The Global Forum on Agricultural Research Steering Committee (GFAR-SC) held its fifth
meeting in Beijing on the 23rd of May 1999. The meeting was chaired by Dr. R. S. Paroda. In the
morning, the meeting was open to a large range of observers with the objective to allow a broad
interaction with the GFAR community members. The afternoon was devoted to decision process
in a camera session.
The agenda of the open session was entirely devoted to a proactive discussion of the preparation
of the global meeting that GFAR is convening in Dresden, Germany, on May 21-23, 2000 (in
short GFAR-2000). The agenda of the closed session had two parts. The first part was relating to
decisions to be taken on further steps of the GFAR-2000 process and the second part was
dealing with regular GFAR business, that included three major topics, i.e. (1) a progress report
of the GFAR Secretariat, (2) the development of EGFAR: follow-up to the Rome meeting, Bank
position and perspectives; (3) a approval of the aggregate GFAR Program of Work 1999-2000 ,
and a discussion of the financial requirements for both GFAR and NARS Secretariats in 1999
and 2000
The open session was attended by 56 persons, comprising of 12 GFAR-SC members (out of 13,
the EEC/CAC regional forum being not established yet) and of persons representing GFAR
stakeholders from all regions as well as international organizations and the GFAR-2000 host
country, Germany. This open session benefited from a ¿facilitator¿ provided by Germany.