Agriculture and rural prosperity from the perspective of research and technological
innovation in Latin America and the Caribbeaninnovation in Latin America and the Caribbean
FORAGRO 2010
Position
Executive Committee of FORAGRO
Montpellier, France 29/03/2010
Overview
LAC context from the perspective of agricultural RD&I
FORAGRO – Stakeholders and Lines of Action
Processes of identification of priorities in LAC
Regional Consultation Process for GCARD
Priority topics for LAC Region
Strategic elements for implementation of the priorities
LAC Region : The Context
Agriculture in LAC Region
- Great opportunities but also faces new challenges
- Strategic sector for development, contribution 10% of GDP, and 20-30% , its links with agribusiness
- It is re-positioned, key sector for growth and - It is re-positioned, key sector for growth and economic development, food security and environmental sustainability with social inclusion
- Family agriculture farms represent 80% of the total
Agriculture in LAC Region
- Heterogeneity - differences among geopolitical regions (North, Mesoamerica, Caribbean, Andean and South) and within, at country level and eco-regions
- temperate areas at the latitude extremes, with important capacity for food supply
- tropical areas that provide diversified food, with important wealth in their biodiversity, however they concentrate population with higher poverty indexes
- The LAC Region cannot be seen as a uniform, it needs differentiated sub-regional strategies
Mega-domainsAs example of the eco-regional diversity of LAC
Source: FONTAGRO 2002
Food production per capita
Trends in production
Trends in production of basic crops (cereals, roots & tubers, beans) in LAC
Source: FAOSTAT. Data; analysis Area of Technology & Innovation, IICA
R & D Investment
Trends in investments in agriculture R&D and their intensities
Source: Data from ASTI (Stads and Beintema 2008). Analysis: Area of Technology & Innovation, IICA.
Number and academic level of professional staff dedicated to agricultural R&D
Researchers : Human Resource assets
Source: Data from ASTI (Stads and Beintema 2008). Analysis: Area of Technology & Innovation, IICA.
MDGsMDGs
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CIPCIPCIPCIP
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NationalNational InnovationInnovation SystemsSystems
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INIAs
IBEROAMERICA
Universities Private Sector
•DIALOGUE
•ARTICULATION
Executive Committee
NARIsFarmer
Associations
NGOs
•ARTICULATION
•ALLIANCES
•ADVOCACY ROLE
• S&T DEVELOPMENT
Technical Secretariat
IICA
International
Centers
GTAF
FORAGRO’s Lines of Action - MTP
Hemispheric Dialogue
Support for a Regional R&D Agenda (Priorities)
Capacity Building: exchange of experiences
Foresight studies Foresight studies
Information management for R&D
Lobby for R&D in relevant Fora
Support of the Regional R&D Systems
Line of Action: Hemispheric Dialogue
1997-1999
I. CARTAGENA, BOGOTA,
SANTIAGO-BRASILIA, SAN JOSE
“Alianza Hemisférica.
Concepción del Foro”
2000 2008
2011
VI. LIMA
“ Food Security and
Climate Change”
II. MEXICO
“Agricultura con Conocimiento”:
Compartiendo Visión de la Agricultura y
el Medio Rural”
2002
III. BRASILIA
“Agricultura y Desarrollo Tecnológico: Hacia
la Integración de las Américas”
2005
IV. PANAMA
“Innovación Tecnológica y Prioridades del
Agronegocio. Hacia una Nueva Dimensión
Institucional en las Américas”
V. MONTEVIDEO
“Innovaciones institucionales para
una agricultura con conocimiento
en las Américas del siglo XXI”
Processes of identification of priorities: complementary efforts
NARS/NARIs
FONTAGRO priorities
FORAGRO priorities
LAC:
share visions NARS/NARIs priorities
PROCIs priorities
Regional Thematic Networks priorities
INIAs Iberoaméricapriorities
share visions
and
set priorities
as a Region
Shared vision
Gu
ide
lin
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o f
ost
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Process of identification of priorities in LAC - FORAGRO
Conceptual and operative framework Mexico 2000
Region’s requirements
North Central Caribbean Andean Southern
FORAGRO Brasilia 2002
Group consensus & plenary
Analytical synthesis - Secretariat of FORAGRO - IICA
Shared vision
Gu
ide
lin
e t
o f
ost
er
all
ian
ces
an
d
he
mis
ph
eri
c &
in
tern
ati
on
al
ag
en
da
s
Group consensus & plenary
11 priority topics
De
cla
rati
on
s o
f FO
RA
GR
O
FOR
AG
RO
Act
ion
Pla
ns
FORAGRO Panama 2005
4 initial themes
12 priority topics
FORAGRO Montevideo 2008
8 Priority topics
Montpellier
March 28-31, 2010
CGIAR Strategy & Mega-
Programs
Inter-Regional
CIAT
October 19-20, 2009
FORAGRO
IICA
March 9-10, 2010
e-
Regional Consultation Process 2009 - 2010
Review of
Regional
Documents
Regional Key
Factors
Inter-
Regional
Synthesis
Regional
Face to Face
Meeting
FORAGRO
Executive
Committee
e-
Consultation
Montpellier
28-31/03/10
º
550 participants
32 countries
Regional Consultation Process 2009 - 2010
32 countries
75 participants 33 participants
Priority Topics for ARD in LAC
Food security and nutrition
Increase in production and productivity
Diversification and differentiation of agricultural products and services
Addressing the challenges of climate changeAddressing the challenges of climate change
Conservation and sustainable management of natural resources
Development of bio-energy
Promotion of institutional innovations
Food security and nutrition
� Improve food quality (higher value-added , practicesand standards of quality and treacibility)
� Reduce losses due to biotic and abiotic factors and post- harvesting management (integrate management of pests and diseases, genetic resources )
� Improve the access of rural families to food
Priority topics for LAC
� Improve the access of rural families to food(diversification and better utilization of resources)
