Designed as an open forum, the roundtable sought to highlight the importance of public-private partnerships for generating agricultural innovations that increase the productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture in Latin America and beyond.

Ian Johnson, CGIAR Chairman, welcomed participants. Secretary Usabiaga said agriculture is a fundamental sector and science and technology are critical to improve competitiveness of the rural sector. Knowledge and know-how of the private sector must be mobilized to improve small-holder agriculture. Usha Barwale-Zehr's comments covered the role of CGIAR Private Sector Committee, and how a true public-private partnership resulted in the formation of Mahyco, and subsequently led to the creation of a thriving private sector seed industry in India. Minister Gustavo Carlo Cano of Colombia began by quoting Sir Francis Bacon who said 400 years ago that the basis of power is found in knowledge, and there is a strong relationship between knowledge and competitiveness. Therefore, he felt that knowledge in the public domain had to be at the core of activities to promote a more equal world and improve the well-being of poor people.

Minister Marlene Yadira Cordova of Venezuela presented her country's efforts in mobilizing science and technology for development. For Venezuela, poverty is about preventing exclusion. The government's efforts are focusing on giving poor people control and possession of assets such as land, and creating different modalities for mobilizing knowledge to serve national development. Minister Mamadou Koné of Côte d'Ivoire described his government's efforts, noting that science and technology was seen as the most important component of overall development strategy, including meeting the first Millennium Development Goal of eradicating hunger and poverty. He urged the participants to play an advocacy role in helping increase spending on agriculture in Africa. He cited the example of Kenya's efforts in developing virus-resistant potatoes in partnership with the private sector, and efforts by The Africa Rice Center to mobilize public goods science to support agricultural development in Africa. Mr. Eduardo Stern of Papalotla Seeds spoke about how his company developed improved forage grass species in close partnership with CIAT. A brief question-and-answer session concluded the roundtable.