This year, 2006, is GFAR's 10th anniversary. It is also 5 years since GFAR's first External Evaluation. The second External Evaluation is taking place this year and contemplates an overview of the institution and its achievements since its creation, while focusing on the evolution of GFAR over the last 5 years. In particular the evaluation will consider: (a) the GFAR concept and its continued relevance, (b) the governance, organisation and functions of GFAR, and (c) the GFAR business plan. The evaluation will provide a set of conclusions and recommendations as to how GFAR might more effectively and efficiently achieve its goals.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is providing the secretariat for the evaluation, which will be undertaken by a panel made up of a two-person review team and two resource persons. The review team is composed of Dominique Hounkonnou (Benin) and Julian Gonsalves (India), and the resource persons are Abdelmajid Slama (Tunisia) and Henri Rouillé d'Orfeuil (France). The panel will meet for the first time from 8 to 12 May when it will plan the information gathering phase of the evaluation and meet with Rome-based stakeholders.

The reviewers will attend as observers the up-coming GFAR Steering Committee Meeting that will be held in Sana'a, Yemen at the end of June, where they will also have the opportunity to interview a number of key GFAR stakeholders. Following this, the reviewers will make visits to meet with other important persons and programmes associated with GFAR on different continents. Their report will provide an important input into the GFAR 2006 Conference deliberations in New Delhi in November as we debate the reorientation of the global agricultural research for development system so as to better meet the Millennium Development Goals.