Global food production has increased by 20% in the past decade – but food insecurity and poverty remain widespread , while the natural resource base continues to decline. International research centers, which have helped drive previous improvements, must continue to deliver new technologies to support sustainable growth in agriculture; and to work with other partners to accelerate the dissemination of these technologies. During 2010, CGIAR Centers and their partners developed a new framework to help achieve these goals. The framework includes a series of multi-disciplinary research programs where different organizations will work closely together, sharing resources and providing complementary skills. These programs will cover dryland agriculture, climate change, water, livestock, crop improvement and other areas. ICARDA will lead the CGIAR Research Program on dryland systems; and play a key role in the programs on wheat, grain legumes, dryland cereals, water, livestock, climate change, and policies, institutions and markets. Farming conditions in 2010 were difficult, particularly in dryland environments: drought, new disease epidemics, and continued food insecurity for the poorest households. But research results were encouraging, suggesting that these challenges can be gradually overcome.