2.1. CIAT
2.2. CIFOR
2.3. CIMMYT
2.4. CIP
2.5. ICARDA
2.6. ICLARM
2.7. ICRAF
2.8. ICRISAT
2.9. IFPRI
2.10. IIMI
3.11. IITA
2.12. ILRl
2.13. IPGRI
2.14. IRRI
2.15. ISNAR
2.16. WARDA
SUMMARY
CIATs mission is to contribute to the alleviation of hunger and poverty in tropical developing countries by applying science to the generation of technology, leading to increases in agricultural output while preserving the natural resource base. The MTP is designed to continue to give prominence to the problem of poverty; produce outputs for tropical developing countries, worldwide, not just in Latin America; emphasize the growing importance of knowledge and methods as well as technology; encourage a broader view of technology generation and sustain its commitment to agricultural sustainability and protecting the environment.
Research will be planned, implemented, monitored and resourced through 16 interdisciplinary projects to drive CIAT's global research on cassava, common beans and tropical forages germplasm, and its regional research on rice germplasm. Hillside and Lowland mandates will be directly realized through projects on soils, resource dynamics and management systems focused on these agroecosystems.
The MTP is based on the premise that CIAT will not drop any of its research mandate areas although the outputs produced and the scale of activities in a mandate area may change. It is anticipated that the MTP will lead to a simplified organizational structure, consolidated among programmes, projects, units and scientific research groups, but with projects remaining a central organizational feature. An open process of consultation with partners and scientific staff is seen as essential.
CIAT proposes to emphasize new research partnerships with NARS, universities, NGOs and other research agencies, rather than traditional training and technology transfer efforts; to increase the emphasis on germplasm conservation, assessment, enhancement and understanding patterns of genetic diversity; to give less emphasis to the development of finished varieties and applied and adaptive research on crop management, and to maintain constant work on enhancement of tropical soils, integrated pest and disease control, and research on the dynamics of natural resources.
Income levels during the MTP, in absolute terms, are expected to remain at 1997 levels. Activities will be implemented by 66 internationally recruited scientists, a decrease from 1995 figures. It is anticipated that partnerships with NARS will increasingly substitute for research in areas formerly carried out by CIAT..
The proposed allocation of efforts by CGIAR activity for 1998 is 45% for Increasing Productivity; 20% Protecting the Environment; 15% Saving Biodiversity; 3% Improving Policies; and 17% Strengthening NARS. CIAT proposes to allocate 22% of its resources to sub-Saharan Africa, 9% to Asia, and 69% to Latin America and the Caribbean. Beans and cassava will remain the two principal CIAT research mandates absorbing nearly 50% of total resources, although the share of total resources to rice and hillsides will rise slightly.
CIAT is the convening centre for the Systemwide programme on Participatory Research and Gender Analysis and for Ecoregional Programme for Latin America. It also participates in five other ecoregional and Systemwide activities.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
CIAT's plan aims at poverty alleviation particularly in marginal and fragile environments such as hillsides and forest margins. The Centre has made an effort to develop a database on the poor, initially in Latin America and the Caribbean. Because a large proportion of the poor in Latin America is urban based, CIAT's commodity work addresses poverty alleviation concerns of both rural and urban populations. Issues related to gender and poor women are considered specifically, and several projects involving participatory research feature gender analysis.
CIAT's commodity research focuses on beans, cassava, rice and tropical forages. The plan shows a shift in effort towards natural resources dynamics and NRM in general. Both on-site and off-site land-use issues of NRM and protection of the environment in three ecosystems (hillsides, forest margins and savannahs) lie at the core of CIAT's research agenda; some of this replaces the work that was formerly done on crop management. The plan highlights the local importance of, and global interest in, NRM on hillsides and forest margins, and the food production potential of the acid savannahs.
The relevance of CIAT's agenda to conservation of biodiversity is reflected by the fact that the Centre has a major genebank activity for its commodities. The research, technology and germplasm outputs generated by CIAT are of international public good nature, given the strategic orientation of its research. This is also the case in the NRM area where CIAT proposes to focus on more strategic issues of a global nature.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
TAC commends CIAT for using a transparent priority setting process, resulting in the ranking of projects based on internal rates of return. The approach involves an analysis, conducted in 1993, of the expected impact of outputs of CIAT's research based on an economic surplus model. Impact on poverty alleviation was estimated by calculating the share of benefits that would go to poor consumers and to small farmers. Sustainability was scored on a scale that included negative or positive effects on biodiversity, soil quality, water resources, pollution and pest ecology.
The MTP involves many partners and collaborators but does not discuss alternative possible sources of supply for CIAT's products. The Latin America region has some strong NARS and TAC considers that they might take up some of CIAT's activities, but this aspect is not explicitly discussed in the MTP.
CIAT has explored opportunities offered by new science. TAC commends CIAT for using remote sensing, GIS and land modelling in its work on the conservation of genetic resources and NRM. TAC also notes that molecular biology techniques are being used in germplasm enhancement work that will be fortified by participatory research methods. However, TAC encourages CIAT to seek effective ways to quickly integrate these new techniques into more applied research areas of plant breeding and crop protection.
Resource allocation to CIAT's priorities has been implicitly guided by the analysis of expected impact of the outputs of CIAT's research and by the contribution of research to sustainability. Thus proportionately greater resources have been allocated where expected impact on poverty and sustainability are ranked higher in the analysis. However, in the presentation, it was pointed out that adjustments were made where cost of research had changed. CIAT's resource allocation therefore reflects a greater emphasis on upstream pre-breeding work, and the phasing-out of production systems research that has no direct bearing on sustainability.
The proposed allocation of resources in the MTP is broadly consistent with CGIAR and TAC priorities. There is, however, a large reduction in genetic enhancement (6.3%), although CIAT points out that despite the cutbacks, required critical mass has been ensured. TAC notes that the decrease of 3.2% in soils and systems work is accompanied by an increase of 3.3% in work related to natural resources dynamics, together with a narrowing of focus to maintain the viability of the effort in NRM. TAC commends the postharvest work proposed in the plan.
Strategies for Implementation of the MTP
CIAT's MTP, entitled Doing Research Together, underlines their main intention: to work in partnerships. CIAT has explained that the work will be developed in multidisciplinary projects, rather than in programmes, 'and the respective project staff are expected to participate in a disciplinary forum for exchange of ideas, and for quality control in the different disciplinary units. TAC considers that this new arrangement, centred on agroecosystems and logically structured, promises effective implementation.
Many strategic alliances, networks, and consortia are described as CIAT seems to be making this its primary working strategy. The Centre is committed to outsourcing as demonstrated by its involvement with the Fund for Latin American Irrigated Rice (FLAR) which has brought together producers' associations, the private sector, government agencies and international organizations to fund rice research. Although TAC considers this to be a good way of getting research done, it urges CIAT to ensure that its upstream rice research agenda remains focused on broader needs.
The impact assessment work at CIAT appears promising and the MTP proposes to continue it as part of the Centre's management system. Delivery mechanisms are described in most of CIAT's projects through linkages to other institutions.
TAC notes that CIAT is the convening centre for the Ecoregional Programme in Latin America, SWNM, and Participatory Research and Gender Issues. It also participates in the Systemwide Programmes on Global Mountain Agriculture, Alternatives to Slash and Bum, Genetic Resources, and Integrated Pest Management. TAC is pleased about CIAT's commitment to these Systemwide activities.
Concluding Comments
CIAT's MTP proposal is congruent with the CGIAR's goals and with TAC's recommendations on CGIAR priorities. It has a strong focus on strategic germplasm and NRM research. The Centre's priority setting process is transparent and systematic, although the links between priorities and subsequent resource allocation are not always clearly articulated. CIAT has innovative research programmes conducted in collaboration with a wide range of partners. TAC recommends that CIAT examines further the possibility of transferring some of its work in breeding, especially in cassava, and production systems, to Latin American NARS. TAC commends CLAT for having remained a viable Centre and maintaining critical mass in its pivotal programmes despite the severe downsizing of recent years.
SUMMARY
CIFOR's mission is to contribute to me sustained wellbeing of people in developing countries, particularly in the tropics, through collaborative strategic and applied research and related activities in forest systems and forestry, and by promoting the transfer of appropriate new technologies and the adoption of new methods of social organization, for national development. In its MTP CIFOR responds to the changing landscape of sustainable tropical forest management and its relationship with people who depend on these forests.
The MTP agenda comprises 10 interdisciplinary projects designed to produce generic solutions to high priority issues on the global forestry agenda which CIFOR has contributed in shaping in consultation with the Inter-governmental Panel on Forest, IUFRO and the Convention on Biological Diversity. These projects have already been operating for about a year and CIFOR proposes only minor adaptations of this project structure in the coming years.
The projects focus on: (i) underlying causes of deforestation, forest degradation and poverty in forest margins; (ii) forest ecosystem management; (iii) multiple resource management of natural forests; (iv) assessing the sustainability of forest management by developing criteria and indicators; (v) plantation forestry on degraded or low potential sites; (vi) conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources; (vii) local livelihoods, community-based forest management and devolution; (viii) sustainable use and development of non-timber forest products; (ix) research impact, information and capacity building; and (x) policies, technologies and global change. All the projects include economic, social and biophysical components, and all aim to contribute to the protection of the environment, and to capacity enhancement through research collaboration.
In terms of new dimensions, the MTP envisages increased research in Africa and Latin America; more emphasis on research in the dry tropical forests and woodlands (as opposed to only humid forests); greater staff presence in target regions; and interdisciplinary project teams.
The MTP foresees an annual growth in expenditure of 15%. Activities will be carried out by 42 internationally recruited staff in 1998, an increase from 37 in 1997. This number is expected to rise to 49 by 2000 due to the staffing of small offices in Brazil, Zimbabwe and Gabon.
The proposed allocation of effort by activity is: 24% Increasing Productivity; 31% Protecting the Environment; 19% Improving Policies; 14% Saving Biodiversity and; 12% Strengthening NARS. For the MTP period, CIFOR proposes to allocate 30% of its funding to Sub-Saharan Africa (from 27% in 1997), 35% to Asia (41% in 1997) and 35% to Latin America (32% in 1997).
CIFOR plans to participate actively in the Systemwide programmes. It is expected to play a greater role in the Alternative to Slash and Burn Agriculture Programme and will be a major collaborator to the Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
CIFOR's MTP presents a convincing case for forestry research in the CGIAR. Its likely contribution to poverty alleviation is difficult to assess, however, because of a basic lack of data. The Centre's initial analysis suggests that at least 350 million people obtain more than 50% of their total household benefit from tropical forests, and forestry is known to be an important source of employment in developing countries, but the representation of poor people and poor women in these numbers is unknown. Nevertheless, CIFOR has already made significant progress in clarifying the relationships between forest systems and the livelihoods of poor people through its own research. For example, non-timber forest product gathering, processing and marketing are a major source of employment and incomes for women in tropical Africa.
Protection of the environment and conservation of biodiversity lie at the core of CIFOR's research agenda. Anything that can be done to conserve significant areas of humid tropical forest brings with it conservation of the intrinsic genetic resources and important off-site benefits such as water supplies, and the role of forests in global atmospheric and climatic changes. Already, the Centre's research findings have raised questions about the validity of the conventional wisdom on the relative values of the benefits obtainable from tropical forests and from the shirting agriculture that often replaces them, and on the effects of disturbance of these forests on their levels of biodiversity. Many of the forest-dependent activities give greater benefits than the low-grade cropping and grazing activities that may replace them, and there is an emerging pragmatism on the realities of conserving forest biodiversity.
The challenge for this new Centre, which commenced operation in 1993, has been to identify forest-related problems of international significance and to develop a knowledge base to address them, in line with the "international public good" objective of the CGIAR. The scale of The challenge faced by CIFOR is perhaps best understood from the land areas under various uses in developing countries, i.e. 788 million ha of cultivated land, 2155 million ha of grassland and pastures, and 2222 million ha of forests and woodlands.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
The plan with which the Centre began in 1993 listed 27 research problems chosen on a necessarily somewhat arbitrary basis from over 1200 proposed to its Board. CIFOR describes the next three years as a period of "intense learning". In developing the present MTP, there were further extensive consultations with NARS partners throughout the tropics.
For the evaluation of proposed new and existing research activities within the Centre, CIFOR has used checklists of strategic requirements (with nine points), operational requirements (ten points), adoption and implementation criteria (five points) and impact criteria (four points). Although the procedure appears to have been effective in selecting worthwhile projects and it has required the Centre's scientists to adopt a global and strategic vision, TAC believes that it must be extremely difficult to be explicit about the considerations that lead to the final allocation of research resources, when so many criteria are in play. The Centre is encouraged to continue work on defining a simpler, more-transparent priority-setting process appropriate to the needs of tropical forestry research. Meanwhile, TAC appreciates the Centre's candid view that the knowledge needed for such a process will emerge from further focused study and the aim now should be to get on with the job, ensuring that each project has the minimum critical mass required for its task.
The proposed allocation by activity category, which is not expected to change during the currency of the MTP, is considered by TAC to be appropriate in the light of the Centre's objectives. The largest percentage, about 31%, is for protecting the environment and there are significant allocations to policy and biodiversity research. The allocation to training and information, about 12%, is not large in view of the relative weakness of many tropical forestry NARS in ecological and policy aspects of the subject. TAC agrees that CIFOR's involvement in training should be primarily in the form of professional development through participation in research.
TAC considers that CIFOR has a very defensible rationale for investing about 24% of its resources in increasing productivity of trees, given CIFOR's assertions that production of wood products will increasingly come from managed plantations rather than growth of native forests, representing an industry transformation. It is envisaged that there will be an increasing role for smallholders to produce industrial wood products in addition to other products such as fruit and fuelwood. Research which specifically benefits large-scale commercial plantations has been given a low priority. CIFOR has not developed a tree breeding program and does not intend to be involved in the collection, storage and distribution of forest tree germplasm.
For the MTP period, CIFOR proposes a 3% increase from 1997 in its allocation to sub-Saharan Africa, a 6% decrease in funding to Asia, and a 3% increase in funding to LAC. TAC observes that these proportions vary significantly from the modified regional values of production for forestry in the Priorities and Strategies document, which are a good deal higher for SSA and lower for LAC. The rationale for CIFOR's intended future regional distribution of effort could be clarified.
Strategies for Implementation of the MTP
CIFOR's strategy for implementation appears clear. TAC is pleased to observe the good progress already made by the Centre in establishing benchmark sites in Africa and Latin America. Until there is an adequate critical mass of scientists with functional programmes in each of these sites, TAC cautions against further expansion. Activities in the Asian region will continue to be operated from CIFOR's headquarters in Bogor. CIFOR's commitments to partnership and outsourcing are commendably clear.
TAC judges that the growth proposed in CIFOR's budget from 1997 to 2000, averaging 15% annually, may be approaching the upper limit of what the Centre can cope with effectively and efficiently, even with the excellent management that is in place. Careful monitoring of performance is advised.
TAC notes the Board's intention for CIFOR to expand its efforts into drier forest areas during the 1998-2000 period. While this extension beyond the initial focus on humid forests is warranted in TAC's opinion, the rationale for the future balance between humid and dry forests is not yet explicit. Close consultation will be needed also with ICRAF.
