Science Forum 2009, 16 and 17 June 2009 in Wageningen, the Netherlands, is organized by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Science Council, in partnership with the CGIAR Secretariat, the Alliance of the CGIAR Centers, the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) and Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen UR).

Consistent with the ongoing evolution of the CGIAR, Science Forum 2009 will focus on partnerships and on new ways to mobilize global linkages in science to enhance impact on development.

Science Forum 2009 will explore ways to mobilize science more effectively to enhance food security, improve nutrition, reduce poverty and to better manage natural resources. The Forum is expected to serve both the CGIAR, the advanced research institutes (ARIs), national agricultural research services (NARS) and their current and prospective partners and beneficiaries to explore new applications of advanced science to address development challenges, and to highlight the potential for new linkages within the global research community.

Productive partnerships are essential to harness science more efficiently and effectively for development, and to target collaborative scientific efforts on development impact. Partnerships are vital to capture advanced science and technologies that will enhance agricultural productivity, while increasing the resilience of natural resource systems and fostering more effective policies and institutions. Moreover, partnerships that connect research in the CGIAR, ARIs and NARS have the potential to amplify the impact of public investment in agricultural research and development.

Science Forum 2009 will be the first in a series of biennial science fora that will seek to highlight opportunities where global partnerships can capture new areas of science, particularly in disciplines beyond conventional agriculture, to benefit farmers and rural communities.

Science Forum 2009 directly contributes towards the 2010 Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD). Specifically concerned with the issues and prospects around mobilizing advanced science, it will inform both regional consultations and subsequent global discussion as to how advanced science might better benefit the poor and how it should best be mobilized in support of international development.

The objectives of the Forum are to:

1) Identify areas of rapid scientific innovation that have the potential to deliver development impact.

2) Investigate new modalities for research collaboration, identify factors that limit effective collaborative engagement and explore a common vision for collaborative linkages and research partnerships.

The Forum is a two-day open meeting among scientists of the CGIAR, ARIs, NARS and stakeholders. Participation is open, and the Forum seeks to achieve a balance in representation among disciplines, geographical regions and genders. It is anticipated that participants will be principally practicing scientists, but donors, policymakers, and civil society groups are also encouraged to attend.

Participation

To promote their professional development and to engage the next generation of scientists, the participation of scientists who are in the early stages of their careers is particularly encouraged.

Output

The 2009 Forum will focus on innovative science and the arrangements that can help to mobilize it more effectively for development. The conclusions of the Forum will be synthesized and will serve to guide future research strategies for both the CGIAR and advanced research institutes. The proceedings will encapsulate key messages and highlight crucial areas for future research collaborations between the CGIAR and partners. Science Forum 2009 directly contributes towards the 2010 Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD) in seeking to inform both regional consultations and subsequent global discussion as to how advanced science can be more effectively, and efficiently, mobilized in support of development.

If you have any questions regarding Science Forum 2009, please contact:
scienceforum2009@cgiar.org