Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) — An informal association of 56 public and private organizations that support 16 international agricultural research centers. All but three of the research centers are located in developing countries. The cosponsors of CGIAR are the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the World Bank (where the CGIAR Secretariat is headquartered). CGIAR’s mission is to promote sustainable agriculture in developing countries with the goal of creating food security, alleviating poverty, and preserving natural resources.