Agricultural research for development: CGIAR, a key partner for Europe

7 March 2022. High-level event - Agricultural research for development: CGIAR, a key partner for Europe. 

6-7 March 2022. The ministers and ministers of state for development of the 27 Member States discussed the challenges of cooperation in the field of development in a context of heightened competition in the priority regions of the EU and post-COVID-19 recovery. This informal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in its development format was chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

This meeting provided ministers with some time for in-depth exchange on European development policy, in an international context marked by geopolitical tensions and power games between different development models, the persistence of major global inequalities and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hampered the attainment of the SDGs.

The informal nature of this meeting allowed more open exchanges on the new working method of the EU and on its position as the world’s leading donor of official development aid. Beyond this, the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union highlighted themes that are essential to this core policy in the affirmation of the European Union and its values in the global arena:

The geopolitical dimension of European international cooperation and development policy

Discussions focused on Europe’s offer of partnerships for sustainable development, in particular in the wake of the EU-AU Summit and the Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, for the purpose of further developing strategic orientations, instruments and the implementation of the EU’s international cooperation and development policy.

Biodiversity preservation in development policies and support for research on sustainable food systems

A working lunch discussed in particular the fight against climate change, the prevention of pandemics, access to water and the development of sustainable food systems.

The former president of Niger, Mr Mahamadou Issoufou, was invited to speak as “resource mobilization champion for the Great Green Wall”. This international initiative for the environment and land management launched in 2007 by the African Union in 11 countries of the Sahel region, which France helped to revive in early 2021, provides an example of a large-scale project that contributes to biodiversity protection, to fighting land degradation and to the development of sustainable farming policies. The agro-ecological approach is vital to preserve biodiversity while responding in a sustainable manner to the growing food needs of populations.

World-renowned representatives from the Montpellier scientific ecosystem, were invited to participate in this exchange to share their experience: CIRAD and the CGIAR global partnership of international organizations focused on food security research.

Press conference following the meeting of ministers for development\

Joint press conference by Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Mr. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

@8:11: Biodiversity preservation in development policies

We do not talk much about the loss of biodiversity. But had an opportunity to talk about it with the former president Niger: Mr Mahamadou Issoufou, who was a student in Montpellier. We talked  about how to include biodiversity in our development policies, as well as about the contribution of the European Union to agricultural research in Africa. Mr. Josep Borrell

We discussed with Mr Mahamadou Issoufou, the Great Green wall, which is a massive agro ecological project covering 11 countries in the Sahel. It is currently being financed up to16 billion euros worth of investment. This project extends from Senegal to Djibouti and will enable the people living there to revive agriculture.   Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian

Related: 

7-10 March 2022, Montpellier, France. The 15th meeting of the CGIAR System Council will be held on 8 and 9 March 2022 in Montpellier, France, with associated events taking place on 7 and 10 March. 

System Council members are being offered the opportunity to consider the role of the Impact Area Platforms in relation to the first set of 19 CGIAR Initiatives that are under external independent review.
The Impact Areas are: 

1. Nutrition, Health, and Food Security; 
2. Poverty Reduction, Livelihoods, and Jobs; 
3. Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion;
4. Climate Adaptation and Mitigation; 
5. Environmental Health and Biodiversity.

The Quality of Research for Development in the CGIAR Context (Qo4RD [2020]) is a framework that facilitates CGIAR System-wide agreement on the nature and assessment of the quality of science.

To operationalize the QoR4D framework for the Initiative assessments, ISDC embarked on a codesign process with One CGIAR scientists that resulted in 17 criteria using the four elements of QoR4D: relevance, scientific credibility, legitimacy, and effectiveness.

Initial set of 19 CGIAR Initiative Proposals

1. Accelerated Breeding (ABI): Meeting farmers’ needs with nutritious, climate-resilient crops
2. ClimBeR: Building Systemic Resilience against Climate Variability and Extremes
3. Conservation and Use of Genetic Resources (Genebanks)
4. Ukama Ustawi: Diversification for resilient agribusiness ecosystems in East and Southern Africa (ESA)
5. Excellence in Agronomy for Sustainable Intensification and Climate Change Adaptation (EiA)
6. Livestock, Climate and System Resilience
7. Market Intelligence and Product Profiling
8. MItigation and Transformation Initiative for GHG reductions of Agrifood systems RelaTed Emissions (MITIGATE+)
9. National Policies and Strategies for Food, Land and Water Systems Transformation (NPS)
10. Network 4 Enabling Tools, Technologies, and Shared Services (N4ETTSS)
11. NEXUS Gains: Realizing Multiple Benefits Across Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystems (Forests, Biodiversity)
12. Plant Health and Rapid Response to Protect Food Security and Livelihoods
13. Protecting Human Health through a One Health Approach
14. Rethinking Food Markets and Value Chains for Inclusion and Sustainability
15. SAPLING – Sustainable Animal Productivity for Livelihoods, Nutrition and Gender inclusion
16. SeEdQUAL: Delivering Genetic Gains in Farmers’ Fields
17. Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHiFT)
18. Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA)
19. Transformational Agroecology across Food, Land and Water systems

Second set of 12 CGIAR Initiative Proposals

1. Resilient Cities Through Sustainable Urban and Peri-urban Agrifood Systems
2. From Fragility to Resilience in Central and West Asia and North Africa (F2R-CWANA)
3. Nature-Positive Solutions for Shifting Agrifood Systems to More Resilient and Sustainable Pathways
4. AgriLAC Resiliente: Resilient Agri-Food Innovation Systems Driving Food Security, Inclusive Growth, And Reduced Out-Migration in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
5. Resilient Aquatic Food Systems for Healthy People and Planet
6. Securing the food systems of Asian Mega-Deltas for climate and livelihood resilience (AMD)
7. Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SI-MFS)
8. Transforming Agrifood Systems in West and Central Africa (TAFS-WCA)
9. Foresight and Metrics to Accelerate Food, Land, and Water Systems Transformation
10. Harnessing Digital Technologies for Timely Decision-Making across Food, Water, and Land Systems
11. Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH)
12. HER+: Harnessing Gender and Social Equality for Resilience in Agrifood Systems