Since 2011, the key donors and stakeholders of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) with CGIAR, a global agricultural research partnership, to spur agricultural transformation across Africa have come together under that is known as ‘the Dublin Process’. Named for the city in which it was launched, the Dublin Process is aligning the needs and priorities articulated in national agricultural Investment Plans, spearheaded by CAADP, with the research strengths and focus of the CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs).
“This is significant and unprecedented,” says Frank Rijsberman, CEO of the CGIAR Consortium. “Previously, CGIAR and CAADP largely functioned apart, with minimal collaboration and much lost opportunity for cross-fertilization and advancement. With the Dublin process we are linking the considerable scientific capacity and networks of 15 CRPs with the agricultural priorities of each country. The results could have an important bearing on agricultural advances in Africa.”
Since 2003, all of the countries of Africa have signed on to CAADP as a strategy to eliminate pervasive hunger and malnutrition, reduce poverty, generate economic growth, and relieve the heavy burden of importing staple foods. Each country has engaged in a national needs assessment and priority setting, along with regionally-based efforts that recognize agricultural development issues crossing national borders.
As a result of the Dublin Process, CAADP and CGIAR are now working together in a series of activities designed to harmonize their agendas and identify where the greatest value addition can be generated.
“The Dublin Process is a powerful platform for coordinating our investments and expertise,” explains Rijsberman, “and it greatly enhances our ability to achieve the kinds of impacts expected on the ground in Africa, and by our donors.”
Implementation of CAADP has highlighted key gaps that could be better addressed through linkages with CGIAR and CRP resources, such as increased capacity strengthening for agricultural researchers and research systems, greater coordination between agricultural research and extension, more focus on improving nutrition, or research around value chains. Efforts are under way to map needs and opportunities from the country Investment Plans with the research implementation plans of the different CRPs to fill the gaps and better leverage the opportunities and overlaps.
Two regional “productivity” workshops have taken place in Nairobi, Kenya (27-30 August 2012) and Saly-Portudal, Senegal (4-6 September 2012) with CAADP and CGIAR partners. Working in teams, the participants have identified obstacles and ways to strengthen country Investment Plans and confront productivity issues from a research and policy point of view. They have discussed the role of research, extension, and education and the development of input distribution systems to achieve growth and poverty reduction goals.
The workshops have provided a chance to see which research investments are overlooked, where there are duplications of efforts, or where investments do not match priorities. They also have helped clarify who should be linked among research suppliers and users.
At a second meeting in Dublin (called Dublin II), held 17-19 September 2012, leaders from CAADP institutions, CGIAR Research Programs, CGIAR Centers, and key CAADP Development Partners re-affirmed their mutual commitment to the Dublin Process. They also agreed to jointly develop a Science Agenda for African Agriculture. The agenda identifies where advances are needed in areas such as crop yields, livestock productivity, and climate change resilience and mitigation. Additional topics include issues such as risk management, labor productivity, and water management associated with farming, along with innovations addressing gender-equity in farming systems.
Further collaborations include agreement to support countries and institutions in Africa in implementing the Investment Plans, delivering on the G8 call for a Technology Innovation Platform, and identifying the tools and analytical resources that can further facilitate program alignment.
The next stop for the Dublin Process is the Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD 2) taking place in Punta del Este, Uruguay, October 29-November 1. CAADP, CGIAR, and the CRPs, will be joining a broad base of agricultural research for development partners and stakeholders to focus on how to translate the potential of mutually beneficial alliances into concrete actions. Their common goal is to leverage joint strengths, build on proven approaches, and spur innovation to advance the agricultural research and development programs that are urgently needed, in Africa and around the world.
Initial plans to explore the possible alignments between the agricultural research agendas of LAC countries and CGIAR are being prepared. GCARD2 will be the venue for this first important step.
Picture courtesy Peter Casier/CCAFS