Abstract: is article begins with the basic requirements for a global information system in general before shiing its focus to the initial development and ongoing re-design of e-GFAR in par- ticular. By staying on the technological forefront and endeavor- ing to adhere to GFAR’s core principles, e-GFAR seeks to facilitate the exchange of information made available by its stakeholders without developing information services that other stakeholders are better placed to implement. e article details the challenges faced, choices made and steps taken to preserve complementar- ity and subsidarity in e-GFAR’s new distributed information system, and relates how e-GFAR is contributing to international efforts to bring greater coherence to agricultural information. Resumé: Cet article commence avec les conditions fondamen- tales pour un système d’information global en général, avant de se concentrer sur le développement initial et la révision contin- uelle de la conception d’e-GFAR en particulier. En restant sur le premier rang technologique et en essayant d’adhérer aux principes fondamentaux de GFAR, l’e-GFAR cherche à faciliter l’échange d’information mise à disposition par ses partenaires sans fournir des services d’information que d’autres partenaires sont mieux placés pour exécuter. L’article détaille les défis af- frontés, les choix faits et les étapes entreprises pour conserver la complémentarité et la subsidiarité dans le nouveau système d’information distribué d’e-GFAR, et relate comment l’e-GFAR contribue aux efforts internationaux pour amener une plus grande cohérence à l’information agricole. Resumen: Este artículo empieza con los requisitos básicos para un sistema global de información en general antes de desplazar su enfoque hacia el desarrollo inicial y el rediseño en curso de EGFAR en particular. Al permanecer a la vanguardia en cues- tiones de tecnología y al esforzarse en adherir a los principios básicos de GFAR, EGFAR busca facilitar el intercambio de in- formación puesta a disposición por sus interesados directos sin implementar servicios de información que otros interesados di- rectos están en mejor posición de implementar. El artículo de- talla los retos enfrentados, las escogencias hechas y los pasos da- dos para preservar la complementariedad y subsidariedad en el nuevo sistema de información distribuida de EGFAR y relata cómo EGFAR está contribuyendo a esfuerzos internacionales para dar mayor coherencia a la información agrícola. Basic Requirements for a Global Information System Developing an information service at the global level poses a series of crucial questions, especially when it comes to defining the level/extent of complementarity and subsidiarity1 with respect to regional, sub-regional and national information services and to other global information services in the same area: Which audience? – Any information service has to first identify its audience, in order to then identify their infor- mation needs and the content that can meet those needs. In the case of e-GFAR, the prospective users of the serv- ice are the GFAR stakeholders: Regional and Sub-Regional Fora (RFs) and Organizations; Farmer Organizations (FOs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Soci- ety Organizations (CSOs); National Government and Pub- lic Sector Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) Institutions; Private Sector Institutions; GFAR Partners such as FAO and CGIAR, including CGIAR International Agricultural Research Centers (IARCs) and Non-CGIAR IARCs; donors who contribute to GFAR and potential donors; general public and the Press; and members of GFAR’s governance structures and its Secretariat staff. Many of these stakeholder groups are also targeted by other information services, both at the global and at the regional/national level. erefore, identifying the specific content that these users may expect to find on e-GFAR as opposed to alternative services is crucial to defining the scope of e-GFAR. Which content? – It is essential to identify informa- tion needs at the global level and specific use cases that distinguish a global information service from a regional or a national information service. In the case of GFAR, these needs have been identified as information on2: ■ platforms for advocacy; ■ ARD institutions and agricultural technology they offer; ■ relevant linkages that FOs, NGOs and CSOs can form for better ARD; ■ funding sources; ■ institutions, experts, projects and project outputs, in- cluding collaborative projects at sub-regional, regional and global levels as well as Public-Private and Public- Private-Community Partnerships classified themati- cally, geographically and by commodity; ■ partner and stakeholder contact details and specializa- tion, especially related to technology, information and skills availability; and Global Level Main Issues in Developing a Complementary and Subsidiary Information System at the Global Level: The Experience of e-GFAR Valeria Pesce and Ajit Maru Agricultural Information Worldwide – 2 : 2 – 2009 63