Farmers and Innovation: the role of Research?

GFAR shaping the future together… Investing in R & D can: increase agricultural productivity improve sustainability promote food and nutrition security support ecosystem services, and promote economic growth and rural development. (G20 scientists, 2014) VISION The Global Forum makes agri-food research and innovation systems more effective, responsive and equitable, towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals MISSION Partners in the Global Forum, at national, regional and international levels, advocate for, and catalyse Collective Actions that strengthen and transform agri-food research and innovation systems Partners in GFAR Farmers CGIAR & AIRCA Consumers FAO NGOs/CSOs IFAD Private sector networks Finance & investment Regional Research & Devt Fora Youth Advisory services Women Education Advanced research (G20) For developing countries, agricultural growth is critical to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Agriculture currently accounts for nearly one-third of GDP in low income countries on average, compared with 10 percent in middle income countries and one percent in high income nations. Agricultural research and development (R and D) has been shown to provide some of the highest rates of return among all rural development investments. G20 scientists meeting in Australia in 2014 concluded global scientific research and innovation has the potential to increase agricultural productivity, improve sustainability, promote food and nutrition security and support the continued delivery of ecosystem services, as well as to promote economic growth and rural development. So why is it that, from the tens of billions of dollars are currently invested in agricultural R and D globally each year, there have not been commensurate gains in productivity, nutrition and food security?   Agriculture = nearly one-third of GDP in low income countries

Challenges: thinking into the Future Looking at the “Big Picture”, Longer Term What is Urban? What is Rural? Farmers: Producers, but really Entrepreneurs, diversified businesses in multiple sectors, SMEs and Researchers Older Farmers? Fewer Farmers? What about more connected, more diverse, more educated? Knowledge and Technology: Innovation as Surprises, Jumps in Understandings, Connections and Uses Agri-food innovations for viable and attractive opportunities for Youth, for Women, even for (former) City Dwellers?

What is Innovation? For Whom? Master and implement design and production of new Goods, new Services Create New Products, new Processes, new Forms of Organisation By both Individuals and Organisations Put them into economic, social and cultural use Establish institutions and policies to affect behaviour and performance

Research and Innovation Continuing transformations in Research Facing the Challenges: institutional changes since the (first) Green Revolution Private Sector research dominant in fields such as seeds for commodity and horticultural crops Stature of Public Agricultural Research in both G20 and G77 Being “multistakeholder”: CGIAR CRPs, private sector, foundations and farmers together

GCARD3: Collective Actions & Farmers? Market Access and Integration Conditions for Local Innovation and Enterprise Farmers’ rights and genetic resources Farmers as Stewards of Land and Landscapes: facing Climate Change Farmers as Innovators: making decisions and partnering in research and public policy

Innovating Together? Farmer-driven Research: Influence Thinking and Practice in international, regional, national and local research Crops and Livestock: Recognition of Farmers’ Collective Rights over genetic resources and rethinking local, farmer control over biotechnology and agrobiodiversity Designing and Tailoring Technology: Demand or Offer Driven? What is farmer designed and initiated? How does research respond?

Making Change Happen? How do the WFO and its Members envisage the future of agricultural innovation and the role of research? How should the Global Forum contribute to change agricultural research for innovation and development: fields of research, attitudes, action, institutions?

Let’s Innovate! www.gfar.net