Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Encyclopedia
The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) is an Australian Government Statutory Authority that operates within the portfolio of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
. It was established in 1982 to assist and encourage Australia’s agricultural scientists to use their skills for the benefit of developing countries, and at the same time work to resolve Australia’s own agricultural problems.
ACIAR aims to enhance rural household incomes and broader economic growth by investing in international research partnerships that encourage agricultural development, sustainable use of natural resources and capacity-building of benefit to partner countries and Australia.
ACIAR forms part of the Australian Government's overseas aid program and works toward the aid program's objective of assisting developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development in line with the national interest.
A range of interactions occurs at the program and desk level. Joint AusAID and ACIAR initiatives include projects in Pakistan, East Timor, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Iraq, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. ACIAR is also a partner organisation and contributor to AusAID's Australian Development Gateway website launched in September 2002 to help bridge the digital divide by providing developing countries with access to key development knowledge.
Economics and Farming Systems
Cropping Systems
Livestock Systems
Natural Resource Management
These funds are used to facilitate CGIAR engagement in the Asia-Pacific and to commission projects that are consistent with ACIAR’s country program strategies.
Australia also shares similar climatic and agricultural systems with many of its partners, as well as sharing similar challenges such as biosecurity, quarantine, climatic variation and water management.
Despite its relatively small size, ACIAR’s program of cooperative research has made a substantial contribution in its 25 years of operations. ACIAR’s approach of linking developing country organisations with Australian research bodies to work in collaboration on agricultural problems of mutually recognised importance has delivered a cost-effective form of aid management that has contributed to substantial improvements in poverty reduction
, food security
and sustainability in the developing countries of the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. ACIAR is an example of how cooperative research can lead to technological advance in agriculture in both recipient and donor countries.
ACIAR is based in Canberra, with offices in China
, India
(covering South Asia
), Indonesia
, Papua New Guinea
(covering PNG and the Solomon Islands
), the Philippines
, Vietnam
and Thailand
(covering the other Mekong
countries).
ACIAR is responsible for administering, on behalf of the Australian Government, Australia’s contribution to the International Agricultural Research Centres (IARCs). The IARCs are internationally funded, independent, non-profit institutions that carry out research and related activities to help achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty in developing countries.
The goal of ACIAR’s multilateral program is to ensure the effectiveness of, and benefits to, developing countries and Australia from agricultural research conducted by the IARCs with funds provided by Australia.
The system of International Agricultural Research Centres (IARCs) comprises the institutions financed under the umbrella of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and non-associated Centres that also have a global mandate.
ACIAR policy is to allocate about 20% of its total appropriation to the IARCs. Total budgeted expenditure to these centres through the multilateral program in 2007-08 is $10.27 million.
This policy decision recognises that the mandate of the IARCs is highly relevant to the objectives of Australia’s aid program. The crop germplasm collections and crop mandates (e.g. tropical rice, maize, cassava and sweet potato) and advanced research facilities of the IARCs complement rather than duplicate, the genetic resources and agricultural R&D skills base and facilities in Australia and ACIAR’s partner countries.
ACIAR offers several specialised training activities:
There is increased recognition by the Australian aid program of the capacity-building benefits provided to partner countries and the impact on Australia–regional relationships through support of postgraduate training in Australia. Since 2006, AusAID has supported the expansion of the program. During 2007–08, ACIAR expects to support more than 110 John Allwright Fellowships, of which about 40 will be new awards.
ACIAR maintains linkages with all of the former students that we supported through the John Allwright Fellowship program, and who have now returned to their home countries, through the establishment of a ‘John Allwright Alumni Association’. Alumni keep involved with ACIAR in many ways.
The appendixes provide a range of detailed information including material on the benefits from ACIAR-funded research to Australia, engagement with NGOs and community-based organisations and various development indicators. See ACIAR Annual Operational Plan 2008-09.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the government of Australia charged with advancing the interests of Australia and its citizens internationally...
. It was established in 1982 to assist and encourage Australia’s agricultural scientists to use their skills for the benefit of developing countries, and at the same time work to resolve Australia’s own agricultural problems.
ACIAR aims to enhance rural household incomes and broader economic growth by investing in international research partnerships that encourage agricultural development, sustainable use of natural resources and capacity-building of benefit to partner countries and Australia.
ACIAR forms part of the Australian Government's overseas aid program and works toward the aid program's objective of assisting developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development in line with the national interest.
Collaborations and interactions
ACIAR works collaboratively with AusAID in areas of mutual priority, with both organisations contributing to the whole-of-Government emphases of the aid program.A range of interactions occurs at the program and desk level. Joint AusAID and ACIAR initiatives include projects in Pakistan, East Timor, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Iraq, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. ACIAR is also a partner organisation and contributor to AusAID's Australian Development Gateway website launched in September 2002 to help bridge the digital divide by providing developing countries with access to key development knowledge.
