FAO works extensively with National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and regional research organizations, including the Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA), Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA). FAO also participates in several European Union-funded research projects, such as “Small farms, small food businesses and sustainable food security” (SALSA), where FAO is working with 16 European and African partners.
FAO’s partnership with the Consultative Group of International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) is long-established and of special importance. The CGIAR is a global research organization with 15 research centres worldwide. FAO was one of the three founding co-sponsors when it was established in 1971. FAO has extensive collaboration with individual CGIAR centres and is an ex officio member of the CGIAR System Council. FAO also has a long-standing partnership with the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAR), a multi-stakeholder movement made up of over 580 partner organizations. GFAR was established by four facilitating agencies, including FAO, in 1996 and FAO has hosted the GFAR Secretariat since 2003.