2 March 2012: In a move that further strengthens its ability to fight hunger globally, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Consortium was officially granted status as an International Organization on 2 March 2012.

France and Hungary were the first countries to sign the Agreement establishing the Consortium as an international organization, at the closure of the first G20 International Conference on Agriculture Research for Development, held in Montpelier, France, in September 2011. On 2 March 2012, Denmark signed the Agreement without reservations, thereby bringing its total number of signatories to two States, the condition required for it to enter into force.

CGIAR is a global partnership of international agricultural research institutes that unites organizations engaged in research for sustainable development with the funders of this work. The work is carried out by the 15 members of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers, in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector. Speaking at the signing event, Carlos Perez del Castillo, CGIAR Consortium Board Chair, noted that “this status will allow the consortium to operate as an independent organization, speak with one voice at an international level, establish better partnerships and raise awareness of its work at a time when agricultural research is key to the survival of a billion people.” The conferral of this status is an element of ongoing CGIAR reform to ensure that its research is able to deliver clear development impacts. [CGIAR Press Release]