A. Summary. 1. Title. 2. Duration: 4 years. 3. Objectives

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1 A. Summary 1. Title Linking up farmers organizations (FOs) to agricultural research: development of methods and procedures for farmers led identification and advocacy for agricultural research priorities. 2. Duration: 4 years 3. Objectives The proposal aims at improved capacity of farmers organizations (FOs) to link-up with agricultural research, mainly through staff training and networking. Working methods and procedures will be worked out to identify potential research priorities on a participatory basis with farmers, and to submit and advocate these priorities with relevant national/regional research authorities. This may include assessment, by the farmers, of available research results, and of their potentials for dissemination through farmer-to-farmer contacts. The initiative focuses on capacity of FOs to identify, to substantiate and to advocate priorities for agricultural research, based upon the specific needs of their members and farmers in their working areas (men and women), and to become a discussion partner for research; on the priorities of low-resource farmers working in difficult (infrastructural and ecological) conditions. 4. Activities Training of FO staff and networking among FOs, on the following subjects: identification of livelihood problems of resource-poor farmers; formulation of priorities ; strategies for advocacy, based upon representative membership of the FOs; contacts with relevant research partners (NARIs, universities, ARIs, IARCs). 5. Main innovations of the partnership proposal Institutional representation of FOs is one thing, being able to come forward and to advocate well documented and mandated proposals is another issue (and essential policy tool for FOs), that is addressed by this proposal. Ongoing activities at farmers level, in cooperation with the NGOs involved, constitute the basis for this action & research initiative. Data on livelihood situation (incl. food security) are available. 6. Area: Policy & institutions. 7. Region: Asia-Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa (might be extended).

2 B. Stakeholders 1. Targeted beneficiaries Farmers (households, communities) within working areas of the FOs involved (not only members). Focus is on low-resource farmers, working mostly in rain-fed areas and/or under risky conditions. The FO's in developing countries involved (2 at the start, aiming at 6), and other FO s than those directly participating. Research partners (NARIs, universities, ARIs, IARCs) involved in the linking up process. 2. Research partners Project will start as a joint initiative of the following organizations: Farmers organizations in developing countries: Uganda: MBADIFA, Mbarara District Farmers Association (member of UNFA), PO Box 1592, Mbarara. Tel Philippines: DCDC / Agrizkaya, Almaguer North, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. Tel (together with PAKISAMA and MASIPAG Foundation). NGOs linked to organizations of rural people and farmers in Europe: Agriterra (agriterra@agriterra.org), Netherlands IvA, Ieder voor Allen (iva@boerenbond.be), Belgium FERT Association (fert@terre-net.fr), France During a first phase (years 1 and 2) contacts will be established with research centers (regional, national, international) which are relevant to the working area, country or region of the farmers' organizations involved; other farmers' organizations in the South than the ones already mentioned, of which at least 4 additional FOs will be invited to participate directly. 3. Proposed budget Budget for further preparation & development: approx. 6,000 $US. Budget for implementation: approx. 120,000 $US per year, depending on participation and involvement of additional FOs. 2

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4 C. Expected results and impact 1. Main expected results Expected results: 6 FOs have produced and advocated the priorities of resource-poor farmers in their working areas; they can show a record of negotiation of these priorities. improved relevance of research for farmers, with respect to their specific needs and day-to-day livelihood problems. improved capacity of the individual FOs to represent their members and other farmers on the issue of research priorities, on the basis of mandated and documented demands; the internal procedures for such activities are operational and part of the activity program of each FO. a small-scale network of 6 FOs, together with their specific research partners, sharing experience on methods and procedures to formulate and advocate priorities. 2. Dissemination of the results Results are in terms of FOs capacity and quality of the link between FOs and agricultural research. The networking among FOs is the first channel for dissemination. Experience gained in the project will be transmitted to other interested FOs, via IFAP (International Federation of Agricultural Producers). 3. Proposed impact assessment methodology Comparison between demands formulated by FOs, and agenda's of research partners. Evaluation of the quality of demands formulated: relevance for livelihood of small farmers. Evaluation of capacity of FOs involved, and their networks, to represent and to advocate their members' interests. 4

5 D. Partnership 1. Identification of the respective roles of the different stakeholders and coordination mechanisms for project design, project implementation, project management, result dissemination Linking up to agricultural research is considered as one of the core policy tasks of any farmers organization. Project purpose is to develop capacities in terms of staff and procedures with each of the participating FOs. External financing must enable to cover costs of training, development of methods an procedures, and networking. Each individual FO is in charge of its own exercise of priority formulation and advocacy. Regular network consultation and exchange will be organized by Agriterra, IvA and FERT, allowing other relevant FOs and partners to participate. Research partners will be invited to contribute at different levels, such as: inventory of existing research priorities, methodological issues, feasibility of proposals Result dissemination will be organized via IFAP. 2. Expected added-value of the partnership Improved learning process via mutual evaluation and monitoring, and cross-country comparisons. Stronger advocacy position via international backing of local proposals. Possibility to raise issues that cannot be dealt with on local level. Better impact on capacity of FOs via continued networking among partners. E. Conclusion The proposal is an action/research initiative, in a context of ongoing activities with farmers on issues such as input supply, credit, crop diversification, processing and marketing, etc. A series of existing partnerships between FOs and NGOs are mobilized. The proposed initiative will allow farmers organizations to translate farmers livelihood concerns into duly justified priorities for agricultural research, and to advocate - as mandated and representative membership organizations - towards agricultural research. The exercise will concern 6 FOs, but other interested FOs might be asked to join. 5