Focused on improving global food security by supporting smallholder agriculture within healthy, sustainable and climate-smart landscapes
Combined turn-over in excess of US$ 200 million p.a.
>60 member countries comprising >70% of world population
On-going R&D activities in all major geographic regions & ecosystem types
Experience of varied and challenging ecosystems (geography, climate and politics)
Expertise in a wide range of crops
Focus on crops of high economic, nutritional or cultural value
Development of metrics (economics and biology)
Innovative mechanisms for communication, knowledge transfer and capacity building
Creative strategies to assess outcomes and impact
AIRCA members have
Expertise across range of ecosystems and substantive crop diversity
Core competencies in health of humans, plants, animals and landscapes
Integrated and holistic approaches to solving development problems at scale
Ability to respond rapidly and efficiently in the face of new problems
Long-established track record of working with member-country governments, NARS and the private sector
Partnerships with the CGIAR, FAO etc.
AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center (Shanhua, Taiwan)
Alleviates poverty and malnutrition in the developing world through the increased production and consumption of nutritious and health-promoting vegetables.
CABI - CAB International (Wallingford, England, United Kingdom)
Improves people's lives by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment.
CATIE - Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (Cartago, Costa Rica)
Specializes in agriculture and natural resources, combining research, education and outreach to provide innovative solutions for sustainable development.
CFF - Crops For the Future (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Enables the wider use of underutilised crops to diversify agricultural systems, improve well-being and manage natural resources.
ICBA - International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Working in partnership to deliver agricultural and water scarcity solutions in marginal environments.
ICIMOD - International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (Kathmandu, Nepal)
Enables sustainable and resilient mountain development for improved and equitable livelihoods through knowledge and regional cooperation, for improved well-being of men, women, and children of the greater Himalayas in a healthy mountain environment.
icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health (Nairobi, Kenya)
Helps alleviate poverty, ensure food security and improve the overall health status of people in the tropics by developing and extending management tools and strategies for harmful and useful arthropods, while preserving the natural resource base through research and capacity building.
IFDC - International Fertilizer Development Center (Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA)
Enables smallholder farmers in developing countries to increase agricultural productivity, generate economic growth and practice environmental stewardship by enhancing their ability to manage mineral and organic fertilizers responsibly and participate profitably in input and output markets.
INBAR - International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (Beijing - China)
Improves the well-being of the producers and users of bamboo and rattan within the context of a sustainable bamboo and rattan resource base.
Vision:
Healthy landscapes for improved livelihoods and food security
Mission:
Putting research into use by strengthening capacities for sustainable improvements to incomes, food and nutrition security in healthy landscapes.
Healthy landscapes - healthy plants, people and animals living in a healthy environment
Delivering impact at the agriculture environment nexus
Concerted effort with a common vision
Holistic approach to smallholder agriculture and ecosystems
Objectives:
Stronger voice to influence key policy fora
Innovative approaches
Greater impact
Reduced transaction costs
Landscapes encompass a diversity of interactions between people and environment, and between agricultural and non-agricultural systems.
Healthy landscapes sustain productive agriculture and communities.
Landscapes are social constructs, and large-scale social changes involving broad cross-sector coordination and the collective action of major stakeholders are needed to respond to ongoing global changes.
Building support and helping farmers put research into use
Respecting participation of women in decision-making processes
Providing evidence of impact
Involving indigenous communities and their knowledge
Scaling out of integrated management approaches to seed selection, soil fertility, water utilization, agronomy and pest management and preserving and utilizing crop diversity.
Capacity strengthening at local and regional levels to improve productivity, market access and landscape management in an inclusive manner
Policy development and implementation at local, national and regional levels to capture the economic value of outputs from landscapes
What do CoPs mean for us?
Groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis.
Are the ideal social structure for "stewarding" knowledge.
Have both short-term and long term value
Have value for individuals and for the organization
Domain
Monitoring and Evaluation
Carbon Footprinting*
Gender*
Finance
Human Resources
Communications
Open Access and Impact Factors
File sharing
Sharing of best practices
"Ask a Friend" (bilateral discussions for specific questions)
Online discussion forums
Teleconferences
Face to Face meetings
Workshops with external support / expertise ("clinics")