CIFOR conducts its research through ten multidisciplinary projects that have been operating for about a year. They have well-defined objectives, outputs and expected gains or benefits. There are no specific projects directly related to poor women, but some have a specific gender component. Further attention could be given to delivery mechanisms and to the measurement of impact. TAC sees that, because of the complexity of forest systems and the many indirect and diffuse ways that they impact upon both the environment and people, direct cause and effect will be difficult to establish.
TAC applauds the innovative partnership and non-traditional funding proposed for research in the Bulungass research forest in Kalimantan. Caution should be taken to maintain a research focus in this enterprise and to minimize the resource cost, responsibility and liability of management of the 300,000 ha reserve. The research thrusts should be consistent with CIFOR's project portfolio. TAC recognises, however, that the details of such a research involvement are ultimately the responsibility of the CIFOR Board and Management.
TAC considers that CIFOR's potential role in the planned Intergovernmental Panel on Forest Research is an issue to be addressed with caution. While there appears to be a significant need for global coordination of forestry research, such an undertaking would be fraught with political, administrative and financial dimensions.
Concluding Comments
TAC concludes that CIFOR has made an excellent start and has built a significant constituency amongst forest researchers in the north and the south. The Committee considers that CIFOR's activities are in line with the CGIAR's goals and priorities, and the further development of the Centre during the MTP period is strongly supported. While TAC endorses CIFOR's proposed programmes and activities, it recommends that CIFOR develop a simple, more transparent priority-setting process in which links to resource allocation are more clearly articulated.
SUMMARY
CIMMYT's overall strategic goal is the development of maize and wheat production systems to benefit the poor in developing countries. The MTP for 1998-2000 is heavily influenced by the complex global concerns and associated CGIAR goals, by CIMMYT's mandate and its comparative advantage in contributing to strategic partnerships to mobilize and integrate multidisciplinary approaches to addressing these global concerns, and by the new opportunities in science and research methodology.
Activities during the MTP will be organized through 21 projects: eight with a global and/or thematic approach, five with a regional approach, seven frontier projects, plus a special focus project geared to the problems of the Newly Independent States. CIMMYT's management is being changed to a flatter, leaner structure more appropriate to the Centre's new working environment, and more sustainable in the current and foreseeable financial climate.
Global projects centre on outputs geared to the needs of many regions and countries and are thematic in nature with significant spillovers transcending geopolitical boundaries. Projects include research on the preservation and utilization of maize and wheat genetic resources; improving the productivity, sustainability and environmental compatibility of maize and wheat systems in both fragile areas and highly productive ecosystems; measuring the impact of new technologies; and, strengthening partnerships with, and the capabilities of, NARS. Regional projects are directed towards meeting the rapidly growing regional demands for maize and wheat by addressing constraints specific to each region. Frontier projects are designed to complement are reinforce thematic projects by bringing the "cutting edge" of science to bear on important problems or opportunities. Their outcome is less certain than that of global or regional projects and they are normally more strategic in nature, involving the production of new scientific information and research procedures. The special focus project is designed to develop wheat germplasm in the Newly Independent States.
The 1998-2000 budget is estimate to be slightly less than the funding for the period 1992-96, in constant 1997 dollars. Activities will be carried out by 80 senior international staff, a slight increase from 1997 staffing figures but below the average for the first part of the 1990s.
Proposed changes in resource allocation by CGIAR activity are: a 4% increase for Increasing Productivity; an 8% increase for Protecting the Environment; a 17% increase for Saving Biodiversity; and a reduction of 19% for Strengthening NARS. Funding for Improving Policies and the Systemwide Programme remain constant.
CIMMYT participates in nine Systemwide and ecoregional initiatives and programmes. During the MTP more emphasis will be given to the Rice-Wheat and Mountain Agriculture programmes and less to the Latin-America Ecoregional Programme.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
Maize and wheat now account for over half of the cereals consumed in the developing world where they constitute significant staples in the diets of billions of people. As variations in productivity can profoundly influence the relative well-being of the poor, TAC shares CIMMYT's overarching concern for sustainable productivity increases in maize- and wheat-based fanning systems in the developing world. TAC also agrees with the proposal that, from the viewpoint of food security, South Asia and SSA should continue to be the primary focus of CIMMYT's attention, given the continued dominance of poor people in the two regions.
CIMMYT's plan is formulated against the goals of the CGIAR. Poverty alleviation is a dominant theme and CIMMYT has made a major attempt in its strategic plan to explicitly consider the likely impact of alternative activities and associated outputs on poor consumers and producers, specially poor rural women. Similarly, the goal of protecting the environment has been given priority in the choice of alternative activities, although off-site environmental effects appear to receive little emphasis. In this regard, TAC considers that the maintenance of wheat yields is a major issue from an environmental viewpoint, and should be given greater attention. The Centre envisages an expansion of the work related to the conservation of biodiversity for CIMMYT's commodities and their wild relatives. TAC considers that outputs from CIMMYT's research are entirely in the nature of international public goods.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
CIMMYT's MTP is based on a priority-setting process that was first developed for its current strategic plan and which considers the relative importance of maize versus wheat, the size of mega environments associated with specific research challenges, alternative sources of supply, likelihood of success, poverty and relative strengthening of NARS. The approach has been kept up to date by a series of 'evergreen reports' in which the main factors affecting CIMMYT's operating environment were assessed. Gender was added as a further criterion in the priority-setting process, and the impact of CIMMYT's work on poor rural and urban women is carefully considered, with particular emphasis on SSA and South Asia. TAC commends the Centre for developing a transparent process but notes that the subsequent rationale for the proposed allocation of resources is not fully articulated.
CIMMYT has made a major effort to incorporate the implications of changes in its external environment in its research programmes. The plan highlights the importance of new science, in molecular genetics and genetic engineering, as well as in informatics and GIS applications, in providing new research options and increasing the chances of success. The plan proposes a frontier project concerned with apomixis, which the Centre notes is a high risk venture. TAC considers that the research on apomixis in maize could have very large consequences if successful but CIMMYT should carefully monitor the attainment of milestones and reconsider its commitments if necessary. The intensification of wheat and maize cropping systems in most regions of the world and the reduced resources for agricultural research are also seen as major changes in the external environment.
CIMMYT does not propose to work where others have the comparative advantage and the Centre is undertaking generic work instead of dealing with specific issues. For example, few private sector companies work on tropical maize, and much of the molecular knowledge on maize, generated in the private sector, does not reach the public domain. Further, virtually no work is done on tropical wheats in the industrialized countries.
The shift in emphasis in CIMMYT's work is broadly consistent with TAC's recommendations. Higher priority is given to pre-breeding, research on production system is linked to resource conservation, greater emphasis is given to postharvest technology research, emphasis us given to generic application of NRM research, increased resources are allocated to biodiversity research and collaborative links and outsourcing are expanded. CIMMYT will not reduce the level of resources devoted to training but will expand speciality training.
In the light of global needs TAC suggested that more resources should be applied to wheat than to maize research. CIMMYT agrees but restricted funding makes it difficult to follow this suggestion. However, by 2000 CIMMYT expects to be able to follow TAC's guidance. TAC appreciates CIMMYT's aims to work on wheat with the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union.
TAC considers that CIMMYT should be aware of any research implications of growing water scarcity on the wheat/rice balance; similarly, in certain parts of Africa, maize is replacing sorghum, and the likely effect on research priorities of this shift needs to be monitored.
Strategies for Implementation
The plan has carefully considered and allowed for collaboration with partners. There is good cooperation with NARS and selected ARIs, and there is sophistication in the approach adopted. CIMMYT is fully committed to outsourcing, and activities in almost all projects are being outsourced. Projects have defined objectives and anticipated outcomes and outputs are clear. Although milestones were not included in the MTP document, they are described in the project profiles. TAC recommends that frontier projects have clearer milestones and outputs.
CIMMYT's delivery mechanisms exists through training and research networks. Applied biotechnology particularly works through training. CIMMYT has always had the advantage that it could deliver technology in the form of seed; this will continue. TAC notes that CIMMYT is a fully committed and enthusiastic participant in eight Systemwide activities.
Concluding Comments
CIMMYT's MTP proposal is based on a transparent priority-setting process and its resource allocations appear to be congruent with CGIAR goals and with TAC's recommendations. TAC is pleased by the Centre's efforts to respond positively to evolving CGIAR priority considerations. TAC encourages the Centre to make greater efforts to give more emphasis to its milestones for frontier projects. CIMMYT's programme proposals are innovative, based on good science, and have good potential for further impact.
SUMMARY
CIP's goal is to stimulate major increases in world food supplies by providing farmers in developing countries with access to the full potential of root and tuber crops. The MTP was designed with the premise that the rural and urban poor should benefit proportionally more from Centre research and training than would other groups. However, the MTP also takes into account that science and agriculture are global ventures and that CIP will be increasingly called upon to address issues that are of concern to industrialized countries as well as developing countries.
During the MTP period, activities will be carried out through 19 research projects of which eight are for research on potato, six for sweet potato and five on natural resources management. Research on potato will remain by far the largest programme accounting for 61% of the Centre's resources as compared to 21% for sweet potato research and 17% for natural resources management research. CIP's top research priority will be to meet the challenges posed by new forms of the late blight fungus which affects potato and the Centre will provide leadership to the recently established Global Initiative on Late Blight. Research on pest and disease management also figure significantly in the research agenda for potato. The Centre will use high dry matter accessions to improve varieties targeted for use in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, and CIP will substantially increase work on genetic enhancement and natural resources management.
In addition, the Centre's priorities are heavily weighted to those regions with large numbers of poor and to production zones threatened by environmental degradation. In particular, research will continue to emphasize conservation of the lesser known Andean root and tuber crops. Work in the Andean ecoregion will continue to be conducted by CONDESAN. Natural resources management is highly complementary to CIP's commodity work on potato and, to a lesser extent, sweet potato and will continue at the present level.
The MTP envisages an average annual growth in the budget of 7% up to the year 2000. During the MTP, activities will be carried out by 66 internationally recruited staff, an increase of three from 1996.
Resources will be allocated according to the following CGIAR research categories: Increasing Productivity, 54%; Protecting the Environment, 17%; Saving Biodiversity, 9%; Improving Policies, 5%; Strengthening NARS, 12%; and Systemwide Initiatives, 3%. CIP proposes to allocate 20% of its resources to sub-Saharan Africa (from 18% in 1997); 55% to Asia (from 51% in 1997); 20% to LAC (from 26% in 1997) and 5% to West Asia North Africa.
CIP will continue to be the convenor of the Systemwide Initiative on Mountain Agriculture and participate in the Rice-Wheat Initiative. The Centre also plays a leading role in the Inter-Centre Committee on Root and Tuber Research, and is a member of the Systemwide Programme on Plant genetic Resources, the Integrated Pest Management Programme and the Participatory Research and Gender Analysis Programme. CIP hopes to integrate CONDESAN's livestock research component within the Systemwide Livestock Programme.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
CIP has made concerted efforts to ensure that poverty alleviation, protection of the environment, and sustainable productivity increases have been the major criteria in selecting among activities for its research portfolio. Through its priority-setting process, the Centre's activities are clearly and directly linked to the CGIAR goals. Poverty was the main modifier in CIP's priority-setting process and environmental concerns were also factored in explicitly.
Potato production in developing countries continues to grow rapidly at an annual rate of2.50/o and international trade is also expanding. Developing countries already produce nearly a third of the world's potatoes today, up from 10% in the early 60s. Sweet potato is a crop which is typically grown by resource-poor farmers in the poorest countries. Overall, the Centre aims to create international public goods that benefit the poor by reducing production costs and the use of toxic crop-protection chemicals.
The Centre also makes major contributions to the conservation of biodiversity of potato, sweet potato and Andean root and tuber crops. CIP has screened its projects for particular relevance for gender, which has been an important factor both in programme planning and in the management of the Centre. Overall, CIP's MTP makes a very convincing case for continued investment in potato and sweet potato research in the CGIAR.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
CIP has conducted an elaborate and transparent priority-setting process based on a formal and quantitative process. Economic benefits which were calculated to 2015 were the major factor that drove the exercise with poverty as the main modifier. CIP's priorities are heavily weighted to regions with large numbers of poor and to production zones threatened by environmental degradation. Another important factor was the need for CIP's outputs to be considered as international public goods. In general, planned resource allocations in the MTP are congruent with project benefits estimated in the exercise. TAC congratulates CIP for an outstanding effort and commends CIP for its priority-setting process and the transparent link to resource allocation.
Strategies for Implementation
CIP will implement its MTP in a collaborative mode through a project management system. The Centre has made a lot of effort to develop partnerships with a wide range of NARS, ARIs, NGOs, private sector and other CGIAR Centres. TAC is impressed by the extent of this collaboration both in the Centre and Systemwide work proposed. The Centre has traditionally contracted a large share of its research to ARIs and continues this effective practice throughout this MTP.
CIP is proposing to undertake, together with a number of partners, a major international effort to conduct research on potato late blight. This is one of the most important food crop diseases worldwide of which the annual damage in developing countries is estimated at US$ 3 billion, with poor fanning communities in the highland regions disproportionately affected. The emergence of new more aggressive fungal pathogenic strains, resistant to common fungal pesticides, are likely to worsen the situation. Through its "Global Initiative on Late Blight" (GILB), the Centre's objective is to develop potato cultivars with durable resistance to all strains of the fungus and to stimulate their deployment in integrated disease management schemes in developing countries. In sweet potato research, CIP's objective is to provide high dry matter cultivars suitable for consumption and use as feed, starch and flour.
Important changes are taking place among potato and sweet potato markets which anticipate the need to develop more environment-friendly production systems capable of overcoming numerous yield reducing factors. The most significant change in science to have influenced the development of the plan is progress made in gaining access to wide genetic diversity through biotechnology such as molecular genetic mapping and somatic hybridization. It has long been recognized that the plant family, solinaceace, is comparatively easier to transform through genetic engineering, facilitating research on potato. The recent discovery of fundamental similarities in the potato and tomato genomes could accelerate a basic understanding of solanaceous crops. CIP's MTP reports extensively on the implications of this new science for its work.
The Centre recognizes that viable suppliers exist for some of CIP's current activities, particularly for those in North Africa and Europe, and will therefore allocate significantly fewer resources to the WANA region during the MTP period. The principal recipients of potato exports from the WANA region are European countries. The market requirements of those countries are not easily supplied by CIP. The Centre has screened its activities on the basis of alternative suppliers.
CIP is responding favourably to TAC's recommendations with respect to priorities by activity, i.e., by increasing its pre-breeding work and following the recommendations of the roots and tubers stripe review. Greater emphasis is also given to postharvest work, some in collaboration with the private sector. While it reduces somewhat its investment in biodiversity, this is due to the phasing out of a project on Andean roots and tubers. The Centre also increases its investment in production systems research due to an expansion of IPM activities. TAC is in accord with the rationale for these shifts.
CIP is the convenor of the Mountain Agriculture Programme, which potentially could be a powerful tool to combat poverty and protect the environment in that ecosystem. Currently, while some components in the Andes, East Africa and the Himalayas are operational, most of the generic research across regions is still in the planning stage, and TAC hopes that actual implementation of the research can proceed as soon as possible. CIP also plans to collaborate in the Rice-Wheat Programme although the rationale for this involvement is not always clear. The Centre is also playing a lead role in the Inter-Centre Committee on Root and Tuber Crop Research which is commended by TAC.
