Pre-GFAR Civil Society Workshop on Agricultural Research for Development

Transcription

1 GFAR 2003-CSO-05.en Pre-GFAR May 2003 Ngor Diarama Hotel, Dakar, Sénégal Civil Society Workshop on Agricultural Research for Development GFAR: Promoting global partnerships for agricultural researchand development

2 Global Forum on Agricultural Research G F A R : Promoting global partnerships for agricultural research and development Olanrewaju B. Smith GFAR Executive Secretary 20 May 2003 Dakar, Senegal

3 What is GFAR? GFAR - a stakeholder led initiative, whose purpose is to facilitate access to knowledge and the sharing of information while promoting cooperation and research partnerships amongst a broad spectrum of stakeholders involved in agricultural research for development.

4 What is GFAR? GFAR is a concept. Firstly, that agriculture sector has to be integrated and knowledge-based Secondly, that no single research group, institution or individuals working alone and in isolation can generate, utilize or promote the effective utilization of the required knowledge-based and integrated approaches Finally and as a corollary stakeholders working together in strategic alliances and cost effective partnerships, in order to benefit from the economies of scale that comes from pooling of knowledge, expertise and resources both human and financial.

5 The 7 GFAR Stakeholders

6 GFAR Governance Structure GFAR Steering Committee* Management Team NARS Steering Committee GFAR Secretariat NARS/RFSRF ARIs Farmers Org NGOs IARCs Private Sector Donors (Donor Support Group) APAARI FORAGRO WANA FARA CAC * Including IFAD and FAO as Facilitating Institutions

7 Shared Vision Development of an integrated knowledge intensive agriculture that is RESPONSIVE DIVERSIFIED FLEXIBLE ADAPTABLE

8 GFAR Thematic Research Areas Genetic resources management and biotechnology Natural resources management and agroecology Commodity chains and Underutilized Species Policy Management and Institutional Development

9 Global Partnership Programmes (GPPs) GPPs as important tools and instruments to carry out GFAR business GPPs are collaborative programmes, projects or activities initiated, developed and implemented by recognised GFAR stakeholder groups, and which remain open to other stakeholders participation as and when they find a suitable niche. GPPs exploit the comparative advantages of participating stakeholders, do not reinvent the wheel and are implemented at the most effective level GPPs reflect and demonstrate the GFAR guiding principles of complementarity, additionality and subsidiarity.

10 GFAR and the CSOs GFAR secretariat and other stakeholders should continue to assist NGOs and farmer organizations (FO) to strengthen their representation and voice as key stakeholders in GFAR GFAR Secretariat strongly believe that organized farmer groups or common interest NGOs have a much higher bargaining power that could be used in a variety of ways, - leading to improved production and better access to markets, and - to decision making processes, where they can further influence policies that affect their lives, livelihood and natural resource endowments. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

11 Workshop Objectives Further refine our vision of agriculture Identify issues of importance to the community of COS, that need to be addressed by the larger GFAR family Develop strategies that will enable CSO representatives to actively participate in the GFAR 2003 conference Recommendations and suggest guidelines and approaches to strengthen NGOs and farmer groups from an organizational standpoint, in order to improve their participation in the global agricultural research system, at appropriate levels (sub-regional, regional and global)

12 To contribute to the development of a productive, sustainable and equitable agriculture.

13 Global Forum on Agricultural Research GFAR: An Overview