Government policy and institutions are of critical importance in efforts to assure food
security for all in a manner compatible with sustainable management of natural resources.
Similarly, technological change is an essential component of such efforts. To be successful,
action by governments must be based on a comprehensive understanding of the interaction
between technology, policy and institutions. Even the best of technology may fail to achieve
its social objectives if the policies are inappropriate or if appropriate institutions are missing.

"Los participantes del Foro Global de Investigación Agropecuaria, reunidos en Dresden,
Alemania, en mayo de 2000, en representación de los sistemas nacionales de
investigación agrícola; las organizaciones, universidades e institutos de investigación
avanzada; las organizaciones no gubernamentales; el sector privado; las organizaciones
de agricultores y las agencias de donantes, regionales y subregionales, así como los
centros de investigación agrícola internacionales, reconocen la importante contribución

"Les participants au Forum mondial de la recherche agricole qui se sont réunis à Dresde,
Allemagne, en mai 2000 et représentent les systèmes nationaux de recherche agricole, les
organisations régionales et sous-régionales, les universités, les institutions de recherche
avancée, les organisations non gouvernementales, le secteur privé, les organisations de
producteurs, les agences multilatérales et de donateurs, et les centres internationaux de
recherche agricole reconnaissent l'importante contribution des ressources phytogénétiques

"The participants at the Global Forum for Agricultural Research that met in Dresden,
Germany, in May 2000, representing the national agricultural research systems, regional and
sub-regional organizations, universities, advanced research institutions, non-governmental
organizations, the private sector, farmers¿ organizations, multilateral and donor agencies, and
international agricultural research centers, recognize the important contribution of plant
genetic resources for food and agriculture towards food security, poverty alleviation, and

¿The countries represented in the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture are presently re-negotiating the International Undertaking, in harmony with the CBD,
that will most likely be binding, and that seeks to establish a multilateral system for facilitated access
to, and benefit sharing of, Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFAs).¿

Concept paper for the Global Forum on Agricultural Research in Dresden
by the Rambouillet Steering Group1
12 May 2000

In the GFAR, the identification of NRM with Agroecology has been accepted and
consecrated, although their is still no formal definition of what this association means.
Agroecology is an integrating science which seeks to understand flows of energy, information
and matter in agricultural ecosystems in order to optimise the outputs while minimising the
use of external inputs and avoiding the mining and pollution of natural resources.
Agroecology goes beyond a one dimensional view of agroecosystems ¿ their genetics,