GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH PROGRAM

GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH PROGRAM

THE CONTEXT

Despite all of the technological advances in agriculture, including the Green revolution, more than 800 million people remain undernourished.

            In today’s world, Agricultural research faces the major challenges of increasing food production in a sustainable manner and improving family farm income in order to ensure household food security, while at the same time conserving the natural resource base. New tools, such as biotechnology and advances in information technology, provide opportunities to meet these challenges. However, to ensure that this is done with efficiency and equity, the appropriate approach to technology generation and transfer is essential. Researchers, extensionists, and end users must work together in a participative manner to increase production and productivity in a sustainable fashion, and to allow the benefits to reach the poorest and neediest of farmers.

            In recognition of the enormous challenges that lie ahead, and of the need to make the most effective use of limited resources to tackle these challenges, a new vision of a global agricultural research system, building on strong cost-effective partnerships and a comprehensive global research agenda, need to be developed.   

THE VISION

Like world food security which is based on the principle of global food exchange, Agricultural Research is similarly a global concern.

            It is increasingly recognized that many research problems are global in nature. It is also clear that individual institutes do not possess all of the skills and facilities necessary to address major international research issues. The problems are usually of such magnitude and are so crucial to world food security that partnerships are essential.  There are so many institutions doing research in agriculture - international, regional, national, public sector or private sector There is a need to foster collaboration within the emerging global agricultural research system, to open the system to its stakeholders, and to solicit their participation in the strategy and priority setting processes.

            There is also a growing concern for the need to improve interaction among those who finance international agricultural research, those who contribute to the research - such as ‘the international agricultural research centers of the CGIAR, other advanced research institutes, and national agricultural research systems of developing countries - and those who should benefit from the results and ensure their application.

            An important step in developing a new vision of global partnership was an international consultation’ process convened by the International Fund for Agricultural Development. This consultation produced a “NARS Vision of International Agricultural Research” and resulted in a declaration and recommendations to strengthen NARS-CGIAR partnerships. It also identified the need to develop effective mechanisms to successfully implement an innovative new global agenda. The new vision of agricultural research requires new ways of thinking about partnerships and the implementation of high quality science, technology, and expertise in multidisciplinary research embracing both the social and biological sciences.

            In 1996 the first Global Forum on Agricultural Research was held (CGIAR 1996). This was the first time that the various components of the global agricultural system had been brought together to explore the needs and opportunities for agricultural research. The Global Forum manifested the resolve of the international community

to integrate its best scientific talent in order to maximize its agricultural research capacity. It culminated in the adoption of a Declaration for Global Partnership in Agricultural Research.

What is a “Global Program”?

            Global program is a situation or context where partnerships are developed, fostered, and ensured. A global program, thus, consists of a coordinated set of activities, carried out by a wide range of program ‘participants, or partners, and directed toward solving a specific problem or set of problems identified at the global level.

A global program can also be considered as: 

• a set of partnerships;
•  a forum for setting global research priorities;
•  an umbrella for improved funding possibilities for program participants through the recognition of the program by donor agencies;
• a mechanism to promote close interaction among, and knowledge of, research teams within an area of specialization;
• an opportunity for interdependent research projects (i.e., projects requiring interdisciplinary and complementary partnerships); and
• an opportunity for improved access to information and resources.

            The overriding aim of developing a program in this way is to create “added value” through more efficient partnerships and the sharing of information, materials, and results.

Two important principles that should be applied within the context of global programs are: 

• Equity : All partners in a global program should have an equal status, and benefits from the program should be shared with equity. 
• Subsidiarity.:  The primary responsibility for an activity should be devolved to the lowest level in the hierarchy- from global to regional to national - where it can be carried out most effectively and efficiently.

 Who is Involved in Global Programs?

            Ideally, all of the major players and stakeholders with an interest in addressing a particular problem or set of problems should participate in a global program. The many actors may include ARIs, NARS, the private sector, NGOs, IARCs, and farmers themselves, all of whom play contributing and complementary roles.

            Developing a global program will allow the various actors in the global scene to be brought together, their respective roles clarified, and collaborative partnerships established. The initiation of a global program can be led by any of the actors.

Benefits of Global Programs

1.  As a set of partnerships: With limited resources, maximum efficiency in agricultural research is essential. A number of steps can be taken to ensure efficiency, including:

1)      Assembling all of the possible partners;

2)      Making the best use of available resources;

3)      Avoiding duplication of efforts; and,

4)      Adding value through the creation of synergies among partners.

Such measures can be achieved within the context of global programs which operate on the basis of partnerships.

2.  As a forum for setting global research priorities: Bringing together all of the major stakeholders in a program provides the ideal forum for setting program priorities. This must be carried out at the global level with the participation of all players, thus minimizing the duplication of effort and increasing the efficiency with which funds are used - two of the major goals of effectively implementing the global agricultural research system. A critical component of any global program is, therefore, to establish an effective and agreeable mechanism of setting priorities.