CIP has built in milestones and expected outputs in all of its projects. The Centre also regularly undertakes impact assessment studies on particular areas of its work.
Concluding Comments
TAC considers CIP's MTP to be outstanding in its clarity and logic and commends CIP's staff and management for their efforts. The Committee supports the Centre's MTP which is congruent with CGIAR goals and priorities and commends its priority-setting and resource allocation process for wider consideration. TAC endorses CIP's role and leadership in the Global Initiative on Late Blight (GILB). While on the basis of the poverty-weighted congruence analysis, the CGIAR appears to be over-investing in potato and sweet potato research, TAC recommends that this argument is offset, to some extent, by the high quality and potential impact of the proposed research and the need to address the potato late blight challenge, and the importance of potato technologies to mountain environments where few alternatives are available.
SUMMARY
ICARDA's mission is to improve the welfare of people in the dry areas of the developing world by increasing the production and nutritional quality of food while preserving and enhancing the resource base. ICARDA serves the entire developing world for the improvement of lentil, barley and faba bean, all dry-area developing countries for the improvement of on-farm management of water, the improvement of small ruminant nutrition and productivity, and the rehabilitation and management of rangelands, and the WANA region for the enhancement of the productivity of bread and durum wheat, chickpea, forage legumes and farming systems and the natural resources of water, land and biodiversity.
The MTP will be implemented through a research agenda of five themes: crop germplasm enhancement, production systems management; natural resources management, socioeconomics and policy, and institutional strengthening. Highest priority in this MTP is given to natural resources management and germplasm enhancement, followed by production systems management, socioeconomics and policy. In the previous MTP the dominant theme was germplasm enhancement.
A total of 19 projects will be carried out under the five themes. Those with the highest priority are a mix of germplasm enhancement for barley, food legumes and durum wheat; water resources conservation and management, agro-biodiversity collection and conservation; and the rehabilitation and improved management of native pastures and rangelands.
The funding plan for 1998-2000 is based on the Centre's request for 1997 which was increased to support expanded global activities in the areas of on-farm water husbandry, natural resources management and livestock. It also takes into account TAC and CGIAR suggestions to include the Central Asian Republics in ICARDA's agreed research agenda. Activities will be carried out by 95 International recruited staff, an increase of six from 1997.
The percentage of proposed allocation of expenditure by CGIAR activity for 1998 is 44% for Increasing Productivity; 16% for Protecting the Environment; 11% for Saving Biodiversity; 4% for Improving Policies; and 26% for Strengthening NARS. ICARDA proposes to allocate 98% of its resources to West Asia North Africa, 1% to Latin America Caribbean and 1% to sub-Saharan Africa.
ICARDA is the convening Centre for the consortium on multipurpose trees and shrubs under the Systemwide Livestock Programme. It also participates in the Systemwide Programmes on Water Resources Management, the Soil Water and Nutrient Management, Integrated Pest Management, Property Rights and Collective Action and the Genetic Resources Programme. ICARDA is also a co-sponsor of the Systemwide Programme on Participatory Research and Gender Analysis.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
ICARDA's MTP is clearly presented and reflects recent changes in the Centre's priorities and strategies and addresses the goal of poverty alleviation in the WANA region. Using the criterion adopted in the CGIAR priorities and strategies document, WANA has a relatively modest number of very poor people, i.e. those earning about US$ 1 a day, but, as ICARDA points out, the region has a larger number of poor people, i.e. those in the next income bracket of US$ 2 per day. The Centre has estimated that there are 450 million people in WANA with an annual income of less than US$ 2 per day, though ICARDA's geographical definition of the region for this calculation is much broader than the one used by TAC. There is no need to dwell too long on the importance of poverty alleviation in the Centre's work. While there are some wealthy countries in the region, they undoubtedly account for only a small proportion of its rural population.
The WANA region is particularly important in relation to the CGIAR goal of protecting the environment. Agriculture, both annual cropping and the grazing of domestic ruminants, has been practised there for a very long time, with attendant consequences for the current condition of soil, water and vegetation resources. In addition, land and water resources for agriculture are generally scarce in this region and its rural population has a relatively high growth rate. There is a high rate of out-emigration.
The region served by ICARDA is particularly important for the conservation of plant genetic resources. It is the centre of origin for several major crops of the dry areas, including wheat, barley, chickpea, lentil and faba bean, and for important forage legumes. ICARDA's genebank holds about 20% of the total CGIAR collections.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
The criteria adopted by the Centre to set priorities among its projects for the MTP, under the headings of productivity enhancement, relevance to the poor, natural resource conservation, management and use efficiency, and internationality and strengthening NARS, relate well to the CGIAR goals. What is not equally clear is how the process led to the actual allocations of resources among projects. The outcome gave a high priority to NRM and conservation (including water-harvesting in a watershed framework), along with germplasm enhancement, whereas previously germplasm enhancement was the dominant theme, followed by production systems development. ICARDA records that there was broad congruence between the Centre's priorities and those of the NARS.
TAC considers these changes of emphasis to be appropriate and particularly appreciates the transparent listing of research topics that will receive increased and decreased emphasis under the new MTP. However, the proposed proportional allocation of resources by activity category in the MTP does not seem to be entirely consistent with the Centre's statement that the priorities for 1998-2000 represent a substantial shift from those of the previous MTP. In particular, TAC wonders about the allocation of less than 20% of the Centre's resources to protecting the environment, in view of its statement that high priority is to be given to NRM.
TAC supports the re-establishment of faba bean improvement in ICARDA, after its unsuccessful devolution to a NARS, but encourages the Centre to concentrate on prebreeding aspects of its germplasm enhancement while continuing to support the development of a capacity for faba bean breeding in the national systems of WANA.
The MTP includes a map and text on the subject of ICARDA's geographical mandate. TAC notes that WANA has been defined to include a few countries, such as Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan, that have been classified previously for CGIAR Priority and Strategies as part of the warm arid and semi-arid tropics of SSA. [In Centre documents on poverty, Pakistan also has been treated as part of WANA; previously, it has been classified as warm arid and semi-arid subtropics with summer rainfall.] These changes require clarification, as does the rationale for the research which the Centre intends to conduct in and for the dry areas outside WANA. TAC does not support the expansion of ICARDA's research activities into South Asia and SSA.
By far the biggest change in ICARDA's external environment since the preparation of its previous MTP has occurred because of the developments that have been taking place in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The Centre's intention to work in the Central Asian Republics is supported by TAC. A sum of US$ 1.5 million a year has been included in the Centre's MTP budget for "collaboration with and support to" the NARS of the Central Asian Republics. TAC will in due course examine the consequences of this change for the Centre and the System in the context of annual financing plans. TAC notes also that, without the US$ 1.5 million, the Centre's budget is projected to increase by about 13% between 1997 and 2000, without any strong justification being given in terms of increased future impact.
Strategies for Implementation of the MTP
The MTP will be implemented through a project management system with well defined objectives and milestones. TAC accepts ICARDA's reasoning that the agricultural environment in WANA requires an integrated systems approach to research as the single factor method does not work well. During the plan period, ICARDA will undertake four different studies of impact, two ex post and two ex ante. The gender distribution of research benefits will be part of these assessments, TAC is pleased to note. ICARDA is convenor of the Systemwide activity On-Farm Water Husbandry in WANA, and participates in six others, particularly in aspects of the efficient use of water in dry areas. TAC is satisfied that the CGIAR Systemwide programmes are well woven into the Centre's research agenda.
The Committee observes that ICARDA's strategies for implementation emphasize collaboration with national research systems and other institutions including ARIs and CGIAR Centres. NARS scientists will be employed within national institutions to conduct research for ICARDA. TAC was briefed on the modality of this form of outsourcing and is persuaded that it can serve the interests of both ICARDA and NARS, though it would advise caution in topping up the salaries of national scientists. In addition, senior scientific advisers from advanced institutes will be engaged to act as mentors for specific scientific disciplines within the Centre's agreed agenda. ICARDA considers that remote sensing, applications of information technology and genetic engineering are the areas of "new science" most likely to influence the future probabilities of success in the Centre's research.
Finally, TAC commends the willingness expressed by ICARDA's senior management to assist other CGIAR Centres in making contact with the Central Asian Republics.
Concluding Comments
The Committee considers that ICARDA's MTP is well conceived and in line with CGIAR goals and priorities. While ICARDA has made encouraging efforts to develop a more transparent priority-setting process, TAC considers that greater attention should be given to clarify subsequent links to resource allocation. TAC commends ICARDA for its efforts to integrate sustainability concerns in its strategic germplasm research.
SUMMARY
ICLARM's goal is to enhance the wellbeing of present and future generation of poor people in the developing world through improved production, management and conservation of living aquatic resources. The MTP is designed to generate better management advice and methods to conserve current fish stocks and to provide for their sustainable use, and to develop more efficient technologies for aquaculture so that it can provide the necessary increase in productivity needed to meet growing global fish demand. The proposal in the MTP for the development of fish biodiversity and coral reef databases, and ecosystem modelling capacity, will enable the Institute to play an important role in monitoring the effects of climate change on living aquatic resources.
For the 1998-2000 MTP, ICLARM proposes a restructured agenda comprising 10 programmes to be implemented through 17 projects. Of these, five are global programmes for biodiversity and genetic resources: germplasm enhancement and breeding, policy research and impact assessment; fish health, and information and training; four are system-specific programmes for integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems, fisheries resources assessment and management, coastal aquaculture and stock enhancement, and aquatic environments; and one is a foundation and outreach programme for international partnerships and networks. The programme on fish health is a new addition to ICLARM's restructured agenda.
By the year 2000, ICLARM's funding requirement is expected to have increased by 35% over its 1997 requirements; an increase due to growth in ICLARM's research agenda and supporting infrastructure. The number of internationally recruited staff is expected to increase from 41 in late 1997 to 43 at the end of the MTP, as opposed to 27 in 1996. This is partly due to the required staffing of the new regional facility in Abbassa, Egypt.
The expenditures by CGIAR programme are 34% for Increasing Productivity; 19% for Protecting the Environment; 7% for Saving Biodiversity; 17% for Improving Policies; and 23% for Strengthening NARS. By the year 2000, regional expenditure is estimated to be 51% for Asia & the Pacific; 40% for WANA and sub Saharan Africa; and 9% for Latin America.
ICLARM is the convening centre for the Systemwide Programme on Coastal Environments and also proposes to be the convening centre for a new initiative on Inland Aquatic Resource Systems, due to commence in 1998. The Centre also participates in the Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme and to the Systemwide Initiative on Irrigation Management.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
Fisheries play an important role in food production, conservation of resources, and income and employment generation in developing countries. Fish and fish products provide 20% of animal protein intake and fish consumption is expected to increase from 71 million tons today to 110 million tons by 2010. The links between ICLARM's research agenda and CGIAR goals are argued in terms of relevance of proposed activities for poverty alleviation, food security and environmental conservation. Poor fishing and farming families are the main targets of ICLARM's work. Resource management and improvement of productivity are the main focus of ICLARM's activities. To this end, the Centre has developed a research portfolio which benefits access to means of production, maintenance of a productive resource base, and affordable and sustainable technologies.
ICLARM's research is also concerned with the conservation of the environment through the responsible use of the world's aquatic resources. The Centre's work on fish biodiversity and coral reef databases and ecosystem modelling allows it to monitor the effects of climatic change on living aquatic resource systems. Great care is taken by ICLARM to ensure that natural resources (fish, shellfish and water) are maintained with a view to sustainable use for future generations. ICLARM makes major contributions to the preservation of biodiversity through the conservation of aquatic genetic resources. The Centre's work on the genetic improvement of aquaculture strains and the development of integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems provide research outputs that help poor households grow more of their own fish, to increase their incomes, or to improve nutrition. An important aspect here is that declining aquatic stocks and a rapidly increasing demand for fish and its products have generally led to a rapid increase in the price offish, except in China where the price offish has declined.
While ICLARM claims that it is carefully monitoring the gender impact of its projects, the MTP does not take into account in a systematic and analytical way in setting priorities. However, the Centre does intend to play a lead role in first Asian, and later global, efforts to highlight women in fisheries and fisheries research issues.
Overall, TAC believes that ICLARM's proposed activities will contribute to CGIAR goals and that its outputs can be considered international public goods.
Priority Setting and Resource Allocation
The MTP builds on ICLARM's-1992 priority-setting exercise based on an analysis of fish catch; aquaculture production; potential to increase production; and index of potential gains; number of poor; needs of NARS; and threats to sustainability and equity. At the commodity level, the choice of fish species has been determined by its value as a food resource for large numbers of poor people and the probability of success through research. A further criterion that has been taken into account is the possibility of promoting income generation in coastal communities through appropriate exploitation of low input/high value species such as clam, oyster, sea cucumber, and pearl cultivation. Overall, TAC considers that the priority-setting exercise is adequate and transparent, and that ICLARM's programme portfolio is well argued and balanced. The link from priorities to resource allocation, however, is not always clearly articulated. The Committee also notes that the database presently available and used for setting priorities is generally weak and would encourage ICLARM to systematically explore new information sources to complement the database over time.
Strategies for Implementation
The MTP highlights the growing public disquiet regarding the state of the world's fisheries which stems from the alarming rate of depletion of natural stocks, the limitation of global fish catches from natural environments, and the consequences of industrialized fishing in developing countries. The increased importance of aquaculture may counteract the decline in yield from capture fisheries.
ICLARM's activities are conducted in close collaboration with NARS, universities, regional associations and ARIs. TAC commends the collaborative efforts of the Centre and considers these to be of a complementary nature. ICLARM conducts a substantial share of its research through contractual arrangements and this is applauded by the Committee.
The issue of new science is not addressed in the MTP. Further discussions of TAC with management revealed that the new science that affects chances of success relates to the use of genetic markers in germplasm enhancement and biodiversity research, the use of satellite imagery in coral reef research, new advanced modelling techniques to simulate the dynamics of fish ponds, in ageing of tropical fish species which allows for greater accuracy in yield modelling. It was noted, however, that the development of fisheries science lags well behind that of agricultural sciences.
TAC notes that ICLARM intends to expand its work into fish health research. The Committee encourages the Centre to ensure that the results will be transferable from WANA to sub-Saharan Africa.
The proposed regional allocation by ICLARM differs significantly from regional values based on the poverty weighted value of production: 21% sub-Saharan Africa, 65% Asia, 10% Latin America, 5% to WANA and central Asia. In the past, TAC has advised against ICLARM's proposed expansion in the WANA region, both on the grounds of regional allocation and concerns for efficiency. TAC notes that by 2000, ICLARM intends to allocate 40% of its resources to WANA and sub-Saharan Africa, 51% to Asia, and 9% to Latin America and the Caribbean. The Committee would welcome a systematic rationale for these proposed allocations and the differences with those suggested by the poverty weighted congruence analysis.
TAC notes that a high share of ICLARM's resources are allocated to information collection and dissemination. Given the enormous need for this type of work in the relatively new field of fisheries research, the Committee considers that this effort is justified.
ICLARM is the convenor of the proposed Systemwide initiative on coastal environments. However, the Centre proposes to assign lower priority to coastal environment research than originally intended. TAC would advise ICLARM to integrate this programme into its research agenda and not pursue it as a Systemwide programme. The Centre is also actively participating in the Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme (SGRP) and the Systemwide Initiative on Irrigation Management.
ICLARM has milestones and expected outputs defined in all of its projects. It also conducts impact assessment through special purpose studies.
