1. The investment challenge:
Time for a step-change in our
actions
Mark Holderness, GFAR

2. Investing in R & D can:
• increase agricultural
productivity
• improve sustainability
• promote food and
nutrition security
• support ecosystem
services, and
• promote economic growth
and rural development.
(G20 scientists, 2014)
GFAR is all of us…
Agriculture = nearly one-third
of GDP in low income countries
VISION
The Global Forum makes agri-food research and innovation systems more effective,
responsive and equitable, towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals
MISSION
Partners in the Global Forum, at national, regional and international levels, advocate
for, and catalyse Collective Actions that strengthen and transform agri-food research
and innovation systems
Partners in GFAR
Farmers CGIAR & AIRCA
Consumers FAO
NGOs/CSOs IFAD
Private sector networks Finance & investment
Regional Research & Devt Fora Youth
Advisory services Women
Education Advanced research (G20)

3. GCARD Road Map: “Research is essential but not in itself
sufficient for development impact”
 Takes forward new GFAR Collective Actions to validate,
increase and improve investment in National agri-food research
and innovation systems
 Frames how international research best aligns with and adds
value to national capabilities and aligns with national and
regional demands
Why GCARD3 is so important

4. Under-investment in national systems

5. Much greater investment is needed NOW
Evidence is variable but clear need for increase
 CGIAR SRF 2010: Investments in national agricultural research
and innovation systems need to triple by 2025 to meet changing
global food needs
 UN 2015: Achieving Zero Hunger by 2030. 17% of new rural
development investments, i.e. USD 17,628 million p.a., should be in
agricultural research, development and extension, investing from
innovation into impact
 Uruguay (M Allegri 2015) INIA Benefit: Cost ratio = 17:1
 USDA – (TM Hurley et al 2014) 13.6% on average, for 4.1 billion p.a.
invested, annual return is $439 million
 CGIAR - $1 invested in CGIAR = $9 of additional food, ROR = 39-100%
 A step change increase is required, bridging the Missing
Middle with better investments

6.  Formal institutional walls & hierarchies are breaking down,
actions occurring by networks and soft power
 Social media cut quickly through layers of communication
and control
 Economic growth in Asia, yet big inequalities remain.
Subsidiarity and participation are the required reality
 From linearity to complex Knowledge and Innovation
Webs, grounded in local realities
 ODA will not suffice. Addis Ababa Action Agenda (2015):
Many new forms of financing are required to fill the gap:
private sector investment, national tax collection,
remittances and innovative financial instruments
Innovation and enterprise are changing fast

7. The challenge
How do we :
• Transform national agricultural innovation
systems to deliver change at scale?
• Break down silo walls between us to generate,
share, transform and use agricultural
knowledge?
• Attract sustainable, long term investment to
the levels required?
• Ensure agri-food innovation creates viable and
attractive opportunities for women and young
people?

8. • Focus on opportunities for women and
youth
• Turns innovation into enterprise, addressing
key blockages in agri-food value chains
• Integrated & leveraged funding, driven by
national systems
• Demand-driven processes, technical support
as needed
• Farmers and consumers empowered with
knowledge, capacities and resource control
• Working across all relevant sectors –
Public/Private/Producer Partnerships (PPPPs)
• Links to existing and new innovation
processes
Collective Action is required

9. The Solution
More & Better
Investment
+
Collective
actions
addressing
national needs
+
Capacity
support
Agricultural
research,
education,
extension and
enterprise that
delivers change
and growth for
the rural poor,
especially
women & youth

10. Integrated Agricultural Innovation & Enterprise
Facility
International
technical
support
to help overcome
key barriers, adding
value & tools &
technologies to
address key
blockages
National delivery
by informed &
empowered local
actors & mentors,
working together in
value-web based
innovation platforms
How it can
work...
Investing in
innovation: national
commitments and
coherent
development funding
with accountable
mechanisms

11. 1. Community foresight inclusively defines
needs, desired futures and potential solutions
2. Creates equitable PPP partnership and
accountability
3. Increases investments in human, institutional
and financial resources for AR4D systems
4. Develops human and institutional capacities
to generate, access and make use of
agricultural knowledge & innovation
5. Effectively links innovation and development
programmes and policies; and
6. Demonstrates its value by involving
stakeholders in showing and reporting results
Alignment with the GCARD Roadmap

12. Embed innovation in development investments
• Research and innovation as
components of integrated
development, not separate
projects
• Develop the capacity of multi-
stakeholder Innovation Platforms
• Link youth and women’s
opportunity & enterprise to loans
& resources
• Foster policies for SME
development and rights
• Producer accountability of the
investment processes

13. Collective actions catalyzed to improve Capacity in
Agricultural Innovation institutions of all kinds e.g.
 Coherent approach (TAP, GAP, Private
Sector) to strengthen innovation &
enterprise capacities
 Transforming formal agricultural
education and informal learning
(GCHERA & YPARD)
 Reform & strengthen advisory service
& extension sector (GFRAS)
 Open access to information & data
(GODAN & CIARD), transformed
into new agricultural knowledge &
innovation
Supporting mechanisms: Partners in GFAR catalyzing
capacity development through Collective Actions
Policy makers,
scientists, researchers
Entrepreneurs, traders,
processors, wholesalers
Rural technicians
and artisans
Extension workers,
change agents
Small-holders and farmers
Information, learning,
resources, inputs, support
I. Frempong

14. Demonstrate value, convince the Financiers
• Develop capacity of agrifood R & I systems
in strategy, planning , priority setting,
managing change, results-based
management and stakeholder involvement
• Establish systems of M & E, impact
assessment at national and regional levels
• Foster learning on transformative
processes and mutual accountability
• Develop capacity of stakeholders to
document success stories and lessons
learned
• Provide technical support for effective
governance and management

15. National demand, Nationally owned & led
Collective action demanded by Ministers, e.g.
 Egypt, Palestine, Fiji, Nepal, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, IFAD, GAFSP & TAP focal countries
 Policy demands: FAO-COAG, G20, CGIAR, IFAD,
GAFSP, EC- AGRIFI
 Investments & capacities empower change and
overcome key blockages, risks and incentive
barriers, turning innovation into impact
 Local Innovation platforms at core, processes
driven by local & national needs, national
systems, national voices
Partners in GFAR involved at multiple levels –
national, regional and international

16. Processes for change – e.g. Egypt
Massive concern at rural out-migration and urban
destabilization
 Government to invest $22 billion in opportunity for
rural youth
 Focus – women & youth in poor Governorate of Luxor
 Innovation into enterprise – Innovation platforms,
system funding integrated & cross-leveraged
 Partners – private sector, women’s groups,
universities, ARC, extension, NGOs, social
development funds, with international support

17. Next steps
• Endorsed by IFAD and FAO, AfDB
• Welcomed by the G20 Agricultural Chief Scientists
• Working with funding agencies, developing the
right focus and leveraging for each in sustainable
funding mechanisms
• Bilateral support - positive responses from a
number of countries and Foundations
• Working from the outset of rural loan
needs-assessment processes: IFAD, GAFSP, AfDB,
EC, Asian financing???

18. Thank You