The theme of the Second Triennial GFAR Conference held in Dakar, Senegal, 22nd to 24th of May, 2003
(GFAR 2003) was ¿Linking Research and Rural Innovation to Sustainable Development¿. It was a very
appropriate theme given the current global focus and attention on sustainable development issues as well
as increased research interest in innovation processes. The goal of the conference was to review
achievements and take stock of lessons learned during the current triennium (2000-2003), identify new and

List of participants

Discussions were held during the last two GFAR Steering Committee Meetings on preparations for the GFAR 2003 General Conference. The latter plus the experience gained
from preparing for the First GFAR General Conference held in Dresden, Germany, in May
2000 serve as a background for the elaboration of the proposed programme for the GFAR
Conference in Dakar.
The topics that need to be further discussed for the organisation of GFAR 2003 are as follows:
(1) Organisational processes and linkages between GFAR and the host country;