CGIAR: The Global Open Food and Agriculture University

New Developments

AGROCURI Stakeholder Consultation
Hyderabad, India
April 21-22, 2008

An Agricultural Open Curriculum and Learning Initiative Stakeholder Consultation was held in Hyderabad, India, April 21-22, 2008. This Consultation Meeting, jointly organized by ICRISAT and IFPRI, brought together stakeholders and partners to help build clarity and consensus among partners about the program’s future focus and direction as the program proposal is developed.

The AGROCURI program is a higher agricultural education initiative managed by the CGIAR in cooperation with partner institutions in developing and developed countries. By sharing the global knowledge on agriculture in the form of learning resources it addresses the major constraint of limited capacity in developing countries to actually implement action for pro=poor and sustainable agricultural growth.

Program Name Change
Agricultural Open Curriculum and Learning Initiative (AGROCURI)
March 2008

As suggested by program stakeholders in the November 1-2, 2007 Stakeholder Consultation Meeting, it was decided to establish a new name to reflect the newly emerging program. Following several rounds of voting from all participating stakeholders, the following name was chosen and the Program Steering Committee endorsed the Agricultural Open Curriculum and Learning Initiative (AGROCURI) as the new program name to replace the Global Open Food and Agriculture University program.

A GO-FAU Stakeholder Consultation was held in Washington D.C., November 1-2, 2007. The Consultation, jointly organized by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and IFPRI, brought together GO-FAU’s stakeholders and partners to build consensus on GO-FAU’s mission and objectives, refine its activities, approaches, and partnerships, and further develop the strategic direction of GO-FAU. More information

Over the past several years IFPRI, in collaboration with ICRISAT and other CGIAR centers, has been developing the GO-FAU program. In the next few years GO-FAU, in partnership with developing country universities, will develop a strategic implementation plan, refocus its activities, and expand its partnerships. Updating and sharing information among the partners and key stakeholders about the current state of capacity strengthening and knowledge sharing initiatives and programs will be essential to identify strengths, synergies and areas of collaboration.

The Global Open Food and Agriculture University is a CGIAR Program for open distance learning and capacity strengthening that serves traditional and open universities in developing and developed countries.

GO-FAU will work collaboratively with partner universities to strengthen their master's degree programs in agriculture through the provision of high-quality course contents for distance and traditional education. GO-FAU learning materials will strengthen:

Initially, the program will focus on strengthening content in agroecology and agricultural economics/ agribusiness. GO-FAU shall train partner faculty in using the course modules, and it will facilitate student thesis research for those enrolled in these M.Sc. programs. GO-FAU partner universities, not GO-FAU itself, will deliver the courses, support learners, provide accreditation, and award degrees.