3.  As an umbrella for improved funding possibilities for program participants: The development of a global. program to address a specific problem area allows the coordination, not only of research into that problem, but also of the funding for such research. Indeed, the donor agencies are considered as partners in such programs and play an important role in program development. The involvement of donors ensures their recognition and understanding of the problem being addressed and, hence, enhances the possibilities of funding for all component parts of the program.

4.  As an opportunity for interdependent research projects: Projects which require interdisciplinary and complementary partnerships can be readily accommodated within the framework of a global program. The bringing together of all of the major players provides a mechanism to promote close interaction among research teams and, thus, facilitates the identification of complementary skills and resources. This in turn creates the opportunity for the development of interdependent and interdisciplinary research projects.

5.  As an opportunity for improved access to information and resources: The close partnerships which underpin global programs result in the rapid, informal exchange of information among program participants. In addition, through program meetings and workshops, research activities can be discussed and results disseminated. Information exchange is, indeed, recognized as a particularly important function of global programs.

Major Challenges in Establishing a Global Program

1. Oversight: Oversight for a global program is required to ensure that the program addresses the identified needs in the most efficient and effective way and to ensure that, as the program develops, the aims and objectives continue to be appropriately addressed.Oversight may be provided by a steering committee made up of representatives of the major stakeholders. In addition, representation by the major regional groupings, which have emerged as mechanisms to set priorities on a regional basis, can ensure the relevance of global programs within the context of the overall global agricultural research system. Appropriate oversight is necessary to assure donors that efficiency is, indeed, resulting from the investment. 
2. Coordination and transaction costs: Good coordination is essential to ensures the success of a global program. The coordinating body should play an “honest broker” role, and must ensure that all program participants are kept informed of overall program progress, that partnerships remain close and active, and that information is circulated freely and efficiently between all program partners. This includes the preparation and distribution of reports on program progress, as well as the organization of program meetings, conferences, and workshops. In addition, coordination also involves a “secretariat” function to the program.
3. Communication: Significant advances in communication technology have been made in recent years and these should be used in global programs to ensure rapid and efficient information exchange. However, it is clear that not all program participants will have access to the latest technologies. The lack of these tools must not result in isolation or exclusion of potential partners. A challenge that must, therefore, be addressed within the context of global programs is to ensure that, while information flows efficiently and the best use is made of the latest technologies, all participants are able to access and distribute information. In addition, a global program must create a working environment which encourages all partners to willingly share information. Global programs operate on the basis of equal and open partnerships, and participants must feel confident with this mode of operation
4. Activities and resources:  The research activities carried out by program participants constitute the core of a global program. These activities may be carried out by individuals, institutes, or groups of institutes. Whatever mechanism is chosen, activities must be carried out by those with the greatest advantage to do so. Activities may be funded by a range of mechanisms and may be of varying duration and complexity. The majority of the resources required for activities carried out within the framework of a global, program will be brought into the program by program partners. However, there will also be a need for further funding to support additional research needs as identified by program participants, and to cover the transaction costs of the program. It is important that this latter cost is recognized and provisions are made to cover this right from the planning stage of the program.
5. Priority setting and resource allocation: While it is true that bringing together all of the major stakeholders in a program provides an ideal opportunity for setting priorities, a mechanism must be put in place to ensure that this is done objectively. A major challenge that must be recognized and addressed is the possibility that program participants may be tempted to bias the priority setting process in their favor. In order for the program to be effective and for participants to benefit from it, they must be willing to forgo a certain level of independence.  Overall program objectives must take priority over individual objectives, compromises may be necessary, and professional jealousies must be overcome. Ensuring that all’ participants are fully committed to overall program aims, and that these aims have been set in a participatory manner, is one way that these problems may be overcome  Having determined program priorities, a related issue is to ensure that resources are appropriately allocated to these priorities. Although many of the activities included in a global program are brought in already funded, these activities may not necessarily be of the highest priority to the program as a whole. One benefit of operating as a global program is that funding gaps can be readily identified once priorities have been set. While the identification of funds to fill gaps will remain a major challenge, it is possible that funding agencies may be more interested in funding pieces of research when it is clear where they fit into the overall research effort, than if they are presented in isolation.
6. Accountability: Accountability is necessary at various levels within a global program, and mechanisms to ensure this must be put in place. At the highest level, the program itself must be accountable to the global agricultural community - the global system, and through this, to the end users. In addition, participants in the program are accountable to the program as a whole as well as to the program’s donors.

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Courtesy:

Global Programs: A New Vision in Agricultural Research by Emile. A. Frison, Wanda .W. Collins, and Suzanne, L. Sharrock, CGIAR.