OUR VISION
To be an internationally recognized mechanism of cooperation for strengthening sustainable agrifood and agribusiness innovation among member countries.
OUR MISSION
To contribute to the innovation of family farming through cooperation among member countries, while promoting competitiveness and food security based on standards of equity and sustainability.
OUR PRINCIPLES
The principles that frame FONTAGRO’s activities in the new MTP are set out below.
A. INNOVATION:
FONTAGRO continues to work with the broadest concept of innovation, including applied research, links to markets, social environments, generation and dissemination process management, organization linking small farmers to value and information chains, strategic partnerships, and the use of different support mechanisms (such as calls for projects, joint projects, and small grants).
B. INTERDISCIPLINARITY:
The promotion of a comprehensive view and greater interaction among disciplines within consortia, including areas of knowledge outside the agricultural sciences, aiming to explore potentially innovative approaches to family farming.
C. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT:
Taking advantage of the intellectual capital generated, FONTAGRO will be guided by a strategy aimed at (a) strengthening connections among researchers who have worked with FONTAGRO in the past, (b) systematizing knowledge generated through research supported by FONTAGRO’s investments, and (c) disseminating knowledge generated in different formats and for different audiences.
D. PROSPECTIVE VISION:
Given its nature and the importance of employing its resources efficiently, FONTAGRO will monitor trends continuously to adjust its strategic planning when circumstances demand it, and it will support prospective studies both for establishing state-of-the-art areas of knowledge, and for promoting policies to boost agricultural innovation in the region.
E. REGIONAL POSITIONING:
The next five years will be used to consolidate a well defined niche within the regional Center for Technology & Innovation system, promoting collaboration among organizations in member countries and with other countries.
F. INSTITUTIONAL INCLUSION AND EXPANSION:
FONTAGRO will use the consortium mechanism and the new thematic focus to strengthen the link among national research programs and other institutions and sectors, thus expanding innovation opportunities.
G. IMPACT DEMONSTRATION:
FONTAGRO will consolidate an innovative assessment scheme that transcends the impact of individual projects and exposes concrete progress in the region regarding poverty reduction, food security, and natural resources. These results shall become a cornerstone in FONTAGRO’s financial consolidation strategy.
H. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:
Efforts that had already been initiated will be reinforced— respecting member country legislation—for consortia to be able to agree, a priori, on the protection or appropriation of knowledge generated when deemed necessary or relevant.