The Lucerne Action Programme encouraged the CGIAR, among other things, to accelerate the process of involving the NARS in setting and implementing the Group's agenda. This formal widening of the partnership audience has important implications for the way TAC and the CGIAR as a whole conducts its business, now and in the future. Currently there is no comprehensive statement of CGIAR policy on the relationships between CGIAR Centres and the national research systems. TAC welcomed the IFAD initiative in convening an "International Consultation on the NARS Vision of International Agricultural Research" and actively participated in the consultations held in Rome, December 1994 and in Nairobi, May 1995. The recommendations from that meeting are now being implemented through the development of an "Action Plan to Strengthen NARS-CGIAR Partnership." The Committee strongly supports the momentum underway in preparing this Action Plan.
TAC-NARS Dialogue: TAC schedules four out of six of its regular committee meetings over a two-year cycle at locations (normally CGIAR Centres) in the regions. The principal reasons for this are to enhance TAC's understanding of the work of the Centres and to facilitate regular consultations with NARS' representatives from the particular region. To date, TAC has met with NARS' representatives from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America in conjunction with TAC 64 (Côte d'Ivoire) and TAC 66 (Peru) meetings, respectively. Plans are in train for further meetings with NARS from Sub-Saharan Africa, WANA, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean in conjunction with TAC 68 (Nairobi, December 1995) and TAC 69 (Manila, March 1996). The December and March interactions will focus on priority setting and are especially timely, because during TAC 68 and 69 the Committees views on CGIAR Priorities and Strategies will be formulated.