Since its entry into the CGIAR, ICLARM's expansion in activities and supporting institutional infrastructure has been impressive. During this MTP, the Centre proposes a further period of growth. TAC cautions against a too rapid rate of expansion and encourages ICLARM to give serious thought to a period of consolidation.
Concluding Comments
TAC considers ICLARM's MTP proposal to be in line with the CGIAR goals. It endorses the proposal and hopes that the proposed expansion of the Centre's activities into Africa and WANA will not threaten its high priority activities in Asia. In connection with ICLARM taking over a research facility in Abbassa, Egypt, TAC urges the Centre to do its utmost to ensure that field and laboratory research results will be of relevance particularly to the sub-Saharan Africa region. Furthermore, the Committee notes that ICLARM, for its Abbassa research vis-a-vis the WANA region, takes into account "alternative supply" in this region, more specifically the aquaculture research programmes in Israel. Overall, the Committee supports ICLARM's programme proposals which are innovative and have good impact potential. Finally, TAC cautions against an unbridled expansion of ICLARM and suggests a period of consolidation towards the end of this medium-term planning period.
SUMMARY
ICRAF's mission is to increase the social, economic and nutritional wellbeing of people in developing countries through the use of research and related activities to integrate woody perennials in farming and related land-use systems, in order to increase productivity, profitability, sustainability, diversity of output and the conservation of natural resources. The 1998-2000 MTP focuses on boosting the two different functions fulfilled by trees on farm and in landscapes, i.e. products that can be marketed for cash or used domestically, and services that increase crop yields and improve environmental resilience. ICRAF's strategy is to integrate these two functions with policy and institutional improvements to facilitate wide-scale adoption by farmers.
Activities are carried out under 22 projects which come under the following three research and two development programmes: national resources strategies and policy, domestication of agroforestry trees, ecosystem rehabilitation, system-evaluation and dissemination, and capacity and institutional strengthening. All the programmes are carried out in the six ecoregions in Africa, Latin America and South Asia with which ICRAF is concerned. The projects are designed to fulfil ICRAF's aims for the MTP period, which are: to build on its accomplishments and partnerships; work on natural resources management at different spatial scales; shift to integrated -systems thinking through a multidisciplinary approach;, shift research attention from competition and profitability issues to those of ecological processes, environmental resilience and household welfare; continue to implement approaches to research and development sensitive to social economic and cultural issues, particularly gender differences; and, expand strategic alliances to the private sector.
The MTP forecasts an increase in resource requirements of 2.7% per year in relative terms over the 1997 baseline. The number of internationally recruited staff is estimated to increase from 59 in 1997 to 71 by the year 2000.
Programme expenditure on increasing productivity will be 44%, protecting the environment 15%, saving biodiversity 9%, improving policies 11% and strengthening NARS 21%; ICRAF also proposes to allocate 74% of its resources to sub-Saharan Africa, 19% to Asia, and 7% to Latin America and the Caribbean.
ICRAF is the convening centre for the Systemwide African Highland Initiative Ecoregional Programme and the Alternatives to Slash and Burn Programme. It is also a partner in 11 other CGIAR Systemwide and ecoregional initiatives.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
ICRAF's MTP has tied its programmes squarely to the main elements of the CGIAR goals. In respect of the alleviation of poverty, agroforestry contributes mainly through the importance of fuelwood to poor people, and less specifically through the role of woody species in maintaining soil fertility. ICRAF has relied on general arguments about the location of poverty, stating that there is no georeferenced database for the incidence of poverty that would allow the Centre to target its allocation of resources to programmes and projects more precisely on the needs of the poor.
Agroforestry generally is well-equipped to help improve NRM, particularly on sloping lands and forest margins. It can contribute to more-sustainable soil and water management on site, and off-site, to raising the quality of water supplies and even to the mitigation of the greenhouse effect, through carbon sequestration and reduced deforestation. TAC notes that the Centre does not have a large contribution to make to the conservation of biodiversity, except through the species selected for domestication, the replanting of indigenous trees on farms, and through research on ethnobotany of non-wood forest products. Gender is addressed in ICRAF's research on agroforestry primarily through the reduction in drudgery for women, by inclusion of trees on farms to provide a full range of "services" to poor families.
TAC considers that ICRAF has acceptable plans for generating international public goods from the results obtained at its field sites. The Centre has made commendable progress in internationalizing its research, since it entered the CGIAR. ICRAF plans to continue to work actively to develop the discipline of agroforestry.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
ICRAF's priority setting process was broadly consultative and collaborative, and has been intensive during the past one and a half years. As with many centres, there is a lack of transparency on just how the consensus-building process arrived at a final programme balance. Apparently, the procedure used within the Centre relied mainly on precedence with subjective judgements on any changes to programmatic and regional balances being made at the end of detailed discussions of future resource needs for the Centre's research. TAC encourages the development of more systematic and transparent procedures.
The proposed allocation of resources to CGIAR undertakings and activities during the MTP period is in line with the objectives of the Centre. ICRAF's regional balance shows a gradual shift from 11.8% to 18.7% in Asia, holding relatively constant in Latin America at 9%, and decreasing in Africa from 80 to 72%. A rationale and analysis is given for the increasing prevalence of managed on-farm tree planting as population increases in rural Africa. No parallel analysis is given for agroforestry in the rapidly growing economies of Asia, nor in Latin America. However, TAC notes that the proposed allocation to Asia is not congruent with the regional incidence of poverty. ICRAF quotes the strength of NARS as a reason for not working in South Asia, but TAC observes that there may still be scope there for complementary international aspects of agroforestry research.
Strategies for Implementation of the MTP
The Centre's strategies for implementation are transparent and sound, subject to two issues mentioned below:
· The first is the level of participation in Systemwide programmes, holding constant at 56% of total budget throughout the period. This brings into question the extent to which ICRAF can control its agenda and programme balance. TAC recommends that this proportion should not increase. TAC notes that the Centre intends to interact with a commendably wide range of institutions during the implementation of its MTP, but questions how this can be done without incurring large transaction costs.· ICRAF's growth from US$ 17.3 million in 1996 to a predicted US$ 22.3 in 1997 and thence to US$ 26.9 million in 2000 represents an increase of 56 % between 1996 and 2000. TAC queries the capacity of the Centre to fully assimilate this rate of growth, particularly in light of the early research status of the ecosystem approach which, while promising and appropriate, is largely untested as a developmental framework for production agriculture. Its critical contribution could be to indicate key processes and to provide a conceptual setting for selecting and testing new technologies and for measuring their environmental impacts. TAC understands that ICRAF's steep funding increase is connected with its recent development from a mainly consulting organization to a fully fledged hands-on research institute. This is also reflected in the considerable new building activities at the Centre's headquarters.
ICRAF's programmes seem well targeted towards sustainable management of natural resources. The Centre has moved from a farming systems perspective of including trees in systems in a variety of ways, to an ecosystems focus which considers hierarchy of relationships, has a strong scale dimension and deals broadly with species diversity both within the soil and in the landscape. TAC commends this approach and notes the assurance it was given during discussions that ICRAF's new working definition of agroforestry refers to trees on farms in landscapes and not to forests in landscapes. Relations with CIFOR are effective and will need continuing attention with the intended move of that Centre into research on dry tropical forests.
In relation to the influence of "new science" on ICRAF's research, TAC observes that the study of agroforestry draws on a large and growing body of scientific knowledge in other disciplines, but that it has not benefited greatly from recent developments in any one of them.
TAC considers that the connection between programmes, outputs, and goals is clear in ICRAF's approach. Its three research and two development pillars lead directly to five programmes, each having projects with specified outcomes. Milestones are specified in terms of expected gains, but they are not yet available for all projects nor do they have target dates. TAC would encourage their further development and the addition of information about plans for evaluating the impact of the Centre's research. On a point of detail, TAC advises against an emphasis on the search for high-value agroforest products, such as pharmaceuticals, unless they raise the incomes of the poor. Many forest products that could raise the income of the poor are fruits and are highly perishable. ICRAF recognizes the need for postharvest preservation of such products and may need to work with the private sector to design appropriate technologies.
Delivery mechanisms have been undergoing continued evolution. ICRAF's 'research' programmes each have NARS and NGO linkages and hence a 'development' dimension. The Centre has about the same number of international staff (59) as national professional staff (62) and seconded staff/associates/research fellows (55). This facilitates linkages with NARS, NAROs and ARIs. Its two field development programmes are entirely collaborative, located in the sites of collaborating NARS. TAC notes that the Centre has some short-term contracts with ARIs, but that its use of outsourcing is restricted mainly to expenditure on collaborative partnerships. This may be appropriate at the current state of development of agroforestry.
Concluding Comments
TAC is impressed by the dynamism of ICRAF and is in favour of its continued development, but recommends consolidation and demonstration of impact during the MTP period and before there is any further substantial growth of the Centre. ICRAF's proposals are in line with CGIAR goals and priorities. The Committee would encourage ICRAF to develop a more systematic priority-setting process which more clearly links priorities to resource allocation. TAC commends ICRAF for the collaborative nature of its work, and for its role as a catalyst in promoting agroforestry.
SUMMARY
ICRISAT aims to contribute to the relief of poverty, hunger and environmental deterioration in the semi-arid tropics, the world's poorest and most fragile areas. The MTP for 1998-2000 has identified four broad areas of research targeted towards developing more productive and efficient agricultural systems in order to reduce poverty, enhance cropping systems diversity, conserve genetic resources, and protect the environment.
The research agenda is comprised of 12 interdisciplinary projects designed to produce intermediate products. These are: five commodity improvement projects covering sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeon pea- and groundnuts; a project on the conservation of crop genetic resources; four projects on integrated systems which address desert margins, dry savannahs, semi-arid watersheds and diversifying rice-wheat systems; and two economics projects, one concerning impact assessment and the other addressing markets and policy.
The MTP proposes a shift of emphasis in the natural resource management to Africa, where soil fertility depletion limits realization of the full genetic potential of ICRISAT's improved germplasm. In view of the growing strength of alternative suppliers in Asia, ICRISAT plans to reduce its applied research in the area and increasingly re-focus its applied crop improvement efforts towards Africa. However, the Centre will continue to deliver intermediate breeding products to weaker NARS partners. The ex situ preservation and utilization of the genetic diversity of the staple food crops of the semi-arid tropics, including their wild relatives, remain a central priority in the MTP strategy.
The MTP funding requirement is based on the 1997 financing plan and operating budget. No growth is proposed and by the year 2000, a decrease of 16% is projected. The programme will be carried out by 63 internationally recruited staff, an increase of five from 1997.
In 1998 the proposed resource allocation by CGIAR activity is 45% to Increasing Productivity; 17% to Protecting the Environment; 11% to Saving Biodiversity; 6% to Improving Policies and 21% to Strengthening NARS. During the MTP period, ICRISAT proposes to allocate 50% of its funding to sub-Saharan Africa, 48% to Asia and 1% each to WANA and Latin America.
ICRISAT is currently an active participant in seven Systemwide Activities including the Rice-Wheat Initiative for which it is the Facilitating Centre and the Desert Margins Initiative for which it is the Convening Centre.. The potential benefits and pitfalls associated with Systemwide Activities will be closely monitored by ICRISAT during the MTP period.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
The CGIAR goal of poverty alleviation is central to ICRISAT's objectives because of the high incidence of poverty in the semi-arid tropic (SAT) countries that it serves and the strong dependence of the poor on its mandate cereal crops. Most of the 48 countries with substantial semi-arid tropical areas rank amongst the poorest in the world, while recent results from India show that sorghum and pearl millet are consumed in higher proportion by poor people than by those who are better off. The comparison was with rice and wheat in semi-arid states. However, data are not yet available in sufficient detail to target the within-Centre priorities directly on poverty.
The other CGIAR goals of protecting the environment and gender equity are dealt with qualitatively in the MTP, though current and planned research emphasizes the identification of gender 'impact indicators' to guide the future agenda. TAC considers that the Centre has a very satisfactory approach to the criterion of international public goods, based on the concept of spillovers. TAC notes that the ex situ preservation and utilization of the biological diversity of the staple food crops of the SAT and their wild relatives are a central priority of ICRISAT's strategy for 1998-2000.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
ICRISAT's priority-setting process continues to be one of the most quantitative in the system. To the four criteria used in 1992 - cost/benefit, equity (poverty and gender), Intel-nationality and sustainability - have been added new science, relevance to NARS priorities, and future trends. The topics identified by this process are ranked in prioritized order, and as many as funding will permit are then pursued in projects. While the approach is systematic, TAC has some concerns that this procedure may be more "topic" than "project" driven, leading to difficulties in achieving coherence within projects.
During the MTP period, ICRISAT proposes to reduce the proportion of resources for germplasm enhancement research from 30 to 22% through the reduction of applied breeding in Asia, but increasing the focus on prebreeding there and continuing to deliver intermediate breeding products to weaker NARS partners, especially in Africa. TAC considers that this change, which is consistent with the EPMR report, is warranted by the opportunities for new science in plant breeding and the availability of alternative sources of supply in some stronger NARS. It is concerned, however, that the Centre may receive insufficient resources to pursue these new aims in Asia and Africa effectively.
TAC notes that the total allocation of resources proposed for the two activity categories directed to the development of sustainable production systems will decrease slightly from 32% to 30%, with increased emphasis on protection of the environment. The Committee endorses this part of the plan. It commends the intention to increase the proportion of resources devoted to saving biodiversity from 12% to 20%, primarily for further collection and characterisation of ICRISAT's mandate crops and their wild relatives, and their safe conservation in ex situ genebanks. Training increases from 13% to 15% and TAC supports the planned emphasis on professional development and strengthening of the visiting scientist programme.
TAC endorses ICRISATs stated intention to shift the balance of its NRM research to Africa, where impoverished soils limit the expression of the full genetic potential of improved plant cultivars. By the end of the MTP period, the proportion of the Institute's research resources committed to SSA is expected to grow from 50% to 54%, and those to Asia to fall from 48% to 44%. The MTP provides evidence of a commendable rate of release of crop varieties derived from ICRISAT's research in recent years, with a very encouraging number of those in SSA.
Strategies for Implementation of the MTP
The Committee considers that the planned objectives and outputs of ICRISAT's projects are consistent with the above priorities and well designed with appropriate milestones in most cases. The request to include ten additional project components in the agreed agenda is supported. In TAC's view, ICRISAT will need to improve its ability to work in a more integrated, cooperative partnership mode with NARS scientists in the MTP period, if it is to achieve its objectives with the funds requested. Care will need to be taken to ensure that these partnerships are able to deliver the same range of training activities as ICRISAT did in the past.
ICRISAT considers that three major areas of "new science" will markedly change the way in which the Centre carries out its research over the next decade. These are biotechnology, GIS and computer-based modelling, and participatory research methods.
ICRISAT sees little advantage in contracting for research, but TAC reiterates that it can be more cost-effective at times for a Centre to purchase research or research-related activities from outside rather than to create or use in-house capacity. Finally, the Committee notes that ICRISAT is an active participant in seven Systemwide activities, and the EPMR's reservations about the extent of such participation, but is reassured by ICRISAT's stated intention to closely monitor its future involvement.
