The GFAR Steering Committee drives the Forum and includes both grassroots and international organizations, elected to represent Partners in GFAR from all relevant sectors in agri-food research and innovation. GFAR catalyzes Collective Actions that bring together diverse actors through equitable and integrated processes, to make agricultural research and innovation more effective and equitable towards Sustainable Development Goals.
The members of the GFAR Steering Committee met in May to take stock of the progress of the Collective Actions agreed by the Steering Committee at its meeting in 2017, and to share experiences and learning from these processes. In group work, they laid out the key activities and milestones required for the Collective Actions in GFAR key focus areas (KFAs). They also discussed mechanisms to bring common operating values and partnership principles, and how to overcome constraints and take on board the recommendations of the External Review of GFAR.
Watch these interviews to learn more about the meeting and examples of Collective Actions in motion.
GFAR Executive Secretary Mark Holderness shares the agenda and themes of discussion at the GFAR Steering Committee meeting, held 28-30 May 2018. He explains the role of the Steering Committee representatives from diverse public, private and civil society organizations, and how they are planning and working together on an equal footing, to agree and catalyze their Collective Actions for sustainable development impact.
Mr. Holderness also speaks about how GFAR helps institutions to transform themselves, giving the example of regional research-for-development organizations, which are now reforming their own organizational leadership, governance structures and business models, making use of the learning from processes of dialogue, partnership mediation and knowledge-sharing fostered through GFAR.
Dr. Patrick Van Damme, regional representative for Europe on the GFAR Steering Committee, reflects on how the agricultural research and innovation fora and institutions of Europe can contribute to GFAR Collective Actions. He also explains how partnership in the Global Forum offers opportunities for advocacy, inter-regional linkages and impact on the ground.
Dr. Aziz Darghouth, regional representative for Near East and North Africa (NENA) on the GFAR Steering Committee, reflects on how the agricultural research and innovation fora and institutions of NENA can contribute to GFAR Collective Actions. He explains how important it is to adapt to our changing world and rethink our organizational structures, thematic focus, scope of partnership, and decision-making and learning processes. In this light, Mr Darghouth outlines the reform of AARINENA now in progress through GFAR’s support, which he hopes will make AARINENA the hub for research, innovation and higher education in the NENA Region.
And check out the video “Designing the Future of GFAR”, produced during a dynamic three-day strategic workshop in June 2017, at which the Steering Committee members set out their ideas for the Collective Actions that Partners in GFAR are now taking forward.
blog.gfar.net 