The CGIAR exhibit at EFARD. CGIAR publications and CDs were extremely popular with participants - hundreds of publications were distributed to CGIAR members, research institutes and civil society groups.

Partnerships in the CGIAR Challenge Program Workshop

A well attended CGIAR Challenge Program workshop at the EFARD Conference in Zurich April 28. Representatives from each of the CGIAR Challenge Programs briefed the audience on the Challenge Programs and opportunities for European partnership. Comments and debate centered on the importance of ensuring true partnership - as opposed to token partnership; the need to ensure board representation without compromising efficiency and attracting high transaction costs, the importance of capacity building as a component within each Challenge Program and the potential value of the Challenge Programs learning from each other in relation to governance and other mechanisms to ensure lessons learned in one program , benefit all.

Panel members: V.V. Sugunan Water and Food Challenge Program, Francisco Reifschneider, Penny Nestel ( HarvestPlus), Jean Claude Legoupil (FARA Sub Saharan Africa Challenge Program) and Wayne Powell - Generation Challenge Program.

Presentations:

• Water and Food Challenge Program, V.V. Sugunan
• HarvestPlus Challenge Program, Penelope Nestel
• Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program, FARA/Jean-Claude Legoupil

EFARD field trip

The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FIBL) outside Zurich hosted a field visit following the EFARD conference. Scientists offered advice on effective use of compost as plant protection and the market value of organically grown apples.

Basil plants prosper as different forms of organic plant protection - in this case compost is applied