TAC Commentary on the Fifth External Programme and Management Review of IRRI
53. In introducing the item, the TAC Chair welcomed Dr. Bernard Tinker, the Panel Chair, IRRI's Board Chair, Dr. Roelof Rabbinge, Interim Director General, Dr. Robert Havener; and Deputy Director General for Research, Dr. Kenneth Fischer. Dr. Tinker introduced the Panel's report by first thanking the Board, management and staff of IRRI for the assistance given during the review. He also expressed appreciation for the support provided to the Panel by the staff of the TAC and CGIAR Secretariats.
54. In his presentation, Dr. Tinker covered a range of topics including three that were considered by the last review - yield decline, the research management matrix, and INGER. Based on a calculation of rice demand and supply projections, the case for an international research effort on rice was very strong. The demand for rice was expected to rise by over 60%, however, by 2025, and IRRI in partnership with NARS must concentrate on more and better rice grown in sustainable ways. No other organization was better placed to do so than IRRI, which had a long record of delivering both scientific advances and impact.
55. IRRI's priorities were consistent with its mission and the CGIAR's goals and the quality of its science was generally high. IRRI's overall performance included some outstanding achievements in germplasm enhancement and biotechnology using marker technology and genetic transformation, in shifting the yield frontier with the hybrid rice and the new plant type, in IPM, and in understanding the cause of productivity decline in intensive systems. IRRI had responded well to the rapid development of some NARS and was effectively managing the evolution of its partnerships within the global rice community. After the recent turbulent period, which also included a staff reduction programme, IRRI needed institutional stability; no major structural reorganisation should be attempted for now. IRRI should concentrate on putting matters right within the current structure. IRRI's Board should undertake annual self-assessments and annual assessments of the Director-General. It should also be better informed about IRRI's financial status. Dr. Tinker then highlighted the major recommendations as presented in the report.
56. Dr. Rabbinge thanked the Panel for a fair, accurate and constructive report. The Panel had made 11 recommendations and IRRI agreed with all of them although it was still reviewing how best to implement three of them. IRRI had also taken serious account of all the suggestions made by the Panel. It was reassuring to know that science at IRRI was of high quality and that IRRI had an effective partnership strategy. IRRI's research agenda had changed over the years towards NRM and biotechnology. It endorsed the recommendation for more work on soil nitrogen and carbon dynamics. Dr. Rabbinge elaborated on the staff reduction programme which, according to him, had been necessary not only from a financial but also from an efficiency viewpoint. The nature of research had changed from being labour intensive five years ago to an IRS:NRS ratio of 1:4, a 50% decrease in NRS. Senior management had also gone through a dramatic change, but because of Drs. Havener and Fischer, the situation was returning to normal. It was envisaged that a new Director General would be identified by June 1998.
57. Dr. Havener congratulated the Panel for an effective review. He had been Interim Director General for two months but IRRI had passed an important transition and staff morale was turning. Dr. Fischer, who had agreed to stay until July 1999, had been instrumental in making the research management matrix work. Dr. Fischer added his endorsement to the Panel's recommendation for more work on soil nitrogen and carbon dynamics, and recognized that there was a potential opportunity to create a single rainfed rice programme but this may need to be addressed cautiously in order to maintain the identities of the different rainfed rice ecosystems.
58. The discussion was opened by Dr. Richard Harwood, Chair of the Working Group for the IRRI Review. He stated that the Panel had identified concrete areas for IRRI to address such as biotechnology, maintenance of high yield in intensive systems, and the political environment. He raised several questions: Whether the fixed-term appointment of staff in a context of higher staff turnover had negatively impacted on the operation of the matrix? What did the rapid move towards hybridization imply for IRRI in the long-run? If IRRI could not make its distinct ecosystems-based programme work, was there an implication for the CGIAR System? Was IPR unique for rice in Asia? Dr. Harwood indicated that it was not always clear where the outposted staff were located, what positions they were occupying and for what time periods. Questions from other TAC Members included the relationship with the host government, links with China and NGOs, the Board's self-assessment, and IRRI's response to the impending closure of the Rockefeller Asian Biotechnology Network.
