The Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) is a new dynamic initiative aiming to
promote a Global System for Agricultural Research based on cost-effective partnerships and strategic
alliances among the key players involved in agricultural research. The participants at a GFAR
consultative meeting convened in Rome in March 1999 arrived at a major conclusion on the need to
¿build an Enabling Global Framework for Agricultural Research Information for Development¿, as a
Ms. Edith Hesse, CIAT, Colombia presented to the Plenary a summary of the
recommendations made by the AGRIS Discussion Group of 24 September
(Malaysia Room, Moderator E.Hesse). Discussions had taken place regarding the two key documents: FAO/COAIM-2/Inf 6 ¿AGRIS ¿ A strategy for an international network for
information in agricultural sciences and technology within the WAICENT
Framework¿; and FAO/COAIM-2/Tech 2 ¿AGRIS: Guidelines for Description of Information
Objects for International Information Systems on Agricultural Sciences and
Technology¿.
Grant Title: Learning about partnership experiences to
enhance their contribution to pro-poor impact of
agricultural research for development
Project Goal: Strengthen national, regional and global agricultural information systems to satisfy the
needs of an emerging, more knowledge intensive agriculture that now needs information
on a wider range of topics and beyond that available with local communities. Purpose of
the Project:
To enable more equitable access to agricultural information globally for ARD
stakeholders through improved ICM and more efficient use of ICT in National, Regional
and Global agricultural information systems
Three major themes have been identified as being of common interest to SDRR and the
NARS Secretariat, in pursuing their respective objectives:
1) Operationalization of the NARS concept, in facilitating the evolution from the NARIs model
to the NARS model.
2) Biotechnology policy issues and capacity-building challenges in NARS. 3) Information and Communication for Agricultural Research for Development (ARD).
The role these three topics play in the NARS Secretariat activities is explained in the
List of discussion points