing Committee.
 
  1. Innovation Investment Facility [ongoing]
The Investment Facility for Agricultural Innovation and Enterprise is a new initiative which aims to strengthen and enhance national agricultural innovation systems in developing countries by bringing together existing and new financial resources, international technical support and national service delivery.  Through nationally-driven processes, the Facility will draw on the skills and experience of a multitude of partners, the Facility will support the improvement and integration of research, extension, education, training and enterprise services in-country. Dialogue on the Investment Facility for Agricultural Innovation and Enterprise will take place at existing meetings and with specific countries expressing an interest in engaging with the Facility
 
  1. National-level consultations [planned]
National-level consultations are expected to take place through 2015 and 2016 in a set of countries (up to about 20) identified through agreed criteria by CGIAR Research Programs, with input from other stakeholder groups. These face-to-face events will provide an opportunity for a variety of stakeholders in those specific geographies to meet together to discuss national priorities and activities and to provide guidance to future activities, such as second generation CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) and a planned Investment Facility.
 
  1. Regional-level consultations [planned]
The regional-level consultation events will provide an opportunity to learn about, discuss and plan better coordination with existing regional priorities and alignment processes. They will also stand to account for development priorities of countries not covered by the national consultations. Given that it would be expensive to organise stand-alone GCARD3 regional events and in the spirit of working with partners and existing frameworks, it is proposed to make use of events already being planned on a regional level to hold consultation sessions or side-events.
 
  1. Global-level event [planned]
A global level event, smaller in size than previous GCARD events, will be organised to bring together relevant actors in the agricultural research for development arena to discuss and find alignment of activities with global level priorities and initiatives. A global-level event will be used to showcase and learn from processes and results of national and regional level consultations. Additional discussions and activities e.g. a proposed investment facility by GFAR will also be planned in the global event.
 
  1. Other supporting events and activities [ongoing]
There are a number of related and relevant meetings and events during 2015 and 2016 in which GCARD3 will be involved or build upon.
 
GCARD3 Support
 
In order to support the whole GCARD3 process there will be a number of activities happening in the following areas, which will be handled by the GCARD3 support team, assigned Task Forces or others as relevant:
 
a.      Communication: The purpose, objectives, processes, activities, results and messages of GCARD3 will be communicated in innovative and meaningful ways throughout the time period in order to create awareness of GCARD3.
b.      Monitoring and Evaluation: Throughout GCARD3 methods and mechanisms will be made use of to monitor and evaluate the processes and activities of planning and implementation to generate lessons and information for both internal and external purposes.
c.       Knowledge Management and Sharing: All activities will be documented and their processes and results shared on a GCARD3 platform which will allow transparency and learning from all activities undertaken.
d.      GCARD3 Global event program development and logistics: Due to the larger nature of the global level event than the other activities, there will need for additional effort placed on planning and implementing the event with task forces assigned to work on logistics and program development.
e.      Participation: There will be special effort placed on deciding how appropriate participation can be ensured for all of the GCARD3 activities through a special Task Force
 
More details on the GCARD3 activities will be posted as the information becomes available
 
Picture credit: © Richard du Toit/Corbis