59. In responding to these questions, IRRI representatives stated that staff turnover at IRRI was not higher than at other CGIAR Centres, nor was there evidence that turnover was higher than desirable. IRRI's own investigations had shown that the relationship with the government was strong, although there had been some difficulties in the recent past. Hybridization of tropical rice was occurring rapidly. It had begun in India through public and private sector collaboration, allowing a segmentation of the market. There was a rapid change in the way rice was being sown - direct seeding - calling for herbicide use to combat weeds and for new herbicide resistant rice. IPR was an important issue in Asia where rice was an important crop politically, a fact which needed to be taken into account in IRRI's IPR policy which the Board expected to decide upon. IRRI had very few outposted staff and used the consortia mechanism to take care of research in partner nations so that IRRI had its staff mainly at headquarters. As for making the ecosystem-based programmes work, there was no problem in merging the three rainfed rice programmes into one programme, provided there were several ecosystem-based projects. IRRI had its own biotechnology network which supplemented the Rockefeller Rice Biotechnology Network. IRRI's biotech network was active in most countries in Asia. Cooperation with China was long standing and IRRI was searching for a Chinese scientist to serve on the Board.
60. In concluding the discussion, the TAC Chair thanked the participants for their contributions, and in particular Dr. Tinker and his Panel for a clearly-written and useful Report. After further consideration, TAC proposed the following commentary to supplement the Panel's report.
61. TAC expresses its thanks to the Chair and members of the Panel for a comprehensive and constructive report which was discussed at TAC 74, in the presence of the Panel Chair, Dr. Bernard Tinker, the Chair of IRRI's Board, Dr. Roelof Rabbinge, the Interim Director General, Dr. Robert Havener, and the Deputy Director General Research, Dr. Kenneth Fischer.
62. The Review report is positive and optimistic about IRRI's strategic role in achieving sustainable food security in the future, and concludes that IRRI represents a high-return investment that deserves the full support of the CGIAR. TAC is pleased that IRRI's research is of high scientific quality and relevance. The Panel Report provides valuable insights into IRRI's strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and challenges faced by the Institute.
63. The Panel has made 11 recommendations which TAC fully endorses. The Committee notes that IRRI agrees with all the recommendations, although it is still reviewing how best to implement three of them.
64. TAC commends the Report for careful consideration, and offers the following commentary, prepared with inputs from the CGIAR Secretariat, to supplement the Panel's report.
Rainfed Rice Programme
65. TAC notes that the Panel has recommended that there should be a single rainfed rice programme in which related lines of work can be brought together, emphasizing those where prospects for success and impact are greatest while at the same time making efficiency gains in operating a single programme. TAC appreciates the cautious response from IRRI regarding the way it should implement this recommendation. TAC considers that the underlying reasons for this recommendation are compatible with IRRI's and NARS' desire to retain the identities of the research activities of the three rainfed ecosystems and the associated specialized groups of scientists. TAC agrees that a single administration for the rainfed rice programme, with ecosystem-based projects can lead to an improvement in research focus, greater flexibility and impact, and closer linkage with resource allocation within the programme.
Biotechnology and Rice Genomics
66. TAC agrees that IRRI must continue to concentrate on more and better rice that can be grown in sustainable ways. We note that IRRI is already taking advantage of new developments in biotechnology and rice genomics; and that it is increasing its collaboration with the private sector.
Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
67. TAC recognizes that greater research attention to soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in intensive rice systems, as recommended by the Panel, is appropriate and timely because of the accumulating evidence that productivity decline is often associated with nitrogen supply. The work of IRRI on such processes in soils with alternating anaerobic/aerobic fluctuations will be complex but highly important. TAC believes that the proposed initiative is of strategic relevance to the CGIAR System as a whole. It is essential that contact be made and maintained among Centres and others who are working on carbon and nitrogen dynamics across a range of environments within the CGIAR System and among the advanced laboratories that will he assisting them. TAC hopes that IRRI will play a role in reinforcing such contacts.
