The mission of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR)

The main purpose of this background paper is to suggest areas that are ripe for attention on the part of
GFAR-facilitated research partnerships in agricultural policy management and institutional
development by:
· assessing needs and opportunities based on recent developments relating to agricultural policies,
poverty, global food demands, natural resources, genetic resources (with special reference to
biotechnology), rural institutions, and the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) of
developing nations;

The fund, planned for a three years period, would be used to :
· Organize periodic regional meetings among FO to exchange experience
· Assist in the development of national FO in the various countries
· Improve the information base practically needed by FO to efficiently participate in policy
negociations (Rural Identity Card)
· Mobilize autonomously ad hoc technical expertise to assist them in national/regional
negociations
· Create a network of researchers and experts who know FO and their needs and can

The action-research is meant to assist the evolution and scaling up of ¿People Managed
Micro-Credit¿ and forge partnership among farmers¿ organizations, NGO and Research
networks in different Asian Countries for scaling up micro-credit programs.

INCO-DEV is a specific programme for S&T cooperation in Research for development with
developing countries (http://www.cordis.lu/inco2), a part of the European Framework programme
for RTD, which is the instrument for implementation of the European research policy.
The objectives of this programme are to:
1. tackle the challenges faced by DCs, and which derive from their particular conditions and
adjustments to recent global trends.
2. mobilize the European S&T community jointly with DC research teams.

Development Objective: to reduce poverty and improve food security and child nutrition,
improve gender equity in rural areas, increase agricultural productivity, and promote sustainable use
of natural resources through more appropriate and better informed government action.
Immediate Objective: i) to generate information through collaborative research activities on those
themes and sub-themes that have identified by East and West African network members as priorities

Undertake an in-depth investigation of rice marketing, processing, storage, and trade;
· Analyze the structure of incentives, including the impact of exiting interventions;
· Assess the impact of reforms on farmers, processors, traders, exporters, and
consumers
· Prepare rice policy options for implementation by the government;
· Develop a data base on key rice market indicators; and
· Provide training to staff of concerned government agencies in statistical sampling,
survey design, methods, data processing, and economic policy analysis.

Strengthen planning, monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) in order to improve research
management, enhance the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural research
programs, and contribute to the flow of useful information and technology to agricultural
producers.

ILRI and ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) identified, through
GIS-based mapping, that smallholder dairy is increasing in importance in the HKH region.
Informal discussions with NARS, NGOs and Dairy Cooperatives in Nepal, Bhutan, Uttar Pradeah
and Himachal Pradesh of India indicated that there is lack of a conducive institutional and policy
environment, and appropriate technology to support dairy development in these countries/regions.