This move will further strengthen agricultural research and innovation in developing countries. The new ISNAR program will relocate to Africa in Addis Ababa under IFPRI governance.

Agricultural research in developing countries is facing new challenges that require new institutional arrangements. Researchers need to consider the ongoing globalization and its effects on agricultural trade. Concerns with the environment and with health issues have to be balanced with productivity goals. To address rural poverty, agricultural research needs to increase the value added of crop, livestock, fisheries, and forestry production. "ISNAR's alliance with IFPRI will enable us to better fulfill our mandate of strengthening agricultural research in developing countries," says Jacques Eckebil, Interim Director General of ISNAR.

Relocating the new ISNAR Program in sub-Saharan Africa brings it into closer contact with its main target region, and it will be an identifiable entity within IFPRI. The new Program aims to work in partnership with national and regional organizations and the CGIAR Centers. The primary theme of the Program will be to produce new knowledge on institutional change that enhances the impact of agricultural research. The secondary theme will be to enhance the performance of agricultural research institutions by strengthening their organization and management. Joachim von Braun, Director General of IFPRI, stresses that "while the main focus of attention of the new Program will be Africa, it will maintain its global mandate and remain active in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, and the West Asia and North Africa region."

A Program Advisory Committee consisting of NARS leaders and specialists on the main themes will help guide these activities.