Concluding Comments
ICRISAT's MTP proposal is concise and logical, and congruent with CGIAR goals and priorities. It is based on a systematic and transparent priority setting process. The research proposals are innovative, based on good science and have impact potential. While the MTP may reflect work in transition pending the implementation of the EPMR recommendations, TAC considers that ICRISAT's proposals provide evidence of the continued relevance and high priority of the Centre's work in the CGIAR.
SUMMARY
IFPRI's mission, which was reassessed in 1996, is (1) to identify and analyse alternative national and international policies for meeting food needs on a sustainable basis, with particular regard for low-income countries and poor people, and for the sound management of the natural resource base that supports agriculture; (2) to make the results of its research available to all those in a position to apply them or use them; and (3) to help strengthen institutions conducting research on food policies and institutions in a position to apply such research results in developing countries. During the MTP period, the focus of IFPRI's research and outreach activities will be to promote policies to improve food security and nutrition, reduce poverty, reduce pressure on fragile natural resources, and promote sustainable development.
Activities during the MTP will be conducted under multicountry programmes and two new project categories: regional programmes and syntheses. Programmes will be implemented through IFPRI's four research divisions: the Environment and Production Technology Division, the Food Consumption and Nutrition Division, the Markets and Structural Studies Division, and the Trade and Macroeconomic Division together with the Outreach Division which facilitates better communication between IFPRI and decision makers, opinion leaders and policy analysts around the world.
A total of 21 projects are proposed: 11 multicountry programmes, six regional programmes, two synthesis and two portfolio projects, which are research-support activities. During each year of the MTP, IFPRI researchers will undertake one or two new synthesis research activities. Initially, IFPRI will synthesize results on non-farm rural development and on strategies for poverty alleviation, themes that cut across all of IFPRI's research and outreach objectives. Another topic under consideration is international negotiation issues related to the World Food Summit and other global agreements.
From 1997 to 1998 IFPRI estimates that its budget will grow by approximately 8%, after which it is expected to increase by 3% per year in the MTP period. The number of internationally recruited staff is expected to increase by one by the year 2000.
Allowing for the difficulties in making a distinct distribution among activities, IFPRI expects to allocate 56% of its resources to Policy Analysis, 11% to Economic and Social Analysis, 10% to Sustainable Production Systems, 2% to Saving Biodiversity, 9% to Training, 10% to Documentation and Information, and 2% to Institution Building Networks. IFPRI's geographic allocation of resources will be 40% to sub-Saharan Africa, 35% to Asia, 15% to Latin America and 10% to WANA.
IFPRI is the convenor of the Property Rights and Collective Action Systemwide Programme and the co-convenor, with ISNAR, of the Agricultural Research Indicators Systemwide Initiative. The Centre is also involved in five other Systemwide programmes and expects to become increasingly involved with the East African Highlands Initiative and the Water and Nutrient Management Initiative.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
IFPRI's strategies emanate from the CGIAR mission. IFPRI strives to reduce poverty by providing alternative policy options to policy makers and by introducing policy changes that facilitate the use of improved technology by farmers. All of IFPRI's proposed work has been assessed and developed against the CGIAR goal of poverty alleviation through sustainable productivity improvement and protection of the environment. TAC considers that IFPRI's proposed activities are in line with the CGIAR goals. The Committee appreciates IFPRI's efforts in articulating how food policy research in general, and the Institute's activities in particular, contribute to poverty alleviation- TAC also supports IFPRI's increasing emphasis on NRM issues. Gender is an important aspect both in IFPRI's programme planning and m the management of the Centre.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
Priority setting at IFPRI is guided by the Institute's global and business visions. IFPRI believes that methodologically, it is not feasible to have a quantitative approach to priority setting. The Institute has, therefore, used a conceptual qualitative approach based on expected poverty reduction and expected impact as the dominant criteria to identify priority research areas. A further set of criteria were developed to identify choice of study countries. While TAC considers the priority setting process to be adequate and transparent, the link to resource allocation by project is not well articulated. The Committee would also encourage IFPRI to explore more formal approaches to priority setting and impact assessment. Even qualitative judgements need to be made explicit so as to encourage other stakeholders to contribute to the debate on priorities. TAC considers that IFPRI's programmes address issues of importance and is particularly pleased with the central role of poverty, food security and the environment in the Institute's agenda.
Strategies for Implementation
IFPRI has defined its niche and comparative advantage in policy research according to the responsibilities and activities of other agencies. The FAO-sponsored World Food Summit and IFPRI's own detailed analysis conducted for Vision 2020 have major implications for IFPRI's work. IFPRI notes that there are fewer organizations conducting food policy research than there were four years ago. For example, Stanford University's Food Research Institute closed down last year and the World Bank also reduced its involvement in food policy research. There have also been major developments through economic and market reforms and though heightened concern for NRM.
IFPRI conducts almost all of its research collaboratively with ministries, universities, NARS, NGOs or other CGIAR Centres. TAC is also encouraged by the enhanced collaboration with FAO. Some of IFPRI's work is outsourced through contracts. IFPRI carefully considers its comparative advantage in each of its activities to ensure complementarity with its partners in the research. Management of these inter-institutional relations will be a challenge, and TAC looks forward to learning from experiences gained by IFPRI, particularly in the NRM.
The shifts in emphasis in IFPRI's work are consistent with TAC's recommendations on CGIAR priorities and strategies and its strategic study on policy and management research. Greater emphasis is given to economic and social analysis, and to policies for biodiversity research. IFPRI has increased its policy research work in NRM and, in line with TAC's recommendation, less emphasis appears to be given to market and trade research. IFPRI notes that extensive primary social and management analyses of NRM must be undertaken in order to conduct effective policy analysis. TAC is encouraged that IFPRI's involvement with research on alternative solutions to overcoming micronutrient deficiencies will allow the approach to this work to go beyond the area of policy considerations. The Committee also notes the comparatively large share IFPRI intends to allocate to strengthening NARS. Given the relative weakness of national programmes in policy research, TAC is in accord with this view. IFPRI is the convenor of the Property Rights and Collective Action Programme as well as of the Agricultural Research Indicators Initiative. It also provides a major input in the Alternatives to Slash and Bum programme, the water management programme, the livestock programme, the genetic resources programme and the desert margins initiative. It will also be increasingly involved in the mountain programme, particularly through the East African Highlands initiative and the Soil, Water and Nutrient Management initiative. TAC is pleased by this comprehensive involvement of IFPRI in so many Systemwide activities, indicative of the important role that policy research plays in the issues to be addressed. IFPRI and ISNAR should consider, however, whether the Agricultural Research Indicators Initiative should not be incorporated into their own research agendas.
IFPRI has milestones and expected outputs for all of its projects, and conducts impact studies on its work. TAC encourages the Centre to accelerate its efforts in quantifying the impact of its policy research and feed the results into its planning process. This should facilitate the international public good nature of its outputs.
Concluding Comments
TAC considers IFPRI's MTP proposal to be well argued, focusing on important research issues, and coherent. It supports IFPRI's MTP which is congruent with CGIAR goals and priorities. The Committee commends the Centre for the quality of its proposal and the collaborative and innovative nature of its research. TAC encourages the Centre to explore more formal approaches to priority setting and resource allocation, as well as impact assessment.
SUMMARY
IIMI's mission is to improve food security and the lives of poor people by fostering sustainable increases in the productivity of water used in agriculture through better management of irrigation and water basin systems. During the MTP IIMI will continue working on themes where its traditional strengths lie and where further significant progress is feasible, such as performance assessment, local irrigation management and techniques for operating canal systems. However, two recent developments enable rapid progress in understanding the real causes and potential solutions to water problems facing the world. The first is a paradigm shift in thinking about irrigation and water management, the water-basin theory; the second is the application of modem information technologies.
Most of the world's population and economic activities are located in 20 large water basins, therefore, IIMI plans to conduct worldwide research aimed at capacity-building to improve water resources and irrigation management through better technologies, policies, cost-effectiveness and institutional strengthening. Emphasis will also be given to exploiting the revolution in information technology and tapping in to the partnership approach.
IIMI's research is organized under 13 projects which come under IIMI's four global programmes: performance assessment; design and management of systems; policies, institutions and management; and health and environment. Some projects directly address problems related to women's access to water, poverty and environment; examples are research on women and water, multiple uses of irrigation water, local management of irrigation, watersheds and salinity management. Other projects focus on macro-level conditions that significantly affect poor people and the environment, including research on institutions and polices, and the introduction of new irrigation and water basin system management tools. All projects are interdisciplinary and include, economic, social and biophysical dimensions; their implementation will be facilitated by IIMI's flat organizational structure.
The growth in expenditure is expected to increase by 20% annually during the MTP. While the number of internationally recruited staff is expected to increase from 25 in 1997 to 34 by the year 2000.
IIMI's contribution to CGIAR activities in 1998 is: 1% to Increasing Productivity, 48% to Protecting the Environment, 24% to Improving Policies and 27% to Strengthening NARS.
IIMI is the convenor of the Systemwide Programme on Water Management designed to strengthen the links at farm, system and policy levels in addressing water management issues.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
IIMI has presented an MTP that reflects the substantial changes of direction that have occurred in this Institute over the past two years. IIMI's research addresses the goals of poverty alleviation and food security primarily by increasing the productivity of irrigation water used by agriculture in developing countries. A major proportion of the world's rice and wheat crops is grown under irrigation. There are opportunities through research for better water management to increase the productivity of crops (just as there are for more productive crop varieties to increase the productivity of water). At present, according to IIMI, it is generally not possible to go below the country or regional scale in targeting irrigation research on poverty, because of a general lack of data on the exact location of poor people. For some countries this may be the case, but for quite a few where poverty is extensive, its location is reasonably identifiable.
A similar lack of information limits IIMI's ability to relate its resource allocations specifically to the CGIAR goal of protecting the environment. There is no doubt that salinity is an important form of land degradation in irrigated areas, but there are no firm data for its extent and trend. The MTP quotes expert opinion that, because of the growing extent of the land taken out of production by salinization, the net growth in the effective irrigation area of the world is now probably negative. Salinity is not the only form of environmental damage associated with irrigation. There can be pollution of water supplies with residues of agricultural chemicals, as well as effects of reduced river flows on stream health and dependent fisheries. TAC suggests that there needs to be better documentation of such problems and of the potential to address them through IIMI's programmes.
In addition to addressing these CGIAR goals, the Institute plans to give increased attention to another important objective, namely the impact of agriculture on the adequacy and quality of water supplies for rural households. IIMI considers that scarce and polluted water supplies have their greatest impact on poor people, especially women and children.
One of the major challenges facing this Institute since it entered the CGIAR has been to meet the objective of producing international public goods, which in the case of irrigation and water research are likely to take the form of generic concepts, methodologies and basic knowledge.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
IIMI describes its priority setting process as beginning informally with the identification of potential research topics. There were many that fell within the scope of the Institute's mission. A selection was then made on the basis of seven general criteria. TAC notes that these criteria are indeed very general and that it is impossible to see exactly how they were used to arrive at resource allocations amongst the four global programmes and thirteen projects. It appears from the text of the MTP that researchability and probability of success, were important considerations as was the availability of alternative sources of supply. The latter criterion operated negatively where IIMI had no comparative advantage and positively where effective partners were available. The Committee notes that IIMI has not found it rewarding to invest heavily in consultation workshops as a means of obtaining the views of stakeholders on priorities. Nevertheless, TAC considers IIMI to have good links with national irrigation and water agencies.
TAC encourages the development of a more systematic priority-setting process for IIMI's field of research. The calculation of the indicator of water scarcity and its application to the selection of locations for implementation of the 1998-2000 plan illustrates what needs to be done. It may be possible to quantify the overall dependence of food security on irrigation, then add modifiers for the proportion of poor people and poor women in particular. Some measure of the importance of soil and water degradation in irrigated areas also needs to be found.
IIMI had difficulty in fitting its research into activity categories. However, TAC considers that the proposed allocation of 44% in total to increasing productivity plus protecting the environment is warranted. The same is true of the 29% for improving policies. Much of the 27% in the category strengthening national programmes is to be devoted to institution building and professional development of national staff working as partners in IIMI's research projects.
The regional balance of the research investment is not apparent from the tables in the MTP and the Institute's global rationale should be clarified. There appears to be a strong focus on WANA.
Strategies for Implementation of the MTP
TAC commends IIMI for contributing to the formulation of, and promoting, a new concept which views irrigation efficiency in the context of water basins. It considers this development to be a significant step forward in NRM research and it provides valuable insights in situations where water that is "Svasted" by conventional irrigation criteria remains available for safe re-use somewhere else in the same basin, for example by pumping from unpolluted aquifers.
The strategies laid out for implementation of IIMI's programmes draw heavily on collaboration with an array of partners and make effective use of outsourcing to ARIs, which may be located in developing countries, such as the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing. In another version of outsourcing, IIMI draws on the skills and experience of its fellows -internationally recognised specialists who participate actively in the Institute's research. It is planned to have the equivalent of five senior staff years (SSYs) as fellows by the year 2000. TAC strongly suggests that they be drawn from a wider geographical and disciplinary base than at present and that the fellows programme move towards the development of promising young scientists within NARS. TAC would also encourage IIMI to broaden the mix of its professional staff by partnerships with agronomists.
IIMI's research agenda for 1998-2000 will be implemented through a set of projects which have clearly defined objectives, outputs and gains. Milestones are given as dates attached to the outputs, but the plan could be much more specific on the processes to be used by the Institute in evaluating the outcomes and impacts of its projects, though the intended general procedure is described elsewhere in the MTP. TAC is pleased to note that one project in the MTP specifically addresses the issue of women and water. IIMI comments that policies for transfer of irrigation management generally ignore women's rights, to their detriment. The intention to involve collaborators in the assessment of impacts of irrigation on human health is also strongly commended. TAC notes that IIMI does not offer its own training courses, but is prepared to contract services in when required.
In relation to the production of international public goods, TAC considers that IIMI has made good progress in transforming itself from a country-focused, short-term, project-led organization to an international research institute. However, the new regional offices should still keep in mind the need to generalise their research outcomes.
TAC is satisfied that IIMI is taking advantage of new scientific opportunities through the application of modem information and data processing technologies, especially the use of GIS and remote sensing for evaluating performance of large-scale irrigation and water basin systems. TAC agrees that a policy- and management-oriented Centre like IIMI can operate as a virtual institution by using modem communication technologies.
The Committee notes that IIMI is heavily committed as the convening Centre for the Systemwide Programme on Water Management (SWIM). Each of the seven SWIM projects is a component of a specific project in IIMI's portfolio. TAC gives credit to IIMI for successfully launching SWIM but expresses some concern that funding arrangements for this programme may compromise the Institute's control over its research agenda.
Concluding Comments
IIMI has made good progress and its MTP has the potential to significantly strengthen water resources and irrigation research in the CGIAR by the year 2000. IIMI's proposals are in line with the CGIAR goals and priorities. TAC commends IIMI for its efforts in developing a new paradigm for water management research and for the innovative way it seeks to involve the broader research community in its work. The Committee would encourage IIMI to explore more systematic and transparent approaches to priority setting and resource allocation.
SUMMARY
IITA aims to contribute to sustainable and increasing food production in the humid and sub-humid tropics, to improve the wellbeing of low-income people, by conducting international agricultural research and outreach activities, in partnership with African national agricultural research systems, particularly on maize, cassava, cowpea, plantain, soybean and yam. During the MTP, IITA intends to continue to target its research and research outputs to increasing food production, improving the incomes and nutritional status of poor people, and reducing drudgery, particularly of women.
