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[Purpose and activities] [Members ] [Colombian organizations]
[CGIAR centers] [Other]

Staff of the 12 institutions who renewed their commitment to the Agronatura Science Park at CIAT, Cali, Colombia.

Purpose and activities

The Agronatura Science Park at CIAT headquarters was created in the 1990s. It has since been developing cross-sectoral alliances in agricultural research and natural resource management in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It therefore contributes to CIAT's mission to work in the tropics to reduce hunger and poverty and improve human health through research that increases the eco-efficiency of agriculture.

Over the years, Agronatura has strengthened its leadership in exploring and implementing opportunities for new collaborative initiatives. These addressed agricultural development concerns of priority interest to LAC and delivered research outputs more efficiently to end users. Highly diverse organizations have found that the Science Park offers an environment in which they can achieve interactive synergies that enable them to respond more effectively to the challenges of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their research.

In 2008, 12 institutions renewed their commitment to the Science Park (see next pages for brief descriptions of each member institution). They work on themes such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable natural resource management, generation of high-value alternatives for the agroindustrial and bioindustrial sectors, food sovereignty¹, genetic resources, crop and animal health, and food safety.

Now, more than ever, Agronatura will play a significant role in the Center's and the CGIAR's ongoing change process, taking advantage of the new policies that favor and value dynamic partnerships. CIAT's new Strategic Directions, finalized in February this year, indicate that, essentially, all its ecoregional and global research will be conducted through partnerships. Some of these will focus on joint research and others on linking CIAT research more effectively with development.

The CGIAR, during its AGM08, emphasized that "A re-invigorated partnership culture, supported by incentives and processes, will be developed. It will take on the best practices of today's CGIAR where partnership approaches have instilled new dynamism to the agenda"².

Now is the time, therefore, to think not only about creating new, but also more effective, alliances that will access a private-sector perspective on global agricultural research. This enriched perspective will reinforce Agronatura's efforts to convert research outputs into products for the poor and, hence, truly reach farmers through closer contact.

Members

Public-private partnerships

• Consorcio Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Apoyo a la Investigación y al Desarrollo de la Yuca (CLAYUCA)
  Latin American and Caribbean Consortium to Support Cassava Research and Development
  
  The Consortium aims to strengthen the exchange of experiences and information, transfer improved technologies, and support the planning and financing of research and development activities for the cassava crop. It also aims to help improve living standards and contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources in those regions of LAC where cassava cultivation occupies a significant place in agricultural production systems.
  
  
  
• Fondo Latinoamericano de Innovación en Palma de Aceite (FLIPA)
  Latin American Fund for Oil Palm Innovation
  
  The Fund's main objective is to contribute towards attaining sustainability of the oil palm agroindustry in tropical Latin America by carrying out research and development throughout the region.
  
  

• Fondo Latinoamericano para Arroz de Riego (FLAR)
  Latin American Fund for Irrigated Rice
  
  The Fund brings together the public and private sectors of 15 rice-growing countries of tropical and temperate Latin America. In responding to the needs of Latin America, the Fund offers innovative technological solutions that are aligned with principles of competitiveness and sustainability. The Fund also helps generate and transfer technologies that preserve natural resources while reducing unit production costs.

Colombian organizations

• Centro de Investigación de la Caña de Azúcar de Colombia (CENICAÑA)
  Colombian Sugarcane Research Center
  
  Private, not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to help develop a competitive sugarcane sector through research, technology transfer, and provision of specialized services. The goal of this sector is to achieve and maintain excellence while playing an outstanding role in the socioeconomic progress of sugar-producing zones and the conservation of productive, pleasant, and healthy environments in those zones.
  
  
  
• Corporación para el Desarrollo de la Biotecnología (Corporación BIOTEC)
  Corporation for the Development of Biotechnology
  
  Belongs to Colombia's national science, technology, and innovation system. Its biotechnological work is carried out within social construct schemes to generate value for agricultural, agroindustrial, and bioindustrial sectors through value chains in the areas of research, development, and technology transfer.
  
  
  
• Fundación para la Investigación y Desarrollo Agrícola (FIDAR)
  Foundation for Agricultural Research and Development
  
  Nongovernmental organization that promotes the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources, food sovereignty and security, and the use of agricultural technologies and practices that will enhance, in harmony with the environment, the competitiveness of the small and medium-scale farmers of Colombia.
  
  
  
• Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA)
  Colombian Agricultural and Livestock Institute
  
  National public entity, affiliated with the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. ICA works in the areas of crop and animal health, and food safety in primary production, with the goal of projecting Colombian agrobusiness to the world.
  
  
  
• Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (Instituto Humboldt)
  Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute
  
  Not-for-profit organization, which operates under the auspices of the Colombian Ministry of Environment, Housing, and Territory Development. The Institute has a public mandate to conduct basic and applied research on the genetic resources of Colombia's flora and fauna, and develop a scientific inventory of the mega-biodiversity found in this country.
  
  
  
• Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras "José Benito Vives de Andréis" (INVEMAR)
  Institute of Marine and Coastal Research "José Benito Vives de Andréis"
  
  Affiliated with the Colombian Ministry of Environment, Housing, and Territory Development. INVEMAR conducts basic and applied research on renewable natural resources and the environment of coastal, marine, and oceanic ecosystems. Its goal is the sustainable management of resources, recovery of marine and coastal environments, and improvement of Colombia's quality of life.

CGIAR centers

• Bioversity International
  
  Seeks to improve the well-being of present and future generations by enhancing the conservation and deployment of agricultural biodiversity on farms and in forests.
  
  
  
• International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
  Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo (CIMMYT)
  
  Dedicated to scientific research and training on issues related to
  maize and wheat to help improve the livelihoods of people in developing countries.

Other

• Ecoagriculture Partners (EP)
  
  This entity seeks to support the emerging global movement for ecoagriculture. In working towards its goal, EP actively encourages the development and assessment of new agricultural and natural resource management practices within a landscape framework. These practices aim at contributing to the three goals of healthy ecoagricultural systems: enhanced biodiversity conservation, increased agricultural production, and improved rural livelihoods.

1. This term refers to the right of peoples to define their own food, agriculture, livestock, and fishery systems without having their food largely subjected to international market forces

2. Page 6 in The Change Steering Team. A revitalized CGIAR-A new way
forward: the integrated reform proposal. 3 November 2008. Also available at www.cgiar.org/pdf/agm08/agm08_reform_proposal.pdf