December 2004
News from the Regional Fora
Europe Sub-Saharan Africa
Asia-PacificAPAARI Progress Report 2004
APAARI Progress Report 2004 was presented, by the Chair, Dr. Matzuo Iwamoto, at the 14th NARS-Sub-Committee Meeting, during the GFAR 2004 Statutory Meeting in Mexico, 22-25 October. The full report can be found on EGFAR.
APAARI
EuropeEARD-InfoSys+ Steering Committee Meeting in Bonn
On November 18th the steering committee of EARD-InfoSys+ (Information System on European Agricultural Research for Development ) met in Bonn. The objective of the meeting was to discuss future perspectives of EARD-InfoSys+. In the past two years the information system has been completely restructured to display information on organisations, projects, funding opportunities, experts, events and news in European ARD. The project phase ended in September 2004.
To strengthen the sustainability of the information system it has been developed on the basis of consultations with GFAR and partners of the GFAR GLOBAL.RAIS project. The aim was to create a system that would be adaptable to other national and regional ARD landscapes. One of the outcomes of this collaboration was the setting up of the FARA information system, that is based on the EARD-InfoSys+ technology. In the steering committee meeting it was agreed that the collaboration with GFAR should be extended in the future.
Good news also came from the European Union: The ERA-ARD proposal (FP6) in which EARD-InfoSys+ has been involved from the beginning has now been approved. The aim of ERA-ARD is to better understand the decision-making processes for the formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies, strategies, programmes and funding relating to ARD in Europe and to identify some "pilot" national and European programmes and/or themes which would benefit the most from improved coordination. EARD-InfoSys+ is expected to support ERA-ARD by the mapping of programs and provide ICM support for improved coordination of investments into ARD.
EARD-InfoSys+
EuropeCreation of a European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG): ECART
Six European tropical agricultural research organizations have decided to seal their collaboration by setting up an EEIG.
The grouping, known as ECART, the European Consortium for Agricultural Research in the Tropics, is being founded in order to mobilize more effectively the expertise of the following organizations, for the benefit of developing countries:
CIRAD, Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (France)
NRI, Natural Resources Institute (Great Britain)
IICT, Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical (Portugal)
IAO, Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare (Italy)
Wageningen UR, Wageningen University and Research Centre (Netherlands)
IRD, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (France)
All the ECART members are characterized by a history of extensive field involvement in addressing ARD issues in developing countries.
Through this EEIG, around 4000 total professional staff, covering the whole gamut of agricultural research and development issues could be easily mobilised for specific technical consultancies, joint research bids and training operations, etc.
ECART-EEIG has the following main objectives:
- to play a proactive policy advocacy role for agricultural research for development (ARD) in Europe and worldwide;
- to develop and strengthen strategic alliances and partnerships with the different ARD stakeholders, both in the North and the South;
- to organize, facilitate and implement joint participation in European and international programmes and projects;
- to do all such other things as may be deemed incidental or conducive to the attainment of the Grouping's objectives.
The official ceremony marking the founding of the EEIG will be held at CIRAD head office in Paris on 10 November, attended by the Directors of its member organizations.
ECART-EEIG is established for an initial six-year period and is hosted by CIRAD in Paris, which will also be providing its first Director.
Contacts:
Christian Hoste
European and International Relations Service
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 70 22 30 or +33 (0)4 67 61 75 59
e-mail:
ECART
Press Release, 5 November 2004
Latin America & the CaribbeanFORAGRO Progress Report 2004
FORAGRO Progress Report 2004 was presented, by the Executive Secretary, Dr. Enrique Alarcón, at the 14th NARS-Sub-Committee Meeting, during the GFAR 2004 Statutory Meeting in Mexico, 22-25 October. The full report can be found on EGFAR.
FORAGRO
Sub-Saharan AfricaSSA CP proposal accepted at the CGIAR Annual General Meeting in Mexico
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) together with the Sub Regional Organizations (SROs) are proud to announce the acceptance by the CGIAR Annual General Assembly of the Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program - building sustainable livelihoods through integrated agricultural research for development (IAR4D). SSA CP Phase 1 is accepted for 5 year implementation starting January 2005. A comprehensive review at the end of phase 1 is planned for full implementation of the IAR4D concept.
The SSA CP's purpose is to address the most significant constraints to reviving agriculture in Africa such as failures of agricultural markets, inappropriate policies and natural resource degradation with a new paradigm, Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D). This will foster synergies among disciplines and institutions along with a renewed commitment to change at all levels from farmers to national and international policy makers.
The IAR4D approach has three major thrusts; a) a set of principles to address the complexity and heterogeneity of farming systems, b) a new research agenda with an integrated approach to addressing interactions between natural resource management, production systems, and agricultural markets and policies, c) institutional change to forge new partnerships to involve all stakeholders, especially smallholders and pastoralists, women as well as men.
The SSA CP objectives are:
- To develop sustainable technologies for intensifying subsistence oriented farming systems;
- To develop smallholder production systems that are compatible with sound natural resource management;
- To improve the accessibility and efficiency of markets for smallholder and pastoral products;
- To catalyze the formulation and adoption of policies that will encourage innovation to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and pastoralists.
Following the acceptance by the CGIAR, the FARA Secretariat will be working closely with the SRO s to initiate the SSA CP implementation process stated in the endorsed full proposal. The primary steps to be made are:
- Establishment of Programme Steering Committee (PSC);
- Establishment of the Program Coordinating Unit
- Formation of IAR4D teams, facilitation and mentoring teams, etc.
A business meeting of key stakeholders e.g. SRO , CGIAR, IARC, ARI and key NARS is being proposed by the FARA Secretariat on 13-14 January 2005 in Accra , Ghana to develop a detailed business plan for SSA CP and also to initiate the selection of the IAR4D teams. Formal invitations will be sent out by first week of December 2004.
We are also proud to announce that funding is secured for the first 12 months from key donors such as the EU, the Netherlands, the UK, France and CGIAR/WB. Several other donors have expressed their interests to support the SSA CP. Consecutive funding will be endorsed pending review and evaluation by the CGIAR Science Council towards the end of the first phase.
FARA and the SRO s are grateful for all the support given by all stakeholders during the proposal development up to the approval of the SSA CP program. But our job is just beginning; we hope that the momentum and dedication will continue until we achieve our common objectives and the desired impact.
FARA
FARA Progress Report 2004
FARA Progress Report 2004 was presented, by the Executive Secretary, Dr. Monty P. Jones, at the 14th NARS-Sub-Committee Meeting, during the GFAR 2004 Statutory Meeting in Mexico, 22-25 October. The full report can be found on EGFAR.
FARA
West Asia & North AfricaAARINENA Progress Report 2004
AARINENA Progress Report 2004 was presented, by the Executive Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Hamdan, at the 14th NARS-Sub-Committee Meeting, during the GFAR 2004 Statutory Meeting in Mexico, 22-25 October. The full report can be found on EGFAR.
AARINENA
GFAR Secretariat
c/o FAO, SDR, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla - 00100 Rome, Italy
Tel. +39.06.5705.3413 Fax +39.06.5705.3898
E-mail: