This statement was made by the Board Chair of the CGIAR Consortium at the “Committee on Food Security” on Tuesday 18th October, 2011. The meeting was held in Rome 17 - 22 October 2011 – for more information about the event visit: http://www.fao.org/cfs/en/ For more information about the CGIAR Consortium visit http://consortium.cgiar.org/

1. Statement by Chair of CGIAR Consortium Board
Rome, 18 October, 2011
Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates:
At the last session of the CFS, I ended my intervention by saying that if you asked me, what was
the greatest contribution that the CFS could make to global world food security, I would answer:
to raise food security concerns to a higher political level, ensuring these important subjects are
given higher attention and priority consideration in the agendas of decision makers in capitals. I
felt the CFS has an important advocacy role to play in contributing to change the notion that
food security is mainly a humanitarian issue that needs technical solutions, into the concept
that food security is a highly political issue, closely associated with poverty reduction, with
crucial economic and social development objectives, as well as with securing political stability,
peace and security goals. In other words, food security is an issue that requires political
solutions.
As a result of the destabilizing effects and uncertainties created by the recent price hikes of
major staple foods and the food crisis and famine in the Horn of Africa, we have seen that world
food security concerns have been raised to a higher political level compared to a year ago. We
witnessed with satisfaction that price volatility and food security issues were included and fully
debated in the agenda of the G20 under French chairmanship. This is a very encouraging
development. The CGIAR together with FAO and other organizations, was associated with the
preparatory work of the G20 on price volatility and food security issues, work leading to the
adoption of a Plan of Action at the Presidential Summit in Cannes, next November. We were
very pleased with the clear recognition in the G20 Ministers of Agriculture Declaration last June
that an expansion in agriculture investment, including agricultural research, is fundamental for
increasing food production and productivity to meet the demands of a growing world
population as well as for sustainable resource management.
We also took note of the widespread agreement that increased funding in international
agricultural research is certainly part of the solution to the world food security crisis and that
the work of the CGIAR should be strengthened.
The CGIAR work on rice, wheat and maize has been estimated to generate more than 10 Billion
USD in economic benefits each year in Asia alone. The international public good we have
created in our 40 years of history include improved crop varieties, better farming methods,
incisive policy analysis and associated new knowledge. It has often been cited that 1 dollar
invested in the CGIAR brings about 9 dollars in increased productivity in developing countries.
The record shows that CGIAR research produces value for money and we have a long list of
success stories to substantiate that claim.
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2. However, we must face realities, and although I listened this morning with great interest to the
words of the French Minister of Agriculture Bruno Le Maire, the current financial and debt crisis
affecting the developed world, is likely to command priority attention at the Cannes Presidential
Meeting. We run the risk that all the important work and progress achieved over the last few
months with regards to food security will be significantly diluted or relegated to a second place.
This would be a great pity. It is imperative that we keep the momentum and preserve food
security concerns at the top of the international cooperation agenda. Agricultural research for
development is a long term undertaking. The good quality research being undertaken by our
scientists today will deliver on its promises in 5 or 10 years. If we discontinue these efforts
today, we will bear the consequences in the future. Even in moments of financial crises, we
cannot take our eyes off the needs to sustain investment in agriculture research.
So my first message today is a plea to the CFS to send, at the end of this meeting, a strong
message to world leaders, urging them to continue to give the issue of long term funding to
agriculture and in particular to agricultural research for development, the urgent attention it
deserves.
Let me turn now to updating you on the status of our work in the CGIAR. Last year I informed
you on the deep structural reform undertaken by the CGIAR, an organization of 15 international
agricultural research centers that operates in over 120 locations in the world. I spoke about the
shift of our strategy, focusing on programmes, known as CGIAR Research Programmes or CRPs
rather than focusing, as in the past, on the work of individual Centers. New approaches based
on collective action by Centers are needed to address the multiple and complex challenges
facing agriculture today. I highlighted then, the institutional and governance changes and the
greater attention given to partnerships in all CRPs, from design to implementation, in order to
assure impact on the ground.
The portfolio of CGIAR Research Programmes covers a very comprehensive field of subjects
aimed at improving the livelihoods of the poor. These include crop genetic improvement that
produces varieties that remain highly productive under climate stress such as drought, floods,
salinity, and are resistant to pest and diseases. It includes research that results in crop varieties
that have a higher nutritional content and bring significant health benefits to farmers and
consumers. It covers improved water and soil management practices that increase agricultural
productivity and resilience. Other areas of research deal with the control of post harvest losses;
with public policies; institutions and investment; with improved access to markets; food safety;
and capacity building. This design keeps the gender and diversity dimensions of those we serve
high in the agenda of our Research programs.
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3. At our last meeting I informed you that fifteen CRPs were being developed and that two (rice
and climate change) had already been approved. A year later I have pleasure in reporting that a
total of eleven CRPs have now been approved, seven of which have already started operating
thanks to the funding donors have made available through the newly established CGIAR Fund.
The CGIAR Research Programmes are an important mechanism around which better
coordination and collaboration of research efforts can be organized, including the initiatives of
the CFS. A large number of developed and developing countries research Centers and partners
are already participating in these CRPs, and we invite others to join in these efforts.
Mr. Chairman, let me now close by sharing a few thoughts on how the CFS can best support
these achievements as I see that the goals of the CGIAR and those of the CFS are strictly
complimentary and bi directionally supportive.
The CFS is the most inclusive platform covering world food security issues and as such we see its
role to:
First, provide a forum for mutual information, discussion and coordination of major food
initiatives, including the CGIAR.
Second, promote greater coherence and impact and break the silo mentality that often
characterizes different initiatives related to food security.
Three, better define the complementary roles of national, regional and international
organizations working on food security matters.
Four, build synergies and avoid unnecessary overlaps and duplications
Five, help better integrate global developments, international policies and strategies.
Finally, in view of its importance to world food security, the CFS should support developing
countries’ efforts in building-up their national food security strategies.
Mr. Chairman, I am confident the CFS can raise world food security concerns to an even higher
political level and that it will play a vital role in addressing the complex development questions
we face and ensure a more food secure world.
I assure you that the CGIAR will be one of your strongest allies in making this happen.
Thank you for your attention.
Carlos Pérez del Castillo
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