Report of the Mid-Term Review of the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM)













Table of Contents


Review Panel:

Dr. E.T. York (Chair)
Dr. Hans Ackefors

Ms. Joan Joshi (Consultant)

Dr. Guido Gryseels (TAC Secretariat)

Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research

Technical Advisory Committee and CGIAR Secretariat

TAC SECRETARIAT

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

October 1995


Table of Contents


Extract from "Summary of Proceedings and Decisions", CGIAR Mid-Term Meeting 1995, Nairobi, Kenya, 22-26 May 1995

Letter from TAC Chairman and CGIAR Executive Secretary, transmitting the Report of the Mid-Term Review

TAC Commentary on the Mid-Term Review of ICLARM

ICLARM's Response to the Report of the Mid-Term Review

Transmittal letter from Panel Chairman to TAC Chairman and CGIAR Executive Secretary

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

CHAPTER 1: EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ICLARM

CHAPTER 2: INTERNALLY-COMMISSIONED EXTERNAL PROGRAM AND MANAGEMENT REVIEWS SINCE THE 1992 EPMR

2.1 Nature of Such Reviews
2.2 Results of Program Reviews

2.2.1 Review of the Coastal and Coral Reef Resource Systems Program (CCRRSP)
2.2.2 Review of the Genetic Improvement of Farmed Tilapia (GIFT)
2.2.3 Review of the Inland Aquatic Resource Systems Program (IARSP)
2.2.4 Review of the Information Division

2.3 Results of Management Reviews

CHAPTER 3: RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 1992 EPMR AND RESPONSE THERETO

3.1 Recommendation 1 - Initiate early action to change its legal status to that of an international organization with privileges and immunities similar to that of other CGIAR Centers.
3.2 Recommendation 2 - Formulate and approve a comprehensive set of human resource management policies and create a personnel office to assist in their implementation.
3.3 Recommendation 3 - Adopt an integrated system for project and program planning, monitoring and review across all programs.
3.4 Recommendation 4 - Strengthen its financial management and improve its internal reserves (fund balances) and expenditure controls.
3.5 Recommendation 5 - Reassess its stated goals and objectives to give more emphasis to research and to make them more consistent with those of CGIAR.
3.6 Recommendation 6 - Place greater emphasis in the short-run on improvement in breeding and husbandry practice than genetic manipulation in its proposed Inland Aquatic Resource Systems Program.
3.7-8 Recommendation 7 - Develop a revised research plan for its proposed Coral Reef Systems clearly justifying any large expansion, taking advantage of opportunities for collaboration with advanced scientific institutions and present it to TAC for approval either as a part of ICLARM's presentation of its Medium-Term Plan, or if ICLARM requires more time on the occasion of the interim external review. - Recommendation 8 - Revise the strategy for its proposed Coastal Resource Systems Program to reflect the nature of the problems faced in the coastal zone and present it to TAC as part of the Center's response to this review.
3.9 Recommendation 9 - Recruit a training specialist and with her/his guidance carry out an assessment of having needs in client developing countries in order to formulate strategies and plans on training.
3.10 Recommendation 10 - Spell out its strategies and plans in the information area clearly, and not expand its staffing and expenditures in this area before completing such an effort.
3.11 Recommendation 11 - Ensure that its capital requirements, including permanent headquarters facilities in terms of offices and laboratories, are the critical minimum needed to carry out its programs.
3.12 Recommendation 12 - Clarify the rationale for and the role of the proposed Deputy Director General.

CHAPTER 4: MATTERS RELATING TO PROGRAM AND MANAGEMENT NOT ADDRESSED IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 1992 EPMR

4.1 Governance
4.2 Leadership
4.3 1993 "Crisis in ICLARM"

CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH AND HEADQUARTERS FACILITIES

CHAPTER 6: ICLARM'S CAPACITY TO DELIVER AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

6.1 Mandate and Reach
6.2 System Membership/Governance
6.3 Human Resources
6.4 Resource Base

6.4.1 Budget Structure
6.4.2 Budget Size

6.5 Infrastructure
6.6 Management Policies and Systems
6.7 Track Record and Past History
6.8 Partners
6.9 Conclusions/Recommendations

CHAPTER 7: THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE AVAILABLE SCALE OF RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THE AGREED CORE RESEARCH PROGRAM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ANNEXES

A-1 Panel Composition

A-2 ICLARM Response to the 1992 EPMR Recommendations

A-3 Director General letter to Chair of the CGIAR dated 2 December 1994

A-4 Living Aquatic Resources and Sustainable Food Security in the Developing World

A-5 Brown, Lester R.: Nature's Limit (Chapter 1) from the State of the World 1995, Worldwatch Institute, Washington, D.C.

A-6 ICLARM Contributions and Impact of Research Programs

A-7 Relevant Figures

A-7.1 Changes in Productivity of Chickens, Dairy Cows, Swine, Norwegian Salmon and Tropical Finfish from 1940 to the late 1980's
A-7.2 Indices of Export Prices for Fish, Beef, Pork and Chicken from 1975 to 1993
A-7.3 Global Marine and Aquaculture Yield from 1950 to 1993