� Assure the increases of basic food production for the population (particularly low-income sectors)
� Give a higher importance to the urban food systems (impact in food safety and health)
Increases in production and productivity
� Renewed efforts on less attended species (particularlyin tropical areas and sectors of small scale and familyagriculture), as well as traditional nutritional crops(wheat, maize, rice, beans, potatoes, cassava)
Priority topics for LAC
(wheat, maize, rice, beans, potatoes, cassava)
� Better utilization of existing productive lands withinthe current agricultural frontier, contributing toincrease production , but also to the protection of fragile ecosystems - particularly tropical forests (soilmanagement and biotechnology)
Diversification and differentiation of agricultural products and services
� Development of technologies and innovations for niche markets
Priority topics for LAC
niche markets
� Valuation of underutilized species and varieties or usedonly by small farmers in local markets
� Quality labels for small-scale and family agriculture, tosupport income generation and social sustainability.
Addressing the challenges of climate change
� Studies for a better understanding of the impacts of climate change on agriculture and the rural area (foresight studies )
� Development of technologies for adaptation to climate change (reduce vulnerability by research on risk, genetic
Priority topics for LAC
� Development of technologies for adaptation to climate change (reduce vulnerability by research on risk, genetic resources and biotechnology to develop new adapted varieties, and diversification of systems of production )
� Development of technologies for mitigation to climate change (opportunity, to reduce emissions and carbon sequestration market, carbon footprints, and benefits to small scale farmers )
Conservation and sustainable management of natural resources
� Technologies and good practices to optimize the use of water and soil resources and reducing environment contamination
� Expand the use of environmentally friendly practices
Priority topics for LAC
� Expand the use of environmentally friendly practices (integrated management of pests and nutrients)
� Progressing in the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity (in-situ complemented by ex-situ, geneticimprovement, seed systems and agro-forestry)
� Promotion of agro-ecological production systems (scientific basis for production , with mínimum impacton natural resources, integrating traditional and indigenous knowledge)
Development of bio-energy
� Identification and technological development of new sources of raw materials that are not competitivewith food production
Progress in developing technologies for second and
Priority topics for LAC
� Progress in developing technologies for second and third generation (ligno-cellulosic and algas)
� Incorporation of small-scale, family agriculture
� Development of impact studies (ex-ante and ex-post, in environmental, social, economic and energetic dimensions)
Priority topics for LAC
Promotion of institutional innovations� Integrating models for institutional innovation,
promoting policies, institutions and organizations
� Development of capacities
� Inclusion of farmers in innovation systems (particularly small scale and family agriculture)
� Facilitate the development and operation of national and international networks, and other collective for R & D,
� Facilitate the development and operation of national and international networks, and other collective for R & D,
� Strengthening of local, national and regional technologicalinnovation systems, and their new interaction with the global research system
� Better involvement of the private sector and civil society, as a key component for turning research into innovationand innovation into impact.
� Investments in R&D, important public-private partnerships
Strategic elements for implementation of the priorities
Strengthening Regional mechanisms– To build on existing successful experiences and on the
institutionality in the Region
– To promote major integration public / private sectors, and an to stimulate greater participation of the private sector in R & D
– To incorporate indigenous and small scale farmers experiences– To incorporate indigenous and small scale farmers experiences
– To improve the interaction of R & D organizations with communities and other sectors, integrated approach
– Formalize partnerships and mechanisms for exchange and sharing of information and experiences
– Build capacities of all the actors involved in R & D processes
– Institutionalize FORAGRO as the space for discussion and promotion of institutional change
Articulating and Complementing EffortsExcellent opportunities for a renewed presence of CGIAR in LAC and to strengthening the links with GFAR – implies changes
FORAGRO recognizes the importance of the changes in CGIAR and GFAR for the insertion of the Region in a global context,
Increase investment in LAC with high impact, multiplying effect within the Region, and spill over to others (12 % CGIAR)within the Region, and spill over to others (12 % CGIAR)
LAC has a strong regional platform for collaborative actions,
Capacity building - Human Resources and Infrastructure
Family agriculture and its links with the markets
Renewed mechanisms of partnerships
Mega-programmes in general aligned with LAC priorities.
Explore joint Regional Mega Program with LAC
FORAGRO will be satisfied with a process and a timetable of dialogues with CGIAR to develop a joint working agenda
Development of a “culture of Development of a “culture of cooperation among Regions”, promoting a shared vision of agriculture in the global context –a key role for GFAR
Thank you !
