A network meeting was organized by INRA and CIRAD on 3 June 2008, and was attended by partners from 50 countries. It set out to shed light on the issues and priorities for global agricultural research. Three main lines of research emerged:- identifying common research questions through foresight studies,- proposing forums for exchanges between players, and common tools to facilitate the circulation of information, management of intellectual property and incubation of innovations,- facilitating training and the dissemination of knowledge, supporting agricultural research in developing countries, and ensuring a continuum between knowledge in industrialized and developing countries.The initial results of the Agrimonde foresight study were presented, showing that it should be possible to feed 9 billion people in a sustainable way by 2050, albeit on several conditions. The meeting highlighted the need for financial and intellectual investment in agriculture. The conclusions of the meeting have been sent to the FAO, as a contribution to the ongoing Rome Summit.