For further information contact: Andrés Palau

The Conference Is Expected to Result in at least Five Products:

1. The process of organizing the conference should prompt the centers and their social researchers to examine the role and new tasks for social research in light of the CGIAR’s new strategy.
2. Interaction between social researchers before and during the conference will generate useful knowledge and information, lead to the establishment of more enduring networks, and better equip researchers to perform their roles.
3. A working group will be formed to prepare recommendations and proposals for submission to the CGIAR chairman, Executive Committee, Science Council, and center directors.
4. A publication containing the best conference papers will be produced.
5. Follow-up initiatives after the conference will be organized by the centers in the form of seminars on conference outcomes, discussions with center Boards, list- serves, and so forth.

How will the Conference’s Outputs actually Be Used to Make an Impact on the Centers’ Research and on the CGIAR Reform Strategy?

1. By increasing the Centers’ awareness of the opportunities possible in applying social research to their own projects and to the new Challenge Programs.

Each CGIAR Center will nominate a "point" person to coordinate an internal reflection and short paper on their experience with social research, together with examples of innovative applications of social science in the Centers and NARS. A journal is being sought to publish these analyses, thereby adding to the visibility and prestige of social research. Social research in the Centers will thus have a higher profile.

A CGIAR Review of Social Research in the System has been proposed for 2003, and the papers and other contributions to the Conference will comprise an important input to this Review. The Review can also be an important instrument for assessing progress on the execution of recommendations (see paragraph 3).

2. By establishing a Community of Practice to ensure faster learning curves and readier exchanges of innovative applications of social research in the global agricultural R&D system.

Social scientists in the CGIAR and outside are organizing a network via the Conference. The 16 "point" persons, one from each Center, will form a node for respondents to the Conference’s Survey of Social Scientists, who now number over 100, and increase daily as more people respond. These respondents are also providing contacts with NARS social scientists, and the network is expanding to include them as well. This database will be backed up by the use of networking software such as CGCONNECT, which is now being tested. The software will allow members to, for example, easily locate expertise and contacts, organize meetings, and exchange ideas. For those NARS contacts not on Internet, a mailing list will be maintained.

3. By setting up an Action Plan, and a Working Group for its implementation.

At present, we cannot foresee what recommendations this Plan and its Group will suggest, but actionable proposals will be submitted to the CGIAR Chair and other relevant CGIAR decision-making bodies.

4. By proposing projects of applied social science research on poverty alleviation that are relevant to the major challenges identified for the CGIAR in the next decade.

Examples are those being developed in the new Challenge Programs. A significant output that this Conference should ensure is the inclusion of world-class social research in the CGIAR reform strategy.