Announcement: CELEBRATING FARA: Renewing, Repositioning and Refocusing

In November 2014, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa will host a series of events to celebrate 15 years of promoting research and innovation in Africa. The renewal, repositioning and refocusing of FARA (FARA-3R platform) is the central element of the ‘Celebrating FARA’ event.

The purpose of Celebrating FARA is to take stock of its achievements and reposition FARA for the next decade.

The Celebration of FARA is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26th to 28th November 2014, immediately after the 14th FARA Board of Directors meeting scheduled for 24th and 25th November. Pre-celebration and post-celebration events are planned in conjunction with the main event. The programme is summarized below.

Pre-Celebration events

1 November
Launch of new FARA Website and Logo

7 November
Launch of the FARA book: “Maximizing Impact from AgriculturalResearch: Potential of the IAR4D” at the European Commission Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium

The main event will feature the following activities:

26–27 November

• Open Space Agricultural Technology Fair by CGIAR (Convened by ILRI), SROs, NARIs, and other institutions 
• Side events of FARA programmes: PAEPARD; SSA-CP; ReMoCaSt; PSTAD; UniBRAIN; NORAD project on climate smart agriculture; Regional Policy Dialogue; and other meetings organized by partners

28 November

• FARA Investment Strategy Dialogue, Science Agenda Operational Plan validation
• Keynote Paper by Prof. Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development, Harvard Kennedy School followed by a roundtable discussion featuring 6 inaugural Fellows of AAAST
• Launch of Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa by Dr Kanayo Nwanze (DSc), President of IFAD; Launch of IAR4D Proof of Concept
• Inaugural FARA Annual Lecture and Symposium, Prof. Monty Jones, Special Adviser to the President of Sierra Leone and Ambassador-at-large followed by a roundtable discussion featuring the other 6 inaugural Fellows of AAAST. 
• Launch of refreshed FARA Brand (new logo, website, etc.); 
• Launch of AAAST and associated publications; Induction and investiture of AAAST Fellows; 
• Resolutions on the way forward and Closing

Post-Celebration events

29-30 November        
GFAR constituent Assembly meeting and consultation on preparations for the third Global Conference on Agricultural Research-for-Development (GCARD3) in Johannesburg, South Africa