Background

A now commonly used mechanism for funding agricultural research is the Competitive Grants Scheme (CGS). This tool, which has become increasingly popular since the early 1990s has been used to develop, ensure and sustain scientific capacity and to allocate resources to the most important scientific (and development) issues. While a number of such CGS have emerged over the years, the long gestation nature of agricultural and related research makes it difficult to draw conclusions about its efficiency and effectiveness for improving research relevance, effects on national capacity building, and sustainability of research infrastructure (Bie and Elliott, 2005).

It would be useful to learn of the emerging outcomes, if not impacts, of the various CGS currently being implemented as these would provide useful insights in the design and implementation of future CGS.

Objectives

This Roundtable Discussion will focus on the role CGS as a tool for leveraging partnerships as well as for building scientific and institutional capacities. It will also touch on the extent to which CGS contributes to improving research relevance and the post CGS funding scenario with regard to sustainability of research activities.

Key issues

• How are research focus of CGS determined, and do they always respond to stakeholder priorities?
• What types of accompanying measures can be put in place to ensure that CGS funds each the groups that need funding the most?
• How effective are CGS in achieving a balance between ensuring adequate capacities to do research (supply side) and mobilizing that capacity in the desired directions (demand side)?
• Given the usual short duration of CGS is there any evidence of impact on national research capacities, and how can this be measured?
• Is the CGS an appropriate tool for promoting partnerships, and would such partnerships be long lasting and sustainable?

Speakers

Donor Perspective
    - Dr. Jeff Hill (Advisor, Ag Tech Development, United States Agency for International Development)

Programme-level CGS
    - Dr. Carmen de Vicente (SubProgram Leader, Capacity building and enabling delivery-Generation Challenge Programme)

Regional level CGS
    - Dr. Nicolas Mateo (Executive Secretary, FONTAGRO- Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology)

Sub-regional level CGS
    - Dr. Clesensio Tizikara (CGS Manager, ASARECA - Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa)

CGS Recipient Perspective
    - Dr. Merida Roets (Collaborator of DURAS-supported project)

This activity is a follow-up to the FARA General Assembly Pre-Plenary Session on "Lessons Learned in the ASARECA Competitive Grants" held in June 2005 in Entebbe, Uganda. An electronic discussion was also held prior to this Roundtable discussion.

Click here to see the Programme.