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The fact that the meeting is being held in Africa is highly symbolic, and demonstrates the importance CIRAD gives to the continent. CIRAD has long worked in Africa; around a hundred researchers are currently based there, and more than 500 missions are carried out each year from Montpellier.

In addition to the traditional discussion sessions on CIRAD's latest scientific operations, the council members will be able to see researchers from the organization and their partners in action in the field and to meet many ministerial representatives and CIRAD partners** from the region, with a view to talking to them and notably continuing to discuss the implementation of CIRAD's strategy in Africa.

Renewing partnerships

Six priority lines of research were defined by CIRAD in 2008, to steer and structure its operations. By placing itself at the heart of innovation networks in the South, CIRAD is pursuing its targeted research mandate, with a view to helping to alleviate poverty and inequality, in line with the Millennium Development Goals.

Africa will continue to be a prime site for applying the mandate and principles that guide CIRAD's researchers. What remains now is to define the best places for research in partnership with a view to building research issues and methods jointly, respecting the identities and values of each party. Some fifteen installations have been chosen from the wide range of agricultural research structures in Africa and the numerous institutional and scientific players involved.

This is one of the topics CIRAD's Director General, Gérard Matheron, will be discussing with his African counterparts, under the authority of the Science Council Chair, Bernard Chevassus-au-Louis, and in the presence of its members.
CIRAD Science Council:
Appointed members:
Ms Bonnie Campbell
Mr Bernard Chevassus-au-Louis, Chair
Ms Marie-Christine Cormier-Salem
Mr Bernard Delay
Ms Yaye Kene Gassama Dia
Mr Gnissa Konate
Mr Yves Savidan
Ms Claudine Schmidt-Lainé
M. Serge Svizzero

Elected members:
Ms Marie-Line Caruana
Mr Jacques Lançon
Mr Raphaël Morillon
Ms Laurence Ollivier
Mr Vincent Ribier

**
- The Ministers of Research, Agriculture, Energy and the Environment, Burkina Faso
- The EU (European Union) Ambassador
- Representatives of INERA (Institut de l'environnement et de recherches agricoles), CNRST (Centre national de la recherche scientifique et technologique), CILLS (Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel), WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union), IRD (Institut de recherche pour le développement), CIRDES (Centre international de recherche-développement sur l’élevage en zone subhumide), 2IE (International Institute for Water and Environment Engineering), and universities.