Abstract
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) system, like the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), has been successful in using research to improve the yield and efficiency of food systems. Our systems must now move beyond a focus on simply producing enough food to address fundamental issues of how to make the food system better able to meet the nutritional needs of consumers and contribute to sustainable environmental quality. Success in this endeavour will be determined by multidisciplinary research efforts. This is an area where more specific collaboration between the CGIAR and the USDA will be essential. The USDA Agricultural Research Service has been experimenting with these multidisciplinary partnerships for at least 60 years. Some examples from USDA's experience are given.