Starting with background information, the report presents a summary of the plenary presentations of the workshop, which includes a brief on the post-conflict and protracted crisis environment in the 15 participating countries. A section is thereafter dedicated to process steps that eventually led to the final action plan.

The Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP) – with over 900 partners from among international research institutes, national academia, development agencies and donors, extension services, private sector, NGOs and civil societies - develops new rice varieties with increased yield potential, enhanced tolerance and resilience against biotic and abiotic stresses, and enhanced grain quality and nutritious value.

ASTI collects primary data for low- and middle-income countries through national institutional surveys and in recent years has collected detailed quantitative data on a large number of South Asian and sub-Saharan African countries. In efforts to fill some of the geographical gaps for other regions, ASTI has been collaborating with the GFAR, AARINENA, APAARI, CACAARI, FORAGRO and a network of national partners to collect additional data for the development of an accurate assessment of public agricultural R&D spending at the global level.

This brief series was developed in preparation for the Foresight Breakout Session of the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD 2012) and the Global Foresight Hub1. The briefs were written to communicate to a wider audience, such as policy makers, civil society organizations, researchers, and funders. The briefs were classified into three categories: Future Studies, Regional Update, and Visioning.