ERA-ARD2 Consultation

30 September, The Hague. This consultation was attended by all major countries of ERA-ARD2 network i.e. the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Tunisia, Belgium, Slovakia. Participants were managers in the Ministry of Agriculture linked with agriculture for development. 

The Southern and Emerging countries advisory group (SEAG) was endorsed. Memberships were from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caucasus. The SEAG is to provide advisee to ERA-ARD on regional priorities for European programming such as the SCAR taskforce on ARD and ERA-ARD future perspectives.

A stakeholder consultation is being prepared for 2013 in Burkina Faso within the theme water management systems in Africa.

The future outlook of ERA-ARD 2 were discussed with short term (10 months for project lifecycle and long term with more sustainability). Various options were tabled. The major decision taken was to invest more on coordinating more than 300 million euros investments of European countries in agriculture for development.

European commission through EIARD shared the newly opened discussions on Article 185. The objectives is for ERA-NET to align programs and financial and human resources. The main topic of discussion is ‘intensification pathways’ for African agriculture. They will assess pathways used for advice to policy makers. 

Background:

ERA-ARD is a project within the frame of the ERA-NET Programme of the European Commission.
The project seeks to improve synergies between the European national ARD programmes, increase the effectiveness and efficiency of European research planning, funding and implementation to fight poverty and hunger and to support a more rapid and sustainable development in the poorest countries in the world.