The Adelboden Group: A consultative mechanism

The Adelboden Group will be consulted on the substantial content of the project, and in particular on: priority areas, methodologies, topics for the regional workshops, project outcomes before their dissemination, dissemination strategy and recommendations on SARD-related policies. The Adelboden Group will meet every year during the life of the project.

The Adelboden Group decided during the meeting in October 2004 to create an Interim Bureau with the mandate to:

• Maintain a role as focal point of the Adelboden Group working in close collaboration with the SARD-M Project Team discussing the relevant issues with the Bureau;
• Prepare a framework consisting of the objectives, tasks and structure of the Adelboden Group;
• Prepare the next general meeting of the Adelboden Group in collaboration with the SARD-M Team;
• Follow, depending on the importance of the questions raised and available resources, all other activities of major interest for the Adelboden Group in the light of the Adelboden Declaration.

The Interim Bureau of the Adelboden Group has been constituted taking into consideration its different stakeholders in a balanced manner (civil society, governments and international organizations, male/female parity, geographic regions, etc.).

During its Third Meeting in October 2007, a Bureau of the Adelboden Group was established and Ms. Jeannette Gurung, Woman Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN), was elected President.

The Project Steering Committee: a guidance mechanism

The Steering Committee will approve annual action plans and any substantial modifications to the commitments. It will also ensure monitoring and evaluation of annual project outputs, the eventual re-orientation of activities and the supervision of budget allocations. The Steering Committee will include representatives from FAO departments, donor countries or organizations, as well as observers, representing developing countries that are playing a key role in the project and two members of the Adelboden Group.

The SARD-M Project Team: the operating arm

The SARD-M Project Team will implement the project at an international and regional level, liaising with the above-mentioned mechanisms, as well as with partners and related projects.

The FAO Inter-Departmental Task Force: backstopping

A FAO Inter-Departmental Task Force will provide methodological and technical support to the SARD-M Project Team. This Task Force will include representatives of six FAO departments - thus enhancing synergies, coordination and networking within the Organization.

The Regional Focal Points: networking and implementing the project in the field

The Regional Focal Points – in Africa, Asia, Europe, Central America, South America, Mediterranean Basin and Middle East – will act as the central pivots of the project, liaising with all partners and related projects, linking the global and national dimensions, enhancing the sharing of information, communication, coordination and networking in each region, while supporting the design and implementation of project activities with ad hoc expertise, seconded staff and technical support. They will work in close collaboration with national focal points.

All the Regional Focal Points and the SARD-M Project Team will meet once a year, in order to share information, make an assessment of the previous year's achievements, define and plan activities to be carried out together in the coming year.