The approach of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) is one built on strong strategic partnerships and alliances among all of the actors involved in agricultural research for development (ARD). GFAR draws on the complementary strengths of all its key stakeholders. It encourages inclusiveness and provides a forum where the voices of the poor can be heard, their needs understood, and where they can participate as partners to finding sustainable solutions to the challenges they face. It is through this type of empowerment that the development opportunities of the poor will increase.
The GFAR stakeholder groups which contributed to this first annual report, have illustrated how they are practising this philosophy of inclusion and partnership, an approach and a method of doing things that resonate with the pro-poor approach of IFAD. The Fund, along with FAO and the World Bank was part of a group of facilitating agencies which initiated the process that laid the foundation of the GFAR platform - and I am pleased that our partnership has continued to foster the Forum since its inception.
The GFAR and our agencies have supported initiatives to promote a progressive paradigm shift in ARD towards a holistic “knowledge-intensive agriculture” accessible to small and poor farmers. GFAR is an initiative of which we can all be proud. Indeed, among the elements that IFAD shares with the GFAR philosophy are principles of subsidiarity and complementarity; of research that is demand-driven and implemented through productive and meaningful partnerships among key stakeholders; of research agenda priorities set with a focus on poor farmers’ and rural community perspectives, and of research design and technology diffusion that fully engages intended users and beneficiaries.
I congratulate the GFAR stakeholders for their efforts and innovative ideas, and wish them well in their future endeavours. IFAD looks forward to continuing to work closely with the members of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research to mobilise support for our shared objective of promoting research supportive of poor smallholder farmers, especially women farmers.
Lennart
Båge
President
International Fund for Agricultural
Development