IITA's 17 projects are designed to address cross-cutting agroecological themes, such as biodiversity, farming systems diversification, fallow stabilization, post harvest systems, biological control of pests, integrated pest management, biotechnology, as well as improving the dissemination of IITA's research results, and selected priorities and production systems such as, banana-plantain or cassava-yam-based systems. The components of IITA's production-systems projects take into consideration the major commodities and their end uses, as well as the human elements which compose the system. Therefore, projects are demand driven and encompass a food systems approach incorporating both production and post harvest elements, and which require extensive partnerships to obtain successful implementation.
New dimensions in the MTP include work on halting genetic erosion of minor crops in sub-Saharan Africa as well as investigations on under-researched African crops. In view of the high rates of urbanization in Africa, IITA also intends to support collaborative research geared towards the rapidly expanding sector of peri-urban agriculture, which involves fruits, vegetables and livestock, in addition to the IITA mandated commodities.
IITA's MTP forecasts a slight increase in the Centre's total funding over the period 1997 to 2000 of approximately 8% per year, partly to compensate for expected cost increases due to inflation. A proposed increase of Internationally Recruited Staff is foreseen from 93 in 1997 to 124 in 2000.
The Centre's expenditures by CGIAR programme are expected to be: 55% for Increasing Productivity; 18% for Protecting the Environment; 3% for Saving Biodiversity; 4% for Improving Policies; and 20% for Strengthening NARS. Approximately 15% of expenditure will be for East and Southern Africa and 73% for West and Central Africa.
IITA is convening centre for two Systemwide Programmes. These are the Systemwide Programme on Integrated Pest Management and the Ecoregional Programme for the Humid and Sub-humid Tropics in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a member of the Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme, the African Highlands Initiative, the Global Programme on Alternatives to Slash-and-Bum, the Ecoregional Programme for the Humid and Sub-Humid Tropics of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Systemwide Livestock Programme, and the Soil, Water and Nutrient Management Initiative.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
The severity of poverty and environmental problems in sub-Saharan Africa, and the focus of IITA's mission on growth, diversity, equity and sustainability, illustrate the relevance of the Institute's activities to the CGIAR goals of poverty alleviation and NRM for sustainable food security. The subhumid and humid lowland tropics have a critical role to play in meeting the growing food needs of sub-Saharan Africa. IITA's activities make a major contribution to that role through the Centre's work on crop improvement, sustainable production systems, resource management including biological control of pests to reduce environmental side effects, and strengthening national research capacities.
IITA has attempted to link project outputs to CGIAR goals using a scoring system. While the process appears to be systematic and participatory, TAC is not clear how this approach has contributed to setting priorities. The Institute's focus on improving small-scale, low-input production and postharvest systems aims at reducing drudgery, particularly for women farmers, processors and market agents. This people-centred approach is supported by TAC. IITA's activities in genetic resource conservation of its mandate crops (maize, cowpea, soybean, banana, cassava and yam) make direct contributions to the preservation of biodiversity. Overall, TAC considers IITA's activities to be in line with the CGIAR goals.
Priority Setting and Resource Allocation
IITA's priority-setting process for the development of the MTP was largely qualitative. It was based on the outcome of two workshops to develop institute-wide consensus on ecoregional issues and on priorities to address the Institute's goals as well as the nature of the research challenges to be addressed in the projects. Each project has been developed using a bottom-up logframe approach showing anticipated outputs. Projects were subsequently consolidated into an institution-wide logframe. This was followed by further consultations with NARS, regional research organizations and other stakeholders. TAC considers that this process has merits but notes that, while a logframe approach is useful in establishing clear causal links between the Institute's goals, activities and outputs, this approach in itself is no substitute for a rigorous priority-setting process to develop a rationale for allocation of resources among projects and outputs.. The links between priorities and resource allocation are also not well articulated. TAC considers that IITA should give greater attention to developing clearer connections to the allocation of resources and more thought to developing a rationale for setting priorities by commodity.
Strategies for Implementation
IITA proposes a substantial increase in budget in 1998-2000 compared with 1997, due to new projects under negotiation and shortfalls in the present year. However, the balance of resource assignment during the planning period remains approximately constant. In general, TAC understands the MTP's justification for growth and the logic for allocations across programmes.
New scientific developments in genetic engineering and in biotechnology that allow, for example, for marker assisted breeding greatly increase chances of success in its mandate crops. TAC is encouraged by the progress made by IITA in recent scientific developments and their potential for impact.
The increased demand in Eastern Africa for IITA's research has led to an increase in the Institute's activities in this area, and this development, given due regard to complementarities with other centres, is supported by the Committee. TAC is concerned, however, about the limited attention given by IITA to issues of soil fertility. With rapid population growth and increasing soil degradation, maintaining soil fertility in the humid and subhumid tropics will be a major challenge. IITA will need to collaborate with others including WARDA to address this important problem. The Committee is pleased by the attention IITA gives to crop-livestock interactions and the fruitful nature of its collaboration with ILRI.
IITA's activities are conducted in close collaboration with NARS, universities, regional associations and NGOs. The Centre also has close collaborative and complementary work with ARIs and other CGIAR Centres. TAC commends the collaborative nature of IITA's work which also greatly strengthens the NARS capacity. IITA conducts a substantial share of its research through contractual arrangements, particularly with ARIs.
IITA is the Convenor of the Systemwide Programme for Humid and Subhumid Africa and the Systemwide Programme for IPM. IITA also contributes to the Systemwide Programme for Genetic Resources. TAC is pleased about IITA's active role in Systemwide activities.
IITA has milestones and expected outputs defined in all of its projects. It also conducts impact assessment through special purpose studies.
Concluding Comments
TAC supports IITA's proposal which it considers to be in line with the CGIAR goals. The proposed activities have good impact potential and particular relevance for sustainable food security in the region. The Committee would encourage IITA to explore more systematic approaches to priority setting that articulate more clearly the linkage to resource allocation.
SUMMARY
ILRI's goal is to improve the productivity of smallholder livestock systems and to protect the natural resources which support these systems.
The development of ILRI's MTP has been shaped by the overall CGIAR research priorities for livestock development and the discussions by the Group on the future of livestock research following the integration of ILCA and ILRAD in a new ILRI. ILRI's research agenda for the medium term draws on the Centre's capacity and comparative advantage in four areas: ruminant genetics, ruminant health, ruminant feed resources, and crop-livestock systems. A fifth area, strengthening collaboration with NARS, provides for research-related activities. The MTP reflects the development of a truly global institute while building on existing capacity.
ILRI's research programme for the MTP will be carried out under its organizing themes of improving livestock productivity, balancing livestock productivity and environmental sustainability, and strengthening national partnerships. Under these headings, 22 projects will be carried out, in addition to the Systemwide Livestock Programme, two for research on tropical ruminant genetics, two for tropical ruminant health, two for tropical ruminant feed resources, nine for crop-livestock systems and three for strengthening collaboration with NARS. The Centre's new-research activities will cover field testing and validation of the p67 vaccine for Theileria parva, rumen microbiology and phytochemistry of tropical forages and crop residues, characterization of indigenous genotypes for disease and parasite resistance, new activities in Southeast Asia, Latin America and WANA, and development of new partnerships for training through the inter-centre training programme.
The MTP is based on the same funding as that approved for 1997, reflecting a period of reorientation and consolidation. Activities will be carried out by 73 internationally recruited staff, a slight decrease from the 1997 figure of 79.
The proposed allocation of efforts by activity in 1998 is 57% to Increasing Productivity; 16% to Protecting the Environment; 7% to Saving Biodiversity; 5% to Improving Policies and 14% to Strengthening NARS. For the MTP period, ILRI proposes to allocate 70% of its resources to sub-Saharan Africa, 16% to Asia, 9% to Latin America and the Caribbean, and 2% to WANA.
ILRI is the convening Centre for the Systemwide Livestock Programme and provides major inputs to the Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme, the Systemwide Programme on Integrated Pest Management, the Property Rights and Collective Action Programme and the Systemwide Soil Water Nutrient Management Programme.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
Livestock play a critical role in both the sustainability and intensification of agricultural productivity in most farming systems. Two thirds of the world's livestock population can be found in developing countries where production per animal is estimated to be only a quarter of that of developed regions. Over 90% of livestock in developing countries are owned by rural smallholders. The demand for livestock products, both from ruminants and non ruminants, is increasing rapidly, and as the IFPRI 2020 study has indicated, current production levels need to increase by 155% to meet demand by 2020. Increased productivity of livestock provides direct returns to livestock owners through sales of products and contribution to poverty alleviation of both urban and rural dwellers. Small ruminants are of particular importance for the rural poor. While livestock may sometimes contribute to the problem of land degradation, the claims against livestock often lack substance. As TAC's study on marginal lands has shown, livestock provide a buffer and are an important source of security for the poor. A recent study by FAO and the World Bank on the effects of livestock on the environment recognizes the positive contribution of livestock to the environment under different ecological conditions. Livestock play an important role in the sustainable management of soil and water resources by supporting mixed farming systems. The CGIAR will continue to focus its research on ruminants only.
ILRI's research will produce international public goods aimed at poverty alleviation, food security, and protection of the environment. All of ILRI's projects have been reviewed for their implications for these goals as well as the well being of women. ILRI's activities will directly contribute to the to the preservation of biodiversity through the conservation of forage crops and animal genetic resources. Overall, TAC considers that ILRI's proposed activities are directly linked to the CGIAR goals.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
ILRI's priority-setting process has been largely based on the outcome of the Group's and TAC's discussions with respect to priorities for CGIAR livestock research and the integration of ILCA and ILRAD in ILRI in early 1995. The Committee recalls that special CGIAR task forces were set up to formulate priorities, a strategic plan and a new 1994-98 medium-term plan for the Institute. Subsequent consultations on regional priorities through regional consultations with stakeholders and NARS have provided another layer in the process. Overall, while the priority-setting process has been mostly qualitative and demand-driven, TAC considers that it is adequate in that ILRI's proposed work reflects the priorities that were agreed upon earlier by TAC and the Group. The link from priorities to resource allocation is not yet well articulated and TAC would encourage ILRI to engage in a more formal process of priority setting and resource allocation- Even so, the Committee considers that the proposed programmes form a satisfactory portfolio, with good potential for impact. TAC would also encourage ILRI to further explore priorities for a livestock research programme in Asia, particularly in densely populated, land-scarce areas with intensified cropping.
Strategies for Implementation
The major change in ILRI's external environment has been the integration of ILCA and ILRAD into a new ILRI, and the expansion of its mandate from African to global. ILRI's MTP gives considerable emphasis to collaboration, partnership and outsourcing. While the plan does not explicitly address the issue of alternative suppliers, ILRI has carefully considered its comparative advantage in formulating its projects. The Centre assigns particular importance to collaboration and complementarity with all other actors in the global system including NARS, ARIs, private sector, other CGIAR Centres, and NGOs. TAC commends ILRI for the collaborative nature of its work. ILRI conducts a substantial share of its research through contracts with ARIs, to aim at strategic alliances and to complement comparative advantage. TAC thereby notes that some of ILRI's research teams are relatively small and that collaboration will be essential in order to ensure critical mass.
Recent developments in molecular genetics and genetic engineering allow for new opportunities, especially in targeted breeding and in its animal health work. Exciting options are now available for breakthroughs in vaccine development both for East Coast Fever and trypanosomiasis. While progress on an East Coast Fever vaccine is encouraging, TAC notes that trypanosomiasis vaccine development remains a high-risk venture, although with high potential payoff. The identification of milestones and progress in their attainment will have to be carefully monitored.
These new scientific developments also allow for much more efficient characterization of indigenous livestock resources and use of genetic markers. Chances of success have increased substantially through new scientific opportunities, including renewed prospects for vaccine development and development of diagnostic tools, derived from recent breakthroughs in human health and genetics research. New research opportunities on rumen microbiology also allow for much greater chances of success in feed research.
TAC is concerned about the limited progress ILRI has made in the development of adaptable technology through its production-systems research and hopes that with innovation and more rigorous scientific quality, greater progress can be made in that area.
ILRI's proposals are entirely consistent with TAC's recommendations with respect to livestock research and with respect to CGIAR activities. ILRI's MTP carefully considers this issue explicitly (see Box on page 3). The Centre notes, however, that given the general weaknesses in national livestock research systems, continuing emphasis on strengthening NARS in this area of work will be needed.
ILRI is the convenor of the Systemwide Livestock Programme which has been organized to work through ecoregional consortia. The focus of the work is on feed resources and NRM. ILRI is also providing major inputs into other Systemwide programmes convened by other centres. While TAC is pleased with the progress made in the development of proposals, it does express concern about the continuing funding shortfalls for this high priority programme. ILRI also serves as the convenor of the Inter-Centre Training Programme for sub-Saharan Africa for which, unfortunately, funding has not yet been found. TAC notes the somewhat slow progress in developing new programmes in Asia due to funding constraints and would encourage the Centre to take all the necessary steps in this regard.
ILRI has milestones and expected outcomes built into all of its projects. The Institute gives considerable emphasis to impact assessment both through ongoing activities and through special purpose studies.
Concluding Comments
TAC supports ILRI's MTP proposal which is in line with the CGIAR's goals and priorities. While the Committee broadly agrees with ILRI's priorities and its programmatic thrusts, it would hope that the link from priorities to project resource allocation can be better articulated in the future. TAC also encourages ILRI to engage in a more formal priority setting process. The Committee commends ILRI for the scientific quality particularly that on animal health and is encouraged that new scientific developments will allow for major spillover of research results obtained on trypanosomiasis and East Coast Fever to other tropical livestock diseases. TAC would also encourage ILRI to continue to give high priority to using advances in science in all of its work. Overall, the Committee believes that advances in science have increased ILRI's chances of success in its work.
TAC looks forward to ILRI's response to the overall recommendation in TAC's report on CGIAR priorities and strategies that more emphasis should be given to germplasm enhancement, in the case of ILRI, of livestock feed resources, especially those, such as legumes, which will enhance mixed plant-livestock systems and natural resources. TAC also notes that overall Systemwide investment in livestock feed research is still low, and urges that the Systemwide Livestock Programme Committee give careful thought to ensuring that there are no major gaps in addressing high-priority research needs. Finally, TAC notes that on the basis of the poverty-weighted congruence share, the CGIAR is still underinvesting in livestock research. The Committee strongly supports an increase in the level of investment in livestock research in the System.
SUMMARY
IPGRI's mandate is to advance the conservation and use of plant genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
The MTP for 1998-2000 is the first to be developed by IPGRI since its establishment as the successor to IBPGR and since taking responsibility for the governance and administration of INIBAP. IPGRI's MTP is underscored by a recognition of the role of plant genetic resources in both poverty alleviation and the protection of natural resources. In line with proposals made by regional fora and the global forum, during the MTP IPGRI intends to expand its work to promote germplasm evaluation in a number of crops of major importance for poverty alleviation, and to give more attention to protecting the environment, particularly through the expansion of the programme on forest genetic resources.
