What is the CGIAR?

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is a network of independent institutions working in the field of agricultural research. The CGIAR is the strategic alliance these institutions created in order to more effectively mobilise the science they create to benefit the poor.

The CGIAR has an overall mission which is: “To achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty in developing countries through scientific research and research-related activities in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, policy, and environment.” The CGIAR fulfils its mission through execution of the research agenda of the 15 centres by providing strategic guidance and financial support to the network.

The centres all conduct research that in turn generates agricultural outputs (often referred to as “public goods”) to benefit the poor in developing countries. The primary focus of CAS-IP is to address Intellectual Property Management issues that impact the accessibility of CGIAR centres’ public goods to intended beneficiaries.

The value of CAS as a central repository of IP information

Its central location means CAS-IP can aggregate IP lessons learned throughout the CG system. Local advice alone cannot take the “bigger picture” into consideration. The more CAS-IP is utilised, the more effective we become as we act as guardians of the collective IP knowledge base within the CG system.