Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS)

The relevance of agriculture in all the dimensions of sustainable development is evident.  500 million smallholders have land holdings of less than two hectares. This group of farmers is highly relevant in many aspects: they produce more than half of the world’s food, they are the biggest employer and provide livelihood to a large proportion of the world’s inhabitants. Unfortunately, poverty and single parent households are also concentrated in the group of these 500 million small farmers. RAS is a key intervention to improve productivity and livelihoods of these small farms.

Contribute to agricultural innovation systems for sustainable development for all men and women living in rural situations.

Direct target groups: regional networks, country foras, educational institutions on rural development and RAS, multilateral organisations, bilateral development partners, Ministries of Agriculture.

Indirect target groups: small farmers, private sector, civil society organizations.

Outcome 1: Increased recognition of RAS policies and investments. Advocacy and support for an enabling policy environment and appropriate investment in RAS.

Outcome 2: Strengthened RAS performance. Professionalization of RAS for men and women.

Outcome 3: Enhanced learning in RAS: Facilitation and enhancement of effective and continuous knowledge generation and exchange.

Expected results:  

• Strenghtening of capacities of regional networks and country foras (organisation, content, finance);
• Global advocacy work at the level of policy and education;
• Good practice notes on policies, methods and practices;
• Negotiations with multilateral organisations on RAS policies;
• Training on policy influencing;
• Trainings on  RAS methodology;
• Regional and global conferences.

Results from previous phases:  

• More than hundred countries are organised in 16 regional RAS networks;
• GFRAS produced 18 state of the art good practice notes that were created on demand of the key RAS actors;
• GFRAS has lobbied together with FAO and IFAD on the SDG 2 “End Hunger”, integrating RAS into one of the targets;
• GFRAS is known by all important strategic partners as a valuable platform promoting an important issue of global food security.

Coordination with agricultural projects of SDC in respective partner countries; links to all actors of SFRAS; close cooperation of knowledge management with Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation.

Close cooperation with GFAR, CGIAR, IFAD and all other organisations receiving SDC’s funding.

Coordination with several bilateral programs financed by BMZ (One world without hunger), USAID (MEAS, INGENEAS, amongst others), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; as well as multi-lateral programs by FAO and WB (for instance: multi-donor trust fund for FARA and AFAAS), under the FAAP/CAADP umbrella.

Phase 3 01.06.2016 - 31.12.2020   (Completed)