FAO and the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) sign a collaboration agreement.

FAO and the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) will step up its ongoing cooperation on areas such as capacity development, gender and nutrition. The Chief of the Research and Extension Unit in FAO, Mr. Andrea Sonnino, and the Deputy Director of Agridea, Ms Sylvie Aubert, as well as the Deputy Head of Department Rural Development, Markets and International of Agridea, Mr. Ernst Bollinger and the Chair of GFRAS, Mr. Francesco Aguirre, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the 19th of February 2014 which will allow the two organizations to formalize a long standing collaboration. 

“FAO has been a founding member of GFRAS and since 2010, when GFRAS was established, there has been a very close and fruitful collaboration. With this MoU, the collaboration will be institutionalized and a better framework will allow to further enhance collaboration", said Mr. Sonnino.

International development institutions and investors increasingly recognise the essential role of rural advisory services (RAS) in reducing hunger and poverty. In this regard, GFRAS provides a forum to bring together and promote interaction and learning among the diverse stakeholders involved in RAS. It is based in Switzerland and hosted by the Swiss Association for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas (Agridea). By working at different levels, GFRAS helps regional actors to present their perspectives in the global development arena, as well as providing a mechanism for global perspectives to reach the regional levels. 

The general objectives of this MoU are to advocate for rural advisory services within global policy dialogues and promoting improved investment in pluralistic, demand driven and market oriented RAS.  The MoU will support the development and synthesis of evidence-based policies and approaches for improving the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of RAS as well as the accountability to clients, particularly smallholders, youth, women and other disadvantaged groups. It will also strengthen actors, networks and fora in RAS through facilitating interaction and networking at national, regional and international level.

“Innovation in all its aspects (technological, social, institutional, etc.) and delivery of efficient advisory services are key to achieving a sustainable increase of production and reduction of rural poverty, two very important strategic objectives of FAO”, stated Mr. Sonnino during the signing ceremony. 

For more information on GFRAS, please see GFRAS web site www.g-fras.org and for more information on the FAO-GFRAS collaboration, please contact Magdalena Blum, Focal Point in FAO for GFRAS and GFRAS Co-Chair ([email protected]).