This annual forum provided a platform for senior leadership from CGIAR, NARES (National
Agricultural Research and Extension Systems), SRO (sub regional organizations) and Universities in Africa to meet, exchange views and take stock of the current state of crop improvement partnerships. Progress against previous commitments were tracked and critical areas of improvement to further strengthen partnerships and collaboration are identified.
This event was hosted by the CGIAR Genetic Innovation Science Group. Participants include National Agricultural Research and Extension Services (NARES) leaders, CGIAR Genetic Innovation leaders, regional organizations, CGIAR breeding program leaders. A range of CGIAR Centers also partipate, and Genetic Innovation Research Initiatives are involved, including: Accelerated Breeding, Breeding Resources, Genebanks, Market Intelligence, Seed Equal.
GFAiR’s Executive Secretary Hildegard Lignau, attended the CGIAR-NARES-leadership meeting and spoke about GFAiR and GFAiR's Global NARS Consortium (GNC) initiative.
BMBF presentation:
Slide 1: CROP INVESTMENTS SHOULD PRIORITIZE MARKET-DEMANDED, CLIMATE RESILIENT VARIETIES AND DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS ALONG THE IMPACT PATHWAY WITH DATA
1. Crop Improvement Impact Pathway
- Improving Breeding Population: Genetic Gain
- On-farm testing & validation of pipeline: On-farm performance data and replacement cases for release
- Production and distribution of varieties: Certified or breeder seed production
- Adoption at scale in target geographies: WANA farmer adoption surveys
- Increased yield impacts: Nutritional productivity statistics
3. Comparative advantage along impact pathway: Activities become local.
4. Topline Argument for the BMGF CGIAR investment portfolio is not the CG research agenda. It is the dissemination, reach, and leverage of the partnership network.
Slide 2: BMGF STRONGLY SUPPORTS NARES-CG BREEDING NETWORKS
- From the scientific perspective: Shared population development with a broad regional testing footprint is the fastest path to climate resilient varieties.
- From an impact perspective: Demand is local. Release is local. Adoption is local. Regional collaborative breeding is an accelerator that must serve national needs to demonstrate impact.
- From a long-term, strategic perspective: Complementary benefits for the future.
- NARES – shape regional MTS, TPPA, and advancement of germplasm to benefit national releases and breeding programs. Accelerate modernization of national breeding programs.
- CGIAR – tune regional breeding efforts for bigger impact, evolve the CGIAR’s role toward a future of strong African national systems.
Slide 3: WE SUPPORT NARES-CG BREEDING NETWORKS AS THE UNIT OF WORK, MANAGEMENT, GOVERNANCE, AND COSTING
- Are organized around regional market segments that are shaped bottom-up by local demand and impact potential identified by NARES and SMEs.
- Clear roles and decision rights for all network partners, CGIAR, NARES, SMEs, according to comparative advantage and capacity.
- Transparent costing of networks, with each partner receiving appropriate budget according to role and contribution.
- We strongly support allocation of a proportion of MF funds to NARES partners: As partners in success who should be determined by their mandate.
- Ability to pivot and reallocate operations and enhance network impact as we learn.
- Joint accountability on variety releases, with shared accountability across and support for breeding, scaling, licensing, and local backstopping.
- Joint reporting on progress with metrics and indicators for both breeding and partnership.
Aide-Memoires
Resources:
- NARES–CGIAR Genetic Innovation: Strengthening and Coordinating Engagement – Nairobi edition, 2022
- NARES-CGIAR Leadership Meeting: Genetic Innovation – Marrakesh edition, 2023
- As CGIAR-NARES networks deliver improved crops, new plans are set to accelerate progress
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