CGIAR: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research – Core Contribution

CGIAR is a global research partnership established in 1971 with support of FAO and the World Bank. CGIAR dedicated to advancing agri-food science and innovation contributing to the global efforts to tackle poverty hunger, major nutrition imbalances and environmental degradation. It is the only worldwide agricultural research partnership that binds a consortium of 15 international research centres, their partners (including national and regional research institutes, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector) and donors. No other insitution has the capacity in terms of people, partners, infrastructure and a presence on the ground in over 60 countries to work on breakthrough discovery research all the way to integrated delivery to million of smallholder farmers.

Research is framed by a strategy and results framework, implemented by 16 global thematic programs (CGIAR Research Programs – CRP) and financed by the CGIAR Fund and/or bilateral grants given directly to research centres. Funders include governments of both developing and industrialised countries, foundations, and international and regional organisations.
The CGIAR Consortium of Centres has its office in Montpellier, France, is managed by an independent Consortium Board and the Fund Council, which is the highest decision-making body representing the donors.

CGIAR is currently one of the 14 multilateral priority organisations of Switzerland and is foreseen to remain a prioritiy organisation in the Dispatch on International Cooperation 2017-2020.
The mandate of the CGIAR is directly in line with three out of five global themes mentioned in the Federal dispatch (Botschaft) 2013-2016: food security, climate change, water, and nutrition/health.
The CGIAR is a key global partner for SDC's support to international agricultural research for development, particularly under the GPFS core issue 1 'Sustainability of Production Systems’; entry point 1 ‘Strengthen Agricultural Research for Development’ (cf. GPFS Strategic Framework 2013-2017).

This multilateral commitment complements and strengthens SDC’s engagement in 1) agricultural research and innovations systems for smallholder farmers at country and regional levels, and 2) investments to multilateral agencies IFAD, WFP and FAO: all of them are beneficiaries and users of the research evidence and the capacity provided by the CGIAR.

In all three CGIAR system level outcomes (i.e. increased food security); improved nutrition & health; and sustainable management of natural resources major scientific progress has taken place, which led to large up- and out-scaling initiatives supporting National research, innovation systems and smallholder farmers with concrete new opportunities (e.g. 89 million hectares under better technologies or practices, etc.).

The 16 CGIAR Research Programs (CRP) approved in 2012, were extended for two years 2015-2016. All CRPs were externally reviewed, and the utility of the ‘CRP as modus operandi’ was strongly confirmed.

A new SRF 2016-2030 based on results based management and aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was approved in May 2015 and is guiding the elaboration of the second generation CRP portfolio in 2016. Donors (incl. Switzerland) and research centres were strongly involved in the elaboration of the new performance and results framework, which is the backbone of the new SRF.

A new Gender strategy for the CGIAR system was elaborated, and all CRP extension proposals explicated their respective Gender work. Annual reporting on Intellectual Property (IP) by the Fund Council IP independent group is now well established and remains highly relevant.

Based on recommendations of the CGIAR midterm review 2013/14, the Fund Council decided in 2015 to reorient the CGIAR governance to a one-pillar organisation. The transition from the prevailing to the new CGIAR System, starting 1. July 2016, was supported by a professional transition team supporting the different entities during this process. A new ‘CGIAR governance system’, that separates a strategy body (System Council, led by donors) from the management body (System Management Board-centres & independent members) will be established and supported by one CGIAR System Office in Montpellier.

Proposals for the second generation of CRPs (2017-2019) have been submitted late March 2016, will be independently reviewed and prioritised for funding by donors late 2016.

SDC continues its active engagement within the European Initiative for Agricultural Research for Development (EIARD) working group with the intention to leverage the Swiss and European influence on CGIAR Fund Council decisions items. As 10^th largest donor to the CGIAR, Switzerland maintains its seat on the new System Council (July 2016 -2019).

SDC will define its modus of support to the new CGIAR system: a) attribution of core funds to funding windows 1 & 2, and b) selection among the new CRPs a few, which are most complementary and coherent with GPFS strategic core issues for food security and agricultural development.

SDC maintains its fields of observation at CGIAR system level: gender, partnership, and capacity development.

Total of 64 other donors, of which major donor countries in ranking order are:
USA, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, Mexico, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, India, Japan, Ireland, Finland.

Foundations and international organisations in ranking order: World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, EC, AfDB, IFAD

Switzerland is an active member of the European Initiative for Agriculture Research for Development ((EIARD), i.e. EU member countries, EC, Norway and Switzerland), a mechanism that allows for a coordinated European voice at the Fund Council.

CGIAR Fund Council: Switzerland holds one of the four European seats in the Fund Council in 2013-2016 (June), and one of the 15 donors seats of the System Council (July 2016 onwards).

Fase 7 01.01.2016 - 31.12.2016   (Completed)