Research and development programs
ACIAR’s R&D programs are responsible for developing, monitoring and evaluating projects. These disciplines are broadly clustered around the areas of economics, crops, livestock and fisheries, and natural resource management.Economics and Farming Systems
- Agricultural Development Policy
- Agribusiness
- Agricultural Systems Management
- Policy Linkages and Impact Assessment
Cropping Systems
- Crop Improvement and Management
- Cropping Systems and Economics
- Horticulture
- Pacific Crops
Livestock Systems
- Animal Health
- Fisheries
- Livestock Production Systems
Natural Resource Management
- Forestry
- Land and Water Resources
- Soil Management and Crop Nutrition
International Agricultural Research Centres
ACIAR is responsible for Australia’s relationship with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Centres—the CGIAR centres.These funds are used to facilitate CGIAR engagement in the Asia-Pacific and to commission projects that are consistent with ACIAR’s country program strategies.
Australia also shares similar climatic and agricultural systems with many of its partners, as well as sharing similar challenges such as biosecurity, quarantine, climatic variation and water management.
Despite its relatively small size, ACIAR’s program of cooperative research has made a substantial contribution in its 25 years of operations. ACIAR’s approach of linking developing country organisations with Australian research bodies to work in collaboration on agricultural problems of mutually recognised importance has delivered a cost-effective form of aid management that has contributed to substantial improvements in poverty reduction
Poverty reduction
Poverty is the state of human beings who are poor. That is, they have little or no material means of surviving—little or no food, shelter, clothes, healthcare, education, and other physical means of living and improving one's life....
, food security
Food security
Food security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food-secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. According to the World Resources Institute, global per capita food production has been increasing substantially for the past...
and sustainability in the developing countries of the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. ACIAR is an example of how cooperative research can lead to technological advance in agriculture in both recipient and donor countries.
ACIAR is based in Canberra, with offices in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(covering South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
), Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
(covering PNG and the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
), the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(covering the other Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
countries).
ACIAR is responsible for administering, on behalf of the Australian Government, Australia’s contribution to the International Agricultural Research Centres (IARCs). The IARCs are internationally funded, independent, non-profit institutions that carry out research and related activities to help achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty in developing countries.
The goal of ACIAR’s multilateral program is to ensure the effectiveness of, and benefits to, developing countries and Australia from agricultural research conducted by the IARCs with funds provided by Australia.
The system of International Agricultural Research Centres (IARCs) comprises the institutions financed under the umbrella of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and non-associated Centres that also have a global mandate.
ACIAR policy is to allocate about 20% of its total appropriation to the IARCs. Total budgeted expenditure to these centres through the multilateral program in 2007-08 is $10.27 million.
This policy decision recognises that the mandate of the IARCs is highly relevant to the objectives of Australia’s aid program. The crop germplasm collections and crop mandates (e.g. tropical rice, maize, cassava and sweet potato) and advanced research facilities of the IARCs complement rather than duplicate, the genetic resources and agricultural R&D skills base and facilities in Australia and ACIAR’s partner countries.
ACIAR’s training program
Building capacity of agricultural research institutes in partner countries is one of ACIAR’s key priorities. The main priority of the program is to enhance the research capabilities of institutions and individuals involved in ACIAR projects. Much of this is done in individual projects through on-the-job training, where either developing-country scientists visit Australia or Australian specialists visit partner countries to present a training program.ACIAR offers several specialised training activities:
- John Allwright Fellowships
- John Dillon Memorial Fellowships
- cross-program training courses.
Postgraduate training–John Allwright Fellowships
John Allwright Fellowships are awarded to partner-country scientists involved in ACIAR-supported collaborative research projects to undertake postgraduate training, usually at the Masters or Doctoral level, at Australian universities. Studies focus on related areas to add value to the topic or theme of the ACIAR project in which the awardee is engaged, but do not directly form part of the project.There is increased recognition by the Australian aid program of the capacity-building benefits provided to partner countries and the impact on Australia–regional relationships through support of postgraduate training in Australia. Since 2006, AusAID has supported the expansion of the program. During 2007–08, ACIAR expects to support more than 110 John Allwright Fellowships, of which about 40 will be new awards.
ACIAR maintains linkages with all of the former students that we supported through the John Allwright Fellowship program, and who have now returned to their home countries, through the establishment of a ‘John Allwright Alumni Association’. Alumni keep involved with ACIAR in many ways.
Research management training–John Dillon Fellowships
John Dillon Fellowships provide a career development opportunity in Australia for outstanding mid-career agricultural scientists and economists from ACIAR partner countries. The aim is to develop the leadership skills of Fellows in the area of agricultural research management, agricultural policy and/or extension technologies through exposure to Australian agriculture across a range of best practice organisations involved in research, extension and/or policy-making. ACIAR has awarded 26 Fellowships since the program’s inception in 2002.Cross-program training
Short-term ‘cross-program’ training activities in partner countries or, occasionally, Australia (for staff associated with active ACIAR projects) are also provided. Most of these activities are directly managed by ACIAR, but some activities are managed by the Crawford Fund (www.crawfordfund.org). The Crawford Fund also supports short technical training placements for developing-country scientists in Australia.ACIAR Annual Operational Plan
The ACIAR Annual Operational Plan (AOP) is our key communications document on operational issues with partners and stakeholders. It is presented on a region/country basis, with priorities for each grouped into research program areas along with detailed project listings. The AOP provides a focal point for project development around these priorities. The AOP is the result of detailed consultations with partner countries, Australian organisations and government agencies.The appendixes provide a range of detailed information including material on the benefits from ACIAR-funded research to Australia, engagement with NGOs and community-based organisations and various development indicators. See ACIAR Annual Operational Plan 2008-09.