Dear Partners in GFAR - The Global Forum on Agricultural Research,

 

As an important part of the work of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research, we are exploring how best to measure and show changes in the way agricultural institutions and networks of all forms behave and work together towards achieving greater development impacts, changes which have been set out by participants in the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD) in Montpellier and then described as programmes in the second GCARD in Punta del Este last year and now forming the basis of the new GFAR Medium Term Plan.

 

These changes cover all dimensions of the way agricultural research, innovation and knowledge delivers to the needs of farmers and consumers, across the range of actions initiated and catalyzed through stakeholders in the Global Forum – by which we mean all those concerned with the generation, access and use of agricultural knowledge and innovation in support of agricultural and rural development.

 

In order to achieve these goals we need to best reflect how you see the existing agricultural innovation and research for development (AR4D) system in which you are involved, its strengths and weaknesses, how it is working for you (or not) and what needs to work better.

 

Through this, we aim to establish a baseline for the present situation, building up from local and national to regional and global needs and set out clear ways by which to measure our collective progress, in creating effective linkages and pathways of action between agricultural innovation and its practical development impacts.

 

Although each individual and each institution has their own mandate and expected results, GFAR participants are committed to bringing all AR4D stakeholders together for collective actions that count, in addressing the great challenges facing agriculture, rural development and their links with wider society, over the coming decades. These linkages will require actions at all levels, greater participation by smallholder and family farmers, women and youth, and scaling up actions to reach many more people, starting at country level.

 

The survey, which can be found here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PLJX58R forms part of this process. We trust that as a stakeholder in the Forum you will contribute your views frankly and constructively as a further step in achieving the kinds of changes we all want. The results of the survey will be analyzed and shared, and will inform future directions for GFAR and its governance.

 

We have commissioned an independent consulting firm to undertake this study. Firetail (www.firetail.co.uk) has recognized international expertise in monitoring and evaluation, strategy development, agriculture and higher education and is very familiar with GFAR and other stakeholders in AR4D.

 

We look forward to receiving your response to the survey and building on your continuing commitment to collectively bringing the best possible development impacts through agricultural innovation and research systems.

 

Sincerely,

 

Juan Lucas Restrepo

Chair, Global Forum on Agricultural Research