The research agenda for the MTP is based on 20 projects, subdivided into three main areas, namely: 15 projects for plant genetic resources, four projects for the Musa programme, and one in support of the CGIAR Genetic Resources Programme. Projects on plant genetic resources will concentrate mainly on crops/species not covered by other CGIAR centres, although IPGRI will continue to work with centres on their mandate crops, particularly in model studies and in the context of the SGRP. New research emphasis will be given to population genetics, forest genetic resources in the regions, the strengthening of in situ conservation, the development and updating of information on the status and distribution of wild relatives, linking conservation and use, and policy research. The INIBAP projects are for germplasm management, genetic improvement, information and documentation and for support for regional networks. New elements will be added during the MTP to the INIBAP programme on Musa improvement and integrated pest management.
The proposed budget for IPGRI's research agenda will increase by the end of the MTP by 36% from the 1997 figure. Part of this increase is attributable to including ECP/GR and EUFORGEN activities into the research agenda in 1998. To undertake the proposed activities, the number of internationally recruited staff is expected to increase from 45 in 1997 to 52 by the year 2000.
By 1998, the proposed allocation of efforts by CGIAR activity is: 14% for Increasing Productivity; 7% for Protecting the Environment; 45% for Saving Biodiversity; 13% for Improving Policies and 22% for Strengthening NARS. IPGRI plans to allocate 25% of its resources to sub-Saharan Africa; 25% to Asia, the Pacific and Oceania; 22% to the Americas, 22% to WANA and 6% to Europe.
IPGRI is the convening centre for the CGIAR Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme and also participates in the Systemwide Programme for Participatory Research and Gender Analysis and a number of international initiatives led by other centres.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
The need for conservation of plant genetic resources has been highlighted by UNCED in 1992. the adoption of Agenda 21, the coming into force of the Convention on Biodiversity in 1993. and the 1996 FAO International Conference on Plant Genetic Resources. The report presented to the Leipzig Conference on the State of the World's Plant Genetic Resources, based on 154 individual country reports, and prepared with the help of IPGRI, is evidence of the global concern that the continued existence of genetic diversity of plants is vital for world food production but is by no means secure. Hand in hand with the concept of protecting the global genetic resources is the requirement that these resources are available to be used in various ways and remain accessible.
The work described in IPGRI's MTP is of direct relevance to saving and utilizing biodiversity, and the potential impact of IPGRI's ex situ and in situ conservation work on poverty alleviation and protection of the environment is clear. TAC considers that the output of IPGRI's work related to conservation of plant genetic resources generally constitutes international public goods. However, where IPGRI works through networks, work conducted by the membership of such structures may not always generate international public goods.
Priority-setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
Priority setting at IPGRI has been influenced by the Commission on Biological Diversity, and by the FAO Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which IPGRI helped to prepare. The discussion with the Centre highlighted the difficulties in establishing clear and transparent links between CGIAR goals, and IPGRI's priorities and resource allocation. TAC realizes, however, that IPGRI's priority setting process is complex and multidimensional.
TAC believes that there is a particular challenge for IPGRI and for the System in setting priorities in conserving plant genetic resources. This arises from the subtleties in distinguishing between conservation itself, for which the worthwhile opportunities are virtually limitless, and research and research-related aspects of conservation, which are the mandated business of the CGIAR. Further, in terms of the CGIAR goals of poverty alleviation and food security, the priority of individual species ranges from those that have only limited potential for possible future food use to the major staple food crops that are critically important for meeting the future food needs of the developing world.
The same wide range of significance exists for plant species that serve to protect the environment. To add to the complexity of priority setting, the current degree of threat to the genetic resources of a plant species also varies from virtually none to extreme, an example of the latter being where a class of vegetation is being replaced completely by urban and other infrastructures.
Further, it is not clear from the MTP how species are ranked as to their importance in poverty alleviation, although IPGRI's plan states that the proposal to include coffee and cocoa in their portfolio is based on poverty alleviation.
Except for banana and plantain, IPGRI does little work on CGIAR commodities. IPGRI's banana and plantain work has undergone a rapid evolution, and the wording of the MTP proposal appears to include hands-on crop improvement research activities, a central part of IITA's Musa improvement work- TAC was assured by IPGRI's management that, in line with the recommendation of the CGIAR Task Force on Banana and Plantain, no hands-on breeding and production systems research will be carried out by its banana and plantain programme.
In relation to the activity category Saving Biodiversity, IPGRI accounts for about 29% of the total proposed CGIAR expenditures in the year 2000. TAC observes that the Institute appears to have interpreted the key conservation criteria (research and research related, contribution to CGIAR goals, degree of threat) fairly broadly. While TAC appreciates IPGRI's rare capacity to support activities on species that are primarily of importance in industrialized countries (for example, in Europe), and species in developing countries that have low priority in relation to the CGIAR goals, it questions their claim on scarce development assistance funds.
There are aspects of IPGRI's MTP that drew TAC's special attention. TAC finds this an opportune time to mention such points because IPGRI will soon launch a formal strategic planning effort and TAC suggests that these considerations be included. For instance, reference is made to opportunities through new science, but little is said about the role of others with easy access to such science. Also, while an effective programme of networking has been developed, its particular role in bringing in new science was less well described. Attention is called to increasing in situ work, but in TAC's view, its researchable dimensions and their implications for staffing are little emphasized. Gender issues will be important for in situ work, as IPGRI notes, and systematic analysis of the role will be important to achieving better understanding. IPGRI works little on most CGIAR crops, except for its role in the SGRP, yet there would seem to be good opportunities to combine IPGRI's plans, for example on in situ work, with the System's formal commitments for conservation of primary food crops. Finally, while planning at the regional level is commendably "bottom up", it is not clear what guides synthesis towards a unified programme. With respect to IPGRI's special role in the SGRP, TAC notes its intent to complement IPGRI's strategic planning with a review of the entire SGRP.
Strategies for Implementation of the MTP
IPGRI will operate its programme through 20 projects. Fifteen of these projects represent the Institute's Plant Genetic Resources Programme, four projects form the banana and plantain programme, while one project covers activities in support of both SGRP and CGIAR genetic resources policy. TAC notes that IPGRI has doubled its size since 1991 and proposes to increase its budget further during the MTP period at an average annual rate of 13%. The Committee is concerned that this expansion may lead to a scattering of the Institute's efforts, and is pleased that IPGRI will be conducting a strategic planning exercise during 1997.
IPGRI does not undertake hands on research or genetic conservation (except for the Musa germplasm indexing and exchange), its work is developed mainly in collaboration with NARS, ARIs and NGOs. There is, therefore, extensive collaboration and complementarity with partners. IPGRI describes itself as a facilitator and catalyst rather than as a scientific organization. TAC wonders whether a greater commitment to hands-on bench and field research in germplasm conservation, for example with in situ conservation, would further enhance IPGRI's ability to deliver its products.
IPGRI's commitment to outsourcing has increased substantially in recent years and IPGRI's networking mode of operation has facilitated this. Currently, IPGRI is managing more than 200 research contracts (most of which are less than US$ 20,000). TAC wonders about the management costs of having many small projects.
IPGRI is active in Systemwide activities, notably so in the SGRP for which IPGRI serves as the programme leader. TAC commends IPGRI for carrying out its functions with a high degree of sensitivity and competence. However, as described in the IPGRI EPMR, this programme seems to suffer from a lack of commitment at the inter-centre and System level. TAC plans to examine the underlying issues in the upcoming external review of SGRP.
Concluding Comments
IPGRI's MTP is broadly in line with CGIAR goals and priorities, and reflects also the Institute's positive response to the many responsibilities bestowed on it by the international community. The Committee would encourage IPGRI to engage in more transparent approaches to setting priorities, which more clearly articulate the links to resource allocation. TAC is satisfied with the MTP, but in the light of the comments made above, and the findings of the EPMR, TAC recommends that IPGRI should consider 1998-2000 as a period of consolidation with any further expansion along routes of evident strategic importance.
SUMMARY
IRRI's mission is embedded in its goal to improve the well-being of present and future generations of farmers and consumers, particularly those with low incomes.
The MTP for 1998-2000 focuses on generating technologies and management practices to produce more rice per unit area, with less water and with less pressure on the natural resource base, and to maintain rice as an attractive crop for future generations of farmers. IRRI is emerging as a major facilitator of the global rice research system and considers partnership to be the essence of this MTP, which also highlights the usefulness of the ecosystem-based rice research consortia for interdisciplinary and multilocational research involving multiple partnership.
IRRI's research agenda during the MTP consists of 31 projects to be implemented under seven programmes. Much of the research will continue to relate to the specific problems facing the four major rice ecosystems - irrigated, rainfed lowland, upland and flood-prone. The cross-cutting issues that affect the majority of these ecosystems are addressed by the cross-ecosystems programmes which also deal with the development of new tools and techniques, and conduct anticipatory research. The CGIAR undertaking of saving biodiversity is addressed by a programme dealing with genetic resources conservation, safe delivery and use. While information, training and institutional-strengthening activities will be consolidated under a new programme called Accelerating the Impact of Research. Research projects include raising yield potential, closing the yield gap, improving resource management practices, developing sustainable production system's, improving farmers' incomes, conserving rice biodiversity, pest management systems and working with other partners on genetic engineering research.
The MTP forecasts a funding increase of 6% average annual growth, or 2% real annual growth. Activities will be carried out by 67 internationally recruited staff by the year 2000, an increase of 12 from 1997, but the same as in 1996.
The allocation of resources by activity is 42% for Increasing Productivity; 26% for Protecting the Environment, 7% for Saving Biodiversity, 8% for Improving Policies and 17% for Strengthening NARS. Of the total resources, 94% are allocated to Asia, and 6% to other regions. In sub-Saharan Africa, IRRI proposes to strengthen its collaboration with WARDA.
IRRI is a convening centre for the ecoregional programme on An Ecoregional Approach to Research and Development in the Humid/Subhumid tropics and Subtropics of Asia and has been requested to lead the Nutrient Management thrust of the Systemwide Programme on Rice-Wheat Systems for the Indo-Gangetic Plains. In addition IRRI participates in five other Systemwide initiatives and programmes.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
Rice remains the staple food for nearly half the world's population, most of them living in Asia, many of them among the poorest of the poor. IRRI points out that the world will need over 50% more rice in 2020 than current global production in order to feed the extra billion who will rely on it within the next three decades. Highest growth in demand will be in areas of pervasive poverty and malnutrition, predominantly in South Asia, although demand is also rising rapidly in Africa and Latin America. IRRI's MTP reminds the reader that such an increase in production simply cannot be achieved with today's rice-growing technologies and farm management. The added challenge is that tomorrow's technology and management must not only produce more grain per unit area, with less water and labour, and with less. pressure on the natural resource base and the environment, but also maintain rice as an attractive crop for future generations of farmers.
IRRI's plan is in two parts: part one deals with the longer-term research programme and describes the complex challenges faced by the rice producing sector, the IRRI programmes including the frontier work, IRRI's partnership and pivotal role in the global rice research system, and the organizational structure and financial requirements for implementing the programme; the second part, the MTP itself, presents the agenda and the financing requirement for the period 1998-2000.
The MTP is a response to the above challenges to food security and poverty alleviation, in particular the emerging water and labour shortages, the need to maintain the advances in rice production, and the need to increase productivity while protecting the environment. The research agenda is transparent, and the research programme addresses important, strategic problems. The MTP builds on the achievements of the previous MTP period, thus increasing the probability of success in the key areas of increasing yield, sustaining the resource base of the intensive systems, increasing farmers' profit in the rainfed systems, and in conserving the genetic diversity of rice. Additionally, the MTP has new projects on gender issues, on developing precision-farming methods and products for the next generation of rice farmers, and an ecological orientation focused on diversity and resource management. TAC commends IRRI for proposing a forward-looking research agenda for the world's number one cereal.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
The three steps of the priority-setting process are clearly described in the plan. The first step allocates resources among the four major rice ecosystems based on a modified congruence approach which takes into account poverty alleviation in terms of the distribution of poverty across ecosystems, and protection of the environment through the organization of its work by ecosystems; the second step balances allocations across programmes using best judgements based on IRRI's considerable experience; and, the third step defines the projects within each programme and sets priorities for research activities within a project. Almost all of IRRI's work is intended to generate international public goods. Where its work does not do so, IRRI has placed such activity (US$ 4.1 million in 1998) off the agenda.
IRRI presents the results of its consultations with the NARS, with whom it has had long-term collaboration. IRRI holds biennial meetings with each cooperating institute/country from which it extracts information about future research strategies. These results indicate that the national programmes will take over conventional breeding, farm mechanization and degree training, while IRRI will do genetic engineering work, and ecological and environmental characterization involving GIS and systems analysis. The remaining research activities will be conducted in a partnership mode. In its molecular work, IRRI is a component of the Rockefeller Foundation's worldwide Rice Biotechnology Programme. In addition, it provides its facilities for researchers worldwide through its shuttle research programme.
In as much as IRRI is itself in the forefront of rice research, including work using molecular biology, it has incorporated information thus gained into its selection of projects. IRRI nonetheless has embarked on some high-risk projects as well (for example apomixis, biological nitrogen fixation), on the grounds that the possible benefits are large. TAC recommends that IRRI carefully monitor the attainment of milestones in such projects and reconsider its commitments if necessary.
TAC considers that IRRI's allocation of resources among activities is in line with the System priorities. IRRI has taken on board the recommendation to introduce research on postharvest technology by including as part of a project to explore ways of increasing value-added to rice products. In its work on rice production environments, IRRI does not appear to have fully incorporated suggestions made in TAC's paper on NRM regarding off-site considerations. TAC hopes that the work to be done to implement the Ecoregional approaches in the humid tropics of Asia will tackle thoroughly off-site effects of various fanning systems. TAC appreciates that IRRI is not really the leader in this area of work and that its contribution could come from the provision of specialist GIS-based modelling services.
IRRI's response to the emerging labour shortages mentioned earlier is to increase work on weed management because of the expected expansion of direct seeding techniques. On the other hand, its work on the new plant type does not take account of this problem, for it would reduce tillering and thus encourage the growth of weeds. IRRI's MTP document includes project descriptions but omits the milestones. It does have, as its internal control documents, project templates" which lists the milestones.
Strategies for Implementation
IRRI plans to implement its agenda through 31 projects linked to an extensive collaboration through research consortia with the NARS, and has many researchers from the ARIs engaged in shuttle research. IRRI has various delivery mechanisms ranging from collaborative research through training to delivery of pre-bred parental lines to NARS. It appears to have thought through the varying degrees of development of the NARS it has to deal with and has tailored its interactions accordingly. Where the NARS are particularly weak, it has enlisted bilateral donors to help build them up. (Funds for these are kept outside the agenda on the ground that they do not generate international public goods).
IRRI plans to spend US$ 500-600,000 per year over the next three years to conduct socioeconomic studies for technology impact, gender and policy analysis. In the past, IRRI has not followed its impact in a systematic and consistent fashion. TAC hopes that this new effort will be sustained.
TAC notes that despite the fact that IRRI was a pioneer in the CGIAR System in introducing gender considerations into its work, few projects have ex ante gender analysis. TAC hopes that gender audits, introduced as part of the logframe of each project, will enable IRRI to build up the database required to further improve its performance in this area.
IRRI is committed to continue its involvement with Systemwide programmes. It is the convenor of the Systemwide programme on an Ecoregional Approach to Research and Development in the Humid/Subhumid Tropics and Subtropics of Asia, incorporating aspects of the Soil, Water and Nutrient Management Initiative. The Centre is also a lead partner in the Systemwide programme on Improving the Productivity and Sustainability of Rice-Wheat Systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and participates in five other Systemwide programmes.
