Improving the productivity of agricultural systems in the Asia-Pacific is a continuous effort. To contribute to the discussion and share its strategic efforts along this aspect, PCARRD participated in the Expert Consultation on Agricultural Research Networks and Consortia in Asia-Pacific and Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) Mid-Term Executive Meeting last October 8-10 at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India.
Improving the productivity of agricultural systems in the Asia-Pacific is a continuous effort. To contribute to the discussion and share its strategic efforts along this aspect, PCARRD participated in the Expert Consultation on Agricultural Research Networks and Consortia in Asia-Pacific and Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) Mid-Term Executive Meeting last October 8-10 at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India.
Dr. Patricio Faylon, PCARRD Executive Director, and Dr. Jocelyn Eusebio, PCARRD Crops Research Division Director joined the 70 participants from different agricultural agencies in the meeting. In addition, three meetings that were held on APAARI and the Cereals and Legumes Asia Network (CLAN) undertakings provided a neutral platform for strengthening the national agricultural research system.
The APAARI executive committee focused on the challenge of using agricultural research to keep 60% of the world population from poverty and hunger. This proportion of the populace are prone to global changes like climate change, desertification, land degradation, and increase in fossil fuel prices.
The committee also discussed the progress of the APAARI activities this year and the plan for 2008. Over the past 17 years, APAARI has played an important role, harmonizing 17 national agricultural research systems and several international and regional agricultural research institutions in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The CLAN Steering Committee meeting was chaired by Eusebio. The network activities during the period 2006-2007 were reviewed while suggestions for future CLAN activities were drawn.
