Quick Reference Guide to Meridian Institute and Our Agriculture Experience
Food Security and Ag-Biotech News Flier
2003 Bellagio and Rome Meetings on Plant Genetic Resource Policies
In September 2003, Meridian Institute staff facilitated two meetings among some of the world's leading experts on plant genetic resources, to assess experience to date developing and implementing policies regarding genetic resources and to identify strategic opportunities for future work and investments regarding those policies. [More]
2004 Bellagio Meeting on Plant Genetic Resources in East and Central Africa
As a follow-up to two meetings held in 2003, Meridian Institute facilitated a meeting among diverse stakeholders in October 2004 to discuss plant genetic resources in East and Central Africa. [More]
African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)
Meridian Institute assisted the Rockefeller Foundation in establishing the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) to benefit resource-poor small farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. [More]
Agriculture Climate Change Discussions
Representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the major agricultural commodity groups (e.g., corn/soybean/wheat growers, livestock producers, and farmer groups) met three times over the course of two years in educational sessions with scientists, policy experts, and environmental organizations to discuss the critical global climate change issues for agriculture. [More]
Biosafety Assessment
Following a meeting in September 2000 with some of the world's leading experts on biosafety issues, Meridian Institute conducted an in-depth assessment of issues related to biosafety and the implementation of the Biosafety Protocol. [More]
Biosafety Liability and Redress Meeting
The Meridian Dialogue on Liability and Redress under the Biosafety Protocol brought together key stakeholders to discuss issues associated with the implementation of Article 27—Liability and Redress—of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. [More]
Biosafety Liability and Redress Workshop
Meridian convened and facilitated a one-day workshop in The Hague on Liability and Redress issues in the context of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The workshop provided an overview of some of the substantive and procedural issues related to liability and redress. The workshop was scheduled immediately in advance of the third meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Cartagena Protocol to help inform negotiators about this complicated issue. [More]
Biosafety Programs in Sub-Saharan Africa
Meridian Institute organized a meeting in December 2003 with leaders from major biosafety initiatives in Africa to discuss the current status and future direction of biosafety programs in sub-Saharan Africa. [More]
Biosafety Regulations for the Forum on Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
Meridian facilitated a meeting of diverse stakeholders engaged with agriculture and biosafety issues in Africa to advise the Forum on Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) about the focus of a new FARA biosafety initiative. [More]
Biosafety Scientific Expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa
In March 2002, Meridian Institute facilitated a meeting of African and other experts to explore opportunities for enhancing biosafety scientific expertise in sub-Saharan Africa. [More]
Biosafety Scoping Meeting
In September 2000, shortly after adoption of the Biosafety Protocol, Meridian Institute convened a meeting involving some of the world’s leading experts on biosafety, in particular the Biosafety Protocol, to help identify critical issues where multi-stakeholder discussions would be of high value. [More]
CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) Senior Management Retreats
Meridian facilitated two meetings for the CIMMYT senior management team to discuss the implementation of their strategic plan, which was developed in 2002. [More]
CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) Strategic Planning
Meridian Institute helped CIMMYT, the international agricultural research center located outside Mexico City, to develop a long-term strategic plan, an implementation plan, and relevant future scenarios through an extensive collaborative decision-making process. [More]
Committee to Advise on Reassessment and Transition
The Committee to Advise on Reassessment and Transition (CARAT) is a Federal Advisory Committee convened by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to consult with and make recommendations to these agencies regarding strategic approaches for pest management planning and tolerance reassessment for pesticides as required by the Food Quality Protection Act. [More]
Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Directors General and Board Chairs Retreat
Meridian facilitated a two-day retreat at The Hague for the Directors and Board Chairs of the sixteen Centers for International Agricultural Research to discuss ways to enhance and streamline efforts to focus on agricultural products and techniques that benefit developing countries. [More]
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Synthesis Process
A multi-day meeting in Sonning, England, of approximately thirty individuals representing various components of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) to synthesize several work products that had been developed in advance of International Centers Week related to the CGIAR's renewal initiative. The group developed a product that served as the basis for discussions among Consultative Group members at International Centers Week 2000. [More]
Emergent Genetics Strategic Planning
