EIARD and the CGIAR
Much of EIARD’s focus has been on the harmonization of European investments in strengthening the CGIAR, which is the world’s largest public global research partnership delivering science and innovation that advances the transformation of food, land, and water systems. This is done through the coordination of European positions at the System Council – the CGIAR’s governing body – to ensure a consolidation of European views. These positions are summarized through statements that have been delivered during System Council meetings.
Seven EIARD representatives are voting members of the CGIAR System Council – EC, Germany (also representing Belgium), the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The other EIARD representatives are invited to the System Council meetings. Various EIARD representatives also participate in several CGIAR committees and working groups.
Through EIARD’s consolidation of European views as well as individual contributions, Europe has one of the strongest voices in the Council. EIARD and its members have influenced the transformation of CGIAR governance and strategy over the past two decades, most recently the current reform process towards a unified and integrated One CGIAR. In addition, EIARD acts as an information and knowledge-sharing platform for its individual members.
Supporting the 2022-2024 One CGIAR Research Portfolio
EIARD members strong commitment to the One CGIAR reform is evident in the increase in the collective pledge to the CGIAR pooled funding - which supports the system's integrated operations and the portfolio of Initiatives and Platforms - increased by 30%. This increase was the result of renewed interest - for example, by Denmark - and moving away from project funding in favour of pooled funding. Furthermore, a number of EIARD members are maintaining system-level funding at a significant level.
A detailed data analysis on EIARD's 2022 Trust Fund Contributions is available in this EIARD Fact Sheet.
Contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund prior to 2022
EIARD members provided 37 percent of the total funding to the multi-Funder CGIAR Trust Fund during 2017-2021. During this period, EIARD members collectively provided the majority of pooled funding (Windows 1 and 2), which were allocated to CGIAR’s systemwide and programmatic initiatives.