Including Smallholders in Agriculture Research for Development (INSARD) is an EC-funded partnership project involving six African and European-based NGOs. INSARD is working towards making it easier for civil-society organisations (CSOs) – both non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and farmer organisations (FOs) – to be actively involved in influencing agricultural research systems in Africa. In the start-up study, an inventory was made of African and European CSOs involved in agricultural research for development (ARD) in sub-Saharan Africa. The study identified the formal and informal linkages between CSOs and other stakeholders involved in ARD, as well as potentials and blockages in the ARD system to realising a greater participation of CSOs in prioritising, formulating and carrying out ARD.

 

An international consultation meeting was held on 19 November 2011 in Nairobi to discuss the findings of the study.