Meridian facilitated various internal strategic planning efforts, including three large international meetings, for Emergent Genetics, Inc., a seed biotechnology company seeking to institute a new strategic direction and better integrate research and operations globally. [More]
Food Security and Ag-Biotech News
Food Security and Ag-Biotech News is a free daily e- news service produced by Meridian Institute and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). [More]
Generation Challenge Program
Meridian is working with the Generation Challenge Program (GCP) Management Team on overall strategy and is assisting with GCP sponsored meetings involving project collaborators and stakeholders. [More]
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Strategic Planning
Meridian facilitated strategic planning and stakeholder sessions for IFPRI, which is part of the global network of organizations dedicated to international agricultural research. IFPRI is in the process of developing its goals for the next ten years and these meetings are a key part of that planning process. [More]
Issue Mapping regarding Trade, Development, and Agriculture
Meridian conducted an issue mapping process for the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). The process identified and analyzed the range of stakeholder opinions on the nexus between trade, development, and agriculture and identified areas of possible future activity for the GMF. [More]
Joint Meeting of the CGIAR Board Chairs and Center Directors
Meridian staff facilitated a meeting of the board chairs and center directors of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [More]
McDonald's Antibiotics Policy Development
Meridian Institute provided facilitation and strategic assistance to McDonald’s Corporation and the Alliance for Environmental Innovation, a project of Environmental Defense, as part of McDonald's effort to develop a policy prohibiting the use of certain classes of antibiotics. [More]
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA)
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), an international collaborative effort involving nearly 1,200 scientists, provided decision-makers and the public with scientific information concerning the effects of ecosystem changes on human well-being, as well as options for responding to those changes. [More]
National Pork Producers Council
Meridian helped a 36-member task force from the National Pork Producers Council develop a plan for restructuring the organization. [More]
Open Source Models of Collaborative Innovation in the Life Sciences
Meridian staff facilitated a three-day, multi-stakeholder meeting in Bellagio, Italy, in September 2005 to discuss "open source" models of collaboration in the fields of agriculture and health. A meeting summary is available for download in PDF format. [More]
Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture [PIPRA]
Meridian facilitated the development of a mechanism for U.S. universities and research institutions to collaborate on intellectual property (IP) management for humanitarian use to help meet food security needs in developing countries and for specialty crop development in the U.S. [More]
Rockefeller Foundation Issue Mapping
Meridian staff conducted two issue mapping processes for The Rockefeller Foundation, to help that organization understand the key issues relating to agricultural biotechnology and how the Foundation might best direct its grant-making and convening activities in that arena. [More]
Role of the Bayh-Dole Act in Promoting Innovation and Implications for Innovation Systems in Developing Countries
On May 2, 2005, more than 20 staff from The Rockefeller Foundation and eight invited experts participated in an all-day meeting that focused on the role of the Bayh-Dole Act in promoting innovation and the implications of this model for innovation systems in developing countries. [More]
Tolerance Reassessment Advisory Committee
A joint committee of the USDA and EPA, the Tolerance Reassessment Advisory Committee (TRAC), was established in 1998 to enhance stakeholder input on the implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA). [More]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Programs in Pest Management Meeting
Meridian convened a broad cross-section of stakeholders to discuss the USDA programs and funding goals of pest management activities within the Department. [More]
U.S.-European Biotechnology Workshops
Meridian has assisted the German Marshall Fund with the design and facilitation of four workshops to explore critical issues relating to the use of biotechnology in agriculture. [More]
Working Landscapes in the Midwest Conference
Meridian facilitated this conference that explored practices and policies promoting land-based economic activity to sustain families, communities and ecosystems while providing multiple benefits to society. The conference was attended by more than 200 individuals, including farmers, foresters, government officials, companies, community organizations, and advocacy organizations. [More]
World Wildlife Fund/U.S. Department of Agriculture Transition Workshops
Through a series of meetings facilitated by Meridian, participants achieved consensus on "Critical Elements in Transitioning to Biologically Based Pest Management Systems." [More]
Wyoming Landowner/Sportsmen Forum
Meridian's team of facilitators helped to plan and implement a collaborative forum designed to build communication and address conflicts among Wyoming recreationists, conservationists and Ranchers. [More]
Information & Resources
Meridian Institute offers the following resources to help people make informed decisions:
Food Security and Ag-Biotech News
Food Security and Ag-Biotech News is a free daily e-news service produced by Meridian Institute and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