TAC is pleased to note that IRRI and WARDA have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding, which incorporates their intention to work collaboratively in the Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) countries, and WARDA's plan indicates a small investment to this end. IRRI's current investments (within the Agenda) in ECSA totals a sum slightly in excess of US$ 1 million per annum. TAC will follow with interest future developments.
Concluding Comments
IRRI's two-part plan provides a wealth of information, and clearly illustrates that the MTP should be seen as part of a longer-term research planning effort. Taken together, the two parts show that the Institute's proposed activities are congruent with the CGIAR goals and result from a transparent priority setting process. The MTP would improve if milestones in its various projects, particularly the riskier areas, were made explicit. TAC recommends that IRRI give more emphasis to addressing the implications of increasing water and labour constraints for rice production in Asia. TAC notes the growing importance of alternative suppliers in Asia and the changes in rice utilization foreshadowed by rapidly rising incomes. Overall, TAC supports IRRI's MTP which it considers to be based on good science, transparent, and with significant potential for further strong impact.
SUMMARY
ISNAR's mission is to strengthen national agricultural research systems. The MTP reaffirms the Centre's role as a research-based service with a mandate to assist developing countries in bringing about sustained improvements in the performance of their national agricultural research systems and organizations. It also takes into account recent changes in the external environment that affects the way research is organized, structured and financed internationally. ISNAR, having considered these recent developments, including the recommendations of the EPMR and internal changes in the Centre's management, intends to submit a revised MTP in due course.
During the MTP, ISNAR's activities will be implemented through 11 projects which come under two Programmes, the first for Policy and Systems Development and the second for Management. Projects fall under the headings of research policy development; research system development; new challenges for NARS, which includes biotechnology, information, natural resource management and market orientation and agroindustry; managing research programmes; managing resources for research; and managing research organization. The programme on policy and systems development helps NARS and their policy makers to address national issues of sustainable food security, poverty alleviation and environmental protection, while management activities contribute to institutional organisation, planning governance and overall management. In the MTP, ISNAR aims to balance its activities at approximately 50% for policy and 50% for management.
The first year of the MTP calls for a modest growth of approximately 5% over the 1997 base year. Activities will be carried out by 42 internationally recruited staff by the year 2000, an increase of four from 1997.
The regional balance in resource allocation is estimated to be 40% to Africa, 30% to Asia, 20% to Latin America and 10% to WANA. It is proposed to allocate approximately 45% of resources to research, 30% to advisory services, and 25% to training.
ISNAR has teamed up with IFPRI as the convening Centre for Systemwide Initiative on Agricultural Research Indicators, but funds are still awaited.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
ISNAR's goal is improved performance of NARS through institutional development. The Centre relates to the CGIAR goals of poverty alleviation and NRM for food security through its concern with the performance of NARS and the contributions that policies and institutions can make. In setting priorities, poverty and environmental factors figure prominently in ISNAR's planning process. TAC believes that ISNAR's work contributes to the CGIAR's goals but considers that the Centre's contribution to them should be addressed more explicitly in its forthcoming strategic planning process.
Priority Setting and Resource Allocation
ISNAR does not have a formal framework for priority setting and internal considerations are balanced by outside requests from NARS, donors and other stakeholders. ISNAR's policies and indicative resource allocations are normally made in a top-down fashion while programme activities are planned in a bottom-up fashion. ISNAR's priorities are governed and constrained by: a) what NARS need; b) what ISNAR can deliver; and c) funding availability. In its service role, ISNAR's priority considerations relate to problem relevance, likely impact, equity and comparative advantage. In its research role, ISNAR seeks to identify future research management needs in a wide range of countries and NAROs at different stages of development and to work with them to access or develop the public goods that they will need to solve the medium-term needs. Overall, TAC considers that ISNAR should explore, when it revisits its strategic plan, a more systematic approach to setting priorities which clearly articulates the link to resource allocation.
Strategies for Implementation
ISNAR works closely with other agencies, in particular with IFPRI and FAO. TAC considers that the issue of collaboration, including that with other CGIAR Centres, should be carefully considered in the forthcoming strategic planning process, both for its research and service activities. While ISNAR by nature works collaboratively with NARS and other institutes, the MTP does not explicitly address the issue of alternative suppliers. ISNAR should investigate more systematically the extent to which alternative suppliers could undertake some of its activities, particularly in the service arena.
ISNAR lists eight major changes that have influenced the development of its MTP: regionalization and globalization of agricultural research, the broadened agenda of the CGIAR and NARS with respect to goals which request new approaches; the funding crisis; the need for transparency and accountability; evidence of impact; developments in science and technology such as biotechnology, systems analysis, information technology and new management approaches; and the recommendations of the stripe review and the external review that called for a shift towards the research end of the research-service continuum to increase the production of international public goods. As also recommended by the EPMR, TAC would like ISNAR to assess systematically in its forthcoming strategic planning process, the implication of each of these factors for its future work. The Committee is pleased to note ISNAR's active role in exploring a possible greater involvement of the CGIAR in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The shifts in ISNAR's work are entirely consistent with TAC's draft recommendations on CGIAR priorities by activity, in particular in giving greater emphasis to research on organization and management of institutes and to the recommendations of the stripe studies on policy and management, and institution strengthening research to shift towards the research end of its research-service spectrum. TAC encourages ISNAR to develop a more coherent research agenda and to be more pro-active in pursuing important research topics.
ISNAR planned to play a major role in the proposed Systemwide Programme on Agricultural Research Indicators convened by IFPRI but to date, no funding has been found. TAC regrets this lack of funding for this high priority initiative but would suggest that IFPRI and ISNAR initiate the programme within their own research agenda.
ISNAR has milestones and expected outcomes built into each of its projects. The Centre has also commissioned an internally commissioned external review on impact assessment and continues this work through an ongoing project. TAC is encouraged by the valuable progress made by ISNAR in assessing its impact.
Concluding Comments
ISNAR's activities are in line with CGIAR goals, and its MTP largely reflects a continuation of its current work. In the light of the EPMR and discussions at TAC 72 with ISNAR's incoming Director General, the Committee considers this MTP to be work in progress and, given the presentation at TAC 72, expects to see a revised version for the year 1999 and beyond upon completion of ISNAR's strategic planning process. TAC endorses the proposed MTP for the first year of its operation.
SUMMARY
WARDA's goal has been redefined to reflect the new challenges facing it and is now "To strengthen sub-Saharan Africa's capability for technology generation, technology transfer and policy formulation, in order to increase the sustainable productivity of rice-based cropping systems while conserving the natural resource base, and contributing to the food security of poor rural and urban households." Although West Africa will continue to be WARDA's primary geographic focus, WARDA's work will no longer be restricted to West Africa alone but will extend to East, Central and Southern Africa.
During the MTP, the ecoregions of the arid and semi-arid tropics, the warm sub-humid tropics and the warm humid tropics will continue to WARDA's primary focus, as it is here that the vast majority of rice farmers having few resources live. Second priority will be given to the Sahel agroecosystem, and third priority to mangrove swamps. WARDA will focus on four inter-related programme thrusts: the Rainfed Rice Programme; the Irrigated Rice Programme; a Policy Support Programme; and an Information and Technology Transfer Programme.
The MTP agenda is structured around 18 interdisciplinary problem-solving projects. The projects represent a mix of integrated research thrusts that seek to solve a complex of interrelated constraints within well-defined agroecosystem niches; and more strategically oriented projects that seek answers to knowledge gaps blocking progress to the development of new technologies. The results of the latter will serve as inputs into the integrated thrusts. WARDA's efficiency in each of its research programmes win-be enhanced by new research tools during the MTP. In-house capacity will be developed for molecular analysis aimed at accelerating progress in WARDA's wide-crossing programme between Asian and African rice species; a modest containment laboratory will be constructed; the use of systems analysis and modelling tools will be expanded; the GIS unit will be reinforced and the capacity for chemical analyses of rice grain quality will be upgraded.
From 1997 to 2000 WARDA's funding requirement will increase by an average amount of 11% annually. Activities will be carried out by a total of 26 internationally recruited staff, compared with 21 in 1997.
During the MTP, resources will be allocated to CGIAR activities as follows: Increasing Productivity 32%, Protecting the Environment 25%, Saving Biodiversity 6%, Policy 10% and Strengthening National Programmes 26%.
WARDA will continue to contribute to the Ecoregional Programme for the Humid Tropics of Africa in its capacity as a member and host of the Inland Valley Consortium. It is also contributing to the Systemwide Plant Genetic Resources Programme.
COMMENTARY
Contribution to CGIAR Goals
Rice makes a dominant contribution to the global food security of poor people so that improving the productivity of the crop, the fertility of the resource base, and preventing soil and water degradation remain high on the list of priorities of IRRI, WARDA and CIAT who are responsible for implementing CGIAR's programme on rice. IRRI has the global mandate in the CGIAR for rice improvement, and its focus is in Asia which accounts for 93% of the global rice production. CIAT's work on rice is confined to Latin America which accounts for about 4% of global rice production.
WARDA deals with a small subset of the global challenge related to rice production and concentrates its efforts on improving rice-based cropping systems in West Africa, which accounts for about 0.5% of global rice production. However, WARDA's MTP points out that rice production in West Africa is growing extremely rapidly, averaging 8.5% annually over the past decade. Most of this growth has been due to area expansion in the upland and lowland rainfed systems in the humid and sub-humid zones where the soils have poor fertility and are subject to degradation under low-input management systems. About half of the expansion has occurred in the inland valleys which are the natural drainage channels for water, and while these valleys have a high potential for rice-based systems, their use poses environmental and health risks to farmers, the majority of whom are women.
WARDA's MTP responds to the above challenge in a logical and concise manner. The plan is set within the context of CGIAR goals and describes how the agenda focuses on poverty alleviation, and protecting the natural resource base and the environment. WARDA's research agenda places particular attention on poor rural and urban households in Africa. Rural households are the major contributor (80-90%) to African poverty, and issues relating to gender and female poor have been adequately addressed in the MTP.
The MTP provides a convincingly clear indication of WARDA's attempt to integrate the work on productivity improvement with conservation of the natural resource base. TAC endorses WARDA's attempts to initiate work on off-site environmental issues caused by rice-based systems in addition to on-site problems related to intensification of production. WARDA has highlighted the fact that the products of its research, especially those in the form of new knowledge of technology are freely transferable not only through the region it serves but beyond into the ECSA countries which account for 50% of the rice production in SSA. Given the promise of additional opportunities opening up within the context of the new Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration in SSA recently signed by WARDA and IRRI, WARDA has redefined its overall goal, within its current R & D commodity mandate, to extend the geographical scope of its work to cover the whole of the SSA region. However, TAC remains unconvinced about the need to change WARDA's geographical mandate.
Priority Setting and Proposed Resource Allocation
The MTP presents WARDA's priority-setting process as a continuing exercise and carefully addresses the CGIAR's overarching concerns of poverty alleviation and environmental protection. WARDA's priority-setting process is reasonably transparent but focuses on constraints identified in rice agroecosystems. The link to resource allocation is based on a congruence approach taking into account the value of production of rice from the different agroecosystems and the constraints that need to be addressed by research.
WARDA justifies its activities on the assumption that rice farmers in its region are poor, most of them women- The plan makes the point that in West Africa, "women are the primary decision makers and provide the major share of labour in most rice production systems and dominate the labour-intensive rice processing activities and the small-scale rice trading". TAC agrees with WARDA that expanding domestic rice production through technical change can generate proportionately greater demand for female employment, and generate increased female incomes through the rice commodity sector. Therefore, WARDA's agenda has a particular focus on women, and WARDA plans to strengthen its activity in the area of policy analysis, technology transfer and on-farm impact.
The plan makes no explicit reference to the adoption of new science, but it proposes the use of GIS and molecular biological tools in its research. TAC wonders to what extent WARDA should develop in-house capacity in the area of molecular biology when the envisaged work could be done by IRRI or CIRAD. However, as biotechnology research should be used to address the basic problems closely related to the advancement of plant breeding programmes to benefit the targeted user in a region like Africa, WARDA should consider others for these services and aim to capitalize on what they can provide. TAC noted that WARDA uses the open-centre concept, rather than direct outsourcing, to link up with institutions which have a comparative advantage in specific areas of research. However, WARDA's plan does not provide clear evidence that resource allocations have been influenced by alternative sources of supply.
As mentioned above, WARDA proposes to alter the geographical scope of its activities to include ECSA countries, subject to approval by its Council of Ministers. The investment during the MTP is expected to be quite modest (US$ 150,000). IRRI has another US$ 1.1 million invested in the region. TAC anticipates being informed of the outcome of the present negotiation, although wonders why WARDA cannot share its products with ECSA countries without changing its geographical mandate.
Strategies for Implementation of the MTP
WARDA sets out clearly how the new MTP relates to the past. Building on previous lessons, the Centre will undertake the MTP with a changed organizational structure consisting chiefly of four inter-related programme thrusts: two technology-generation programmes, the rainfed rice programme and the irrigated rice programme; a policy support programme; and an information and technology transfer programme. There is no evident reason to doubt the balance of effort across these programmes.
One of the projects proposes to investigate resource flows within an inland valley, in line with TAC's recommendation on NRM research. The Committee is pleased that the plan includes a proposal for a second regional consortium, the human health consortium, to be hosted by WARDA to promote regional collaborative and multidisciplinary research on the relationship between lowland rice systems and the water-borne diseases malaria and schistosomiasis.
WARDA has adopted a concept of clearly laying out its strategic research milestones against which research effectiveness can be assessed and problems inhibiting progress can be identified early. Some of the projects refer to impact assessment, specifically in rice research. This includes the development of a regional computerized and georeferenced database for spatial distribution of major rice production systems, and quantification of yield gap components in rice production systems. One project expects to quantify the determinants and extent of adoption and economic impacts of current rice technologies.
WARDA operates under the aegis of its Council of Ministers which has helped to create a special enabling environment for the Centre in its dealings with the national programmes of the member countries. Thus, the implementation of WARDA's plan will rely on the continuation of the Task Forces involving NARS, and on the open-centre approach, to avoid duplication of effort and to ensure regional critical mass for rice R & D. WARDA is therefore seeking the contributions of scientists in national programmes, in sister CGIAR Centres and from ARIs. WARDA expects to receive valuable research support through this collaboration, particularly from ARIs' laboratories. However, WARDA has not succeeded in establishing any partnership with the region's limited private sector. TAC notes that WARDA participates in two Systemwide activities, namely, the Inland Valley. Consortium and Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme.
WARDA's programme appears to be centred mainly on rice improvement although the inter-centre review called for it to strengthen its work on rice based production systems. Some of this latter work is contained in the Inland Valley Consortium programme, where WARDA has planned to integrate some of its activities on resource management with IITA. Nonetheless TAC encourages WARDA to expand its work on rice-based systems.
Concluding Comments
The WARDA proposal is clearly articulated and builds on the advantage of its special relationship with NARS and its concept of an open centre. TAC considers the MTP to be broadly consistent with CGIAR goals and priorities. It is based on a transparent priority setting process. The Committee commends WARDA's efforts to develop strategic alliances and the collaborative nature of its work. Its proposed research is innovative and has good impact potential. TAC recommends that WARDA continues strengthening its role as an ecoregionally oriented Centre for rice-based systems, and focus its investments primarily on the unique problems of West Africa.
