The DURAS Programme has pioneered new ways of integrating innovation from science with that from communities themselves. DURAS supported the facilitation role of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) in promoting the opening up of public agricultural research to equitable partnership with others.

At the heart of DURAS has been its innovative competitive grants system, which followed an original selection and evaluation process that placed a premium on multi-stakeholder partnerships. The principles developed through DURAS ensured that research priorities were identified in a participatory fashion and that less vocal stakeholders, most notably civil society groups, were mobilized to participate meaningfully in agricultural research for development (AR4D) processes. Alongside research practice, the programme also promoted the wider sharing and exchange of agricultural knowledge through interactive regional agricultural information systems.

Twelve projects were funded in Africa and Asia over a period of three years, each involving an array of disciplines and partners. These programmes allowed research institutions and civil society organizations to work as true partners, each bringing their own knowledge, understanding and ideas to the interface between science and society and breaking through institutionalized barriers, to bring new engagement and mutual understanding.

In tribute to the diversity and richness of partnerships involved in the 12 projects funded under its Competitive Grants component, the DURAS Project Coordination Unit has worked with Agropolis International to prepare a special issue of Dossier d’Agropolis, which is now available here in English (French version here)or by hard copy upon request to the GFAR Secretariat GFAR-Secretariat@fao.org.

Each article in this publication was written by the project participants. It is an attempt to capture, in a few pages, the complex, yet mutually enriching experience of partners across a wide range of development contexts. It also presents some key results and lessons learned along the way that will have value to many others working to create more integrated AR4D systems.

Supported by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs to the tune of €4 million, GFAR and Agropolis International worked together in implementing DURAS from April 2004 to June 2008. Although the DURAS project was completed more than two years ago, a number of the funded projects still continue to operate through their own commitment, while others have led directly to new projects and contributed to the development policies and strategies of institutions involved. The regional information systems established are progressively becoming valuable sources of agricultural information, accessible to all. DURAS has also inspired a number of international initiatives to design their respective Calls for Proposals in a way that promotes multi-stakeholder approaches and equitable partnership.

Contacts
Oliver Oliveros
oliveros@agropolis.fr
GFAR-Secretariat@fao.org