​ICRISAT signs agreement to join One CGIAR partnership

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the leader in tropical dryland agrifood system innovation, has joined the One CGIAR integrated partnership, comprising the CGIAR System Organization and 12 One CGIAR research centers[1]. The expansion of the One CGIAR integrated partnership supports a united approach to transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis.

ICRISAT has signed the CGIAR Integration Framework Agreement (IFA), which was developed by the research center boards and CGIAR leadership to confirm and clarify the path to a united One CGIAR. All existing parties to the IFA have welcomed ICRISAT into the integrated partnership.

″The challenges the world faces today are so complex and interconnected that we can best deliver a food-and nutrition secure future by working together,″ said Professor Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, CGIAR System Board Chair. ″ICRISAT plays a vital role in delivering that goal in the semi-arid tropics, and its welcome participation in the integrated partnership will enable One CGIAR to deliver greater impact where it is needed most.″

Following an April 2023 resolution by the Governing Board of ICRISAT on the intent to join the One CGIAR integrated partnership, a joint statement was issued by the CGIAR System Board Chair and ICRISAT’s Board Chair, paving the way for ICRISAT to sign the IFA.

Chair of the ICRISAT Governing Board, Professor Prabhu Pingali, said that the strategic partnership has the potential to drive profound transformation across the world’s arid regions, combining ICRISAT’s global leadership in dryland agrifood systems with One CGIAR’s reach and impact.

″As a preeminent authority in semi-arid agriculture, ICRISAT anticipates deploying its innovative solutions to address the intricate challenges inherent in our global food, land, and water systems and looks forward to working in close cooperation through the integrated partnership.″

[1] AfricaRice, Bioversity International, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), International Potato Center (CIP), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), WorldFish