The Southern National Agricultural Research Systems (SNRAs) have recently gained a forum in which to discuss and express their needs at world level. Within the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), they can meet their Northern partners as well as representatives of international centres. Together, they have determined that issues addressing biodiversity, ecosystem management and sustainable development (SD) must now be included in their mission.
GFAR is designed to encourage an upward structure of research systems: national, sub-regional, regional and global. These various levels also offer a place for stakeholders within societies affected by development research. This allows them to become involved in the various stages of formulating and monitoring research programmes.
The project aims to strengthen the abilities of GFAR's Southern members to implement and manage the SD research programmes they believe to be strategically important for their regions.

Governments:
Government of France - Agropolis
Government of France - Centre national d'études agronomiques (CNEARC)
Government of France - French Agric. Research Ctr for Int¿l Dev (CIRAD)

Major Groups:
Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) (Italy)
French Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) (France)
Inst. Nat'l Agronomique Paris-Grignon (INA/PG) (France)
Inst. de recherche pour le developpement (IRD) (France)
Institut de Radio Astronomie Millimétrique (IRAM) (France)
Inter-Reseaux Developpment Rural (France)
InterDev (France)
Research and Technological Exchange Group (GRET) (France)
Prolinova -ETC Adviesgroep Nederland (Netherlands)
The Southern National Agricultural Research System ()