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28/11/2016

Welcome to November GFAR Update!

The 2016 Partners’ Assembly of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) decided to create a new Steering Committee for GFAR, one that is representative of all sectors, and which truly reflects the diversity of stakeholders in agricultural research and innovation around the world. The Report of Proceedings of the Partners' Assembly can be found here. 

We are now asking the Partners in GFAR to identify who, from among the Partners from their sector, they wish to have represent their perspectives and interests in the new Steering Committee, the body that sets and drives the agenda for GFAR each year. More details will shortly be provided on the selection processes involved.

There is still time to register!

If you wish to be nominated, or to be able to nominate another organization, to represent your interests and concerns, it is necessary for your organization to first register itself as a Partner in GFAR. 

This month, we are also very pleased to share with you the GFAR 2015-6 Interim Progress Report, which was compiled for the Forum's primary donor, the European Union, and has now been endorsed for public release. The Report summarizes the many outputs and outcomes that you, the Partners who make up GFAR, have achieved through your collective actions and with the EU's invaluable support over the last year. 

The Report can be viewed and downloaded HERE. 

GFAR Secretariat would like to congratulate all of you, the Partners who make up and drive this dynamic global forum, for your amazing efforts, working together in so many ways to transform agri-food research and innovation through your cross-sector partnership, collective action and common advocacy.

Our work and achievements together over the last year give a tremendous basis on which we can all build in 2017 to really shape the future we all wish to see!

GFAR is an open and inclusive movement for change, open to all who share in our common purpose of advocating for, and catalyzing Collective Actions to strengthen and transform agri-food research and innovation systems, so that they are more effective in sustainable development. GFAR Update is a briefing service from the GFAR Secretariat. Our aim is to keep you regularly informed and aware of new initiatives and collective actions of the Partners in GFAR around the world, so that these can have greater reach and impact for those we serve - in particular for poor smallholder farmers and consumers.

 

Student Leadership and Transformative Changes to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century

Stacy Hammond shares her reflections on her participation in the 4th GCHERA World Dialogue: Global Leadership and Transformative Changes to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century, as GFAR-sponsored representative of youth. … More Student Leadership and Transformative Changes to...
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Working together in the rural areas of the Mediterranean

How far has the Foundation of the South-North Mediterranean Dialogue come in generating rich dialogue as vector of peace and tolerance? What about GFAR’s role in catalyzing collective action, including rural communities? A meeting in October 2016 in Rome helped...
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Round up of CFS 43, look forward to the 2017 agenda

CFS looked at country experience in using the Voluntary guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests in the context of national food security (VGGT) over the four years since they were endorsed in 2012, which...
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FAO's Compendium of Indicators for Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture is now online

The Food and Agriculture Organization has now released the much-anticipated Compendium of Indicators for Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture , designed to assist officers responsible for designing nutrition-sensitive food and agriculture investments in selecting appropriate indicators to monitor if these investments are having...
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Prolinnova shares latest news on International Farmer Innovation Day

On the occassion of International Farmer Innovation Day, and to provide an update on its activities, Prolinnova has just released a new bulletin. Prolinnova is a Partner in GFAR, and GFAR has for several years supported this NGO-initiated multistakeholder programme promoting local innovation in ecologically oriented agriculture and natural resource management.
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GFAR Partner TAP releases new capacity development products

TAP is pleased to communicate that with the financial support of GFAR, TAP Common Framework on Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems synthesis documents have been translated into French and Spanish, and published online by CABI on behalf of TAP Partners.
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Partner Spotlight: How Farmerline is helping smallholder farmers improve their lives

Smallholder farmers make up 60% of Ghana’s working population. They provide a large portion of the food consumed in the country, yet many struggle to make a good living. A major problem they face is accessing information about farming and...
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Measuring progress in the Decade of Action on Nutrition

Right now, as the International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition is convened at FAO to discuss actions on nutrition to be delivered during the Decade, country governments and stakeholders are being challenged, under Sub-theme...
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Youth Network in Agriculture: we connect and rejuvenate the world

At the occasion of YPARD 10 years, Marina Cherbonnier, the current communications and knowledge manager, expresses what the added value of YPARD is, as an international network of young professionals in agriculture. I was 25 when I joined YPARD’s global...
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The Effect of Producer Organizations on Farmer Performance

Over the years, the Committee on Sustainable Assessment (COSA) has conducted dozens of experimental and quasi-experiment impact assessments in countries around the world. COSA employs the most rigorous methodologies available to better understand the social, economic and environmental impacts of...
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Paris Climate Agreement Enters Into Force: What Does This Mean For Food And Agriculture?

The Paris Climate Agreement entered into force last week, heralding a major milestone in international action on climate change, and an ambitious target to contain global temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, in this century. Over...
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Mobile Phones: Helping field extension officers transform Ghana’s agricultural sector

“One of the largest challenges traditionally experienced by Ghana’s smallholder farmers has been a lack of transparent information especially with the challenges that extension farmers go through,” says Schandorf Adu Bright, Director of Farmer Services at Farmerline, a Partner in...
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What my childhood in farming taught me about writing and public speaking

A few months ago, I read a book summary of Speaking More Effectively by Dale Carnegie. This summary focused on a quick and easy way for writing or public speaking (read here). The major lesson I learned from the book...
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What is the future of Quinoa?

Since the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the “International Year of Quinoa”, this fascinating cereal has been gaining attractiveness as a real option to help achieve food security, not to mention hitting the shelves in trendy health-conscious supermarkets...
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Step It Up Together with Rural Women to End Hunger and Poverty

16/12/2016
City: Rome
Country: Italy
The 2030 Agenda envisages a future in which no one is left behind and poverty and hunger are eradicated in...
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International conference on Agri-Chains and Sustainable Development: linking local and global dynamics

12/12/2016 to 14/12/2016
City: Montpellier
Country: France
AC&SD 2016 will bring participants from all world regions to debate about the role of agricultural value chains in implementing...
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HLPE seeks input to Report on Nutrition and food systems

At its 42nd session in October 2015, the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) requested the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) to prepare a report on Nutrition and Food Systems . This report...
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TEEB: Call for Evidence ‘Scientific and Economic Foundations’

Expiry date: 2017-02-26 00:00:00
‘The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity’ (TEEB) Office, hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is seeking motivated individuals...
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