“If we can provide the farmers with |high technologies, or good technologies, that’s fine. But if we cannot, yten we must look into the farmers’ technology. Research should not be for the purpose of research or for the purpose of publications. There are a lot of innovations in the field with the farmers.” AKM Zakari, … More GCARD2010: Scientists have produced quite a number of good technologies

Organized by the Farming First Coalition and chaired by Lindiwe Sibanda of FARNPAN and Joyce Cacho of Novus Int., the session covered a myriad of issues and perspectives, including: clarity in identifying and addressing the problem; careful choice of partners; explanation on how and when the poor will benefit; the importance of indicators; simplicity of … More GCARD2010: Better Benefiting the Poor through Private Sector Innovation and Actions

The session focused on the challenges of climate change, uncertain markets and price volatility, and competition for land and water for other uses than food production. Participants called for risk management plans and adaptation tools for small-holder farmers. “We face price volatility that is perhaps more severe now than ever,” said Jack Wilkinson, Vice Chairman … More GCARD2010: Managing Risks to Farmers in a Time of Change

Agricultural research and innovation are vital mechanisms for AR4D that should be driven directly by stakeholders participating in innovation systems, according to participants of the Knowledge, information, and advice in agri-food systems session. Participants noted that public research systems, by design, are based on the open and free exchange of ideas, and public access to … More GCARD2010: Knowledge, information and advice in agri-foods systems

This session, chaired by President of Agropolis International Dr. Bernard Hubert, provided participants with the most recent “forward looking” research for world agriculture, including the IAASTD and the 2008 World Development Report (WDR).  Respondents from the GFAR regional fora commented on the convergent and divergent views of the steering committee research prepared for the session. … More GCARD2010: Thinking Forward: Better Predicting and Addressing Future Needs

A parallel session on capacity development took a hard look at research investment trends and returns in order to identify the challenges in capacity building in agriculture for the future. Dr. Nienke Beintema of ASTIA said that different countries have different financial and human capacities in public agricultural R&D. Additional investments are urgently needed for … More GCARD2010: Capacity Development

The immense potential of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) to provide aid, guidance, and support to the developing world has not yet been reached, according to the Global Author Report (GAT) and discussed by participants at this session.   “I’m very happy that the emerging economies are taking AR4D into consideration,” said … More GCARD2010: Role of the Fast-Growing Economies as New Partners

Gender is a hot button issue at GCARD and the session on gender for inclusive development was no exception – a lively mix of videos, panel discussions and interactive nodes to map out practical ways to promote gender equality in agricultural research for development. “Wherever there are women, there is more enthusiasm and excitement,” said … More GCARD2010: Addressing Gender for Inclusive Development

Ajay Vashee of IFAP opened the partnerships session, stating that, “you cannot improve what you do not believe in and you cannot improve what you do not measure.” For Dr. Gebisa Ejeta, partnerships start with a “sense of humility and commitment.” He added, “the best way to manage partnerships is to put a big chunk … More GCARD2010: Improving Partnerships

This was a lively, interactive session where discussion ranged widely across many issues: including the need to bring all stakeholders into managing biodiversity, the importance of raising public awareness via the media to engage the public in that management, and the significance of advocacy in addressing policy-making on these issues. Focus should remain on research … More GCARD2010: Agricultural Biodiversity

Smallholder farmers in developing countries are on the front lines of climate change, and often have to bear the brunt of its impact. Bruce Campbell, Director of the CGIAR Challenge Program on Climate Change (CCAFS), kicked off the session with an overview of the proposed climate change mega-programme. Climate change and food security are the … More GCARD2010: Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security

In a session moderated by Dr. Mark Cackler of the World Bank, participants in the agriculture, nutrition, and health program session noted the importance of fruits and vegetables for diversified diets against a backdrop of the rising obesity epidemic in poor countries. To achieve this, they noted synergies with the program on crop diversity and … More GCARD2010: Agriculture, Nutrition and Health

Explaining why this parallel session was exclusively focused on rice, maize and wheat, Marianne Banzinger of CIMMYT said that it was important to move quickly to study the anticipated gap between between yield and demand, which the world will face long before 2050, and that this big challenge required coordinated investment and partnerships.  “If we … More GCARD2010: Optimizing Productivity of Global Security Crops

Mark Rosegrant of IFPRI briefed session participants on the policy and institutional constraints and opportunities, and the CGIAR’s proposed thematic research focus, to support farm incomes for the poor. Overall, the research program aims to provide the evidence base and new ideas to support the creation of vibrant and sustainable markets for poor, smallholder farmers … More GCARD2010: Enabling agricultural incomes for the poor

Around 70 participants attended a session moderated by Dr. Maarten van Ginkel, Deputy Director General of Research at ICARDA, on the agro-ecosystem research area, one of the 8 suggested thematic areas of the CGIAR. The approach and geographical dimension “dictates the needs by itself and avoids requiring us to dictate the needs,” said Hartmann, Director … More GCARD2010: Agricultural Systems for the Poor and Vulnerable

“Preserving our biodiversity is really an insurance policy for humanity” The exhibition Mundia Mediterra opened on Sunday as part of the first Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development to illustrate the vital importance of the region as a bridge between Africa and Europe and a crucible of biodiversity which requires a high level of … More GCARD2010: About the Mediterranean Exhibition

“For farmers to adapt to new technologies, they really have to have enough information. Researchers are more like a club. They are unable to really communicate with farmers.” Stephen Muchiri, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), Kenya

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“I would request the researchers in the international community to get the information from the farmers, which will assist them to do exactly |what farmers require. Because the requirements for this place, are not the same requirements for other places. We are always ready for changes. To change for better, not for worse.” – Patrick … More GCARD2010: We are always ready for changes

by Howard Minigh*, Farming First  Most of us involved with GCARD are well aware that food security has recently become a dominant issue on the global political agenda.  The challenge ahead of us, according to the late Dr. Norman Borlaug, is to grow more food in the next 50 years than has been produced over … More GCARD2010 Guest blog: Building Partnerships to Drive Agricultural Innovation