68. TAC notes that the Panel report, in the body of its text, concentrated on the ability of the soil to supply nitrogen as the primary factor in long-term yield decline. Reduced yields, in long-term experiments were reversed by greater application rates of nitrogen fertilizer. While soil nitrogen supply is a significant factor, the reader is cautioned to not conclude that the problem is simple, and solved by merely increasing nitrogen fertilizer rates. The complex bio-geochemical processes involved are closely tied to changes in soil carbon and microorganisms, to pest population interactions, and to a range of management options.
International Network for Genetic Evaluation of Rice (INGER)
69. TAC is pleased that IRRI is fully committed to supporting the primary function of INGER which it will relaunch as a high-quality service. This will be based on the outcome of a workshop IRRI plans to hold to assess the structure and operations of INGER in the light of the needs of NARS and the expected funding environment. TAC applauds IRRI's effort to put INGER on a more secure financial footing, and to work out a cost-sharing arrangement with NARS. TAG notes that a large portion of the germplasm tested through INGER originates from the participating NARS, and hopes that in organizing monitoring tours of INGER locations IRRI will give preference to younger scientists from partner NARS.
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
70. The Panel has argued that, in the light of the changing international perceptions to IPR, IRRI should re-examine its policy. TAC concurs with the Panel. The CGIAR has commissioned two panels to address general issues in biotechnology and IPR, and the CGIAR will be formulating a policy on IPR in the near future. It is TAC's expectation that IRRI and CGIAR policies be consistent, and it encourages IRRI to work closely with the CGIAR to ensure uniformity in the primary principles of the IPR policy.
71. TAC notes that IRRI is planning a stakeholders meeting of NARS, donors, NGOs, farmer groups, IPR specialists and members of the private sector to develop guidelines which TAC feels will need to facilitate decisions about protection for IRRI-developed intellectual property to be made on a case-by-case basis.
Partnerships
72. The Panel considered it appropriate that IRRI's unique role in partnership is highlighted, for it is a story worth telling. TAC commends IRRI for this special achievement which it has continued to sustain effectively. However, TAC notes that IRRI and its partners operate in a fast changing environment, especially in the IPR area. While TAC has no particular recommendation to make, it wishes to point out that as IRRI makes hard choices, it will he exposed to conflicting views regardless of its decision, and will need to have its NARS partners fully committed to supporting the joint decisions and follow up action.
Governance
73. TAC supports the Panel recommendation that the Board undertake more systematic annual self-assessments, and annual assessments of the Director General'. TAC notes that the Board is also in agreement with the recommendation.
74. The Board plans to evaluate its current approach to self-assessment at a future Board meeting. An assessment of the appropriateness and effectiveness of the oversight function of the Board can only be of benefit to the Board and the Centre. When specific issues are identified during a self-assessment, then the action taken by the Board should be recorded in the Board minutes which serve as an important component of the Board's institutional memory.
75. With regard to annual assessments of the Director General, it is considered that these should he conducted against a set of agreed criteria, and in a transparent and open manner between the Board and the Director General.
Management
76. The Institute is presently in good financial health, and does not expect any drastic changes in staffing or funding in the near future. TAC notes that IRRI has been through a difficult period during the past two years. However, it is pleased to learn that the situation has begun to stabilize, and commends the Board, Management and staff for their dedication and effort to ensure the continuation of the stabilization processes now underway. TAC hopes that IRRI will move expeditiously in recruiting a new Director General and other members of the senior management team.
77. TAC notes that IRRI has had a lengthy experience in use of a research management matrix system for maintaining disciplinary excellence while mobilizing resources into problem-solving projects. It agrees with the Panel that IRRI needs to continue its efforts to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of this evolving system through staff training and the consideration of rewards for high-quality managerial input.
