a) Climate Change
b) The Central Asia Proposal
c) The 1998 King Baudouin Award
d) ICRISAT's Progress in the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Fourth External Review
185. Considering that one of the MTM'98 agenda items would address climate change, the Committee was briefed by the TAC Chair on USAID's efforts to study this subject and its implications for the CGIAR. The Committee also noted that given the System's commitments to its goals, most of its activities related to global climate change were a spillover from the pursuit of those goals. Contributing to this endeavour, Dr. Alison Withey of USAID would visit CGIAR Centres, compile projects of direct relevance to the topic and would table a report at TAC 75. In September, it was planned to review the implications of the issues related to climate change for CGIAR priorities. Dr. Withey was recognized by the TAC Chair and accorded the opportunity to highlight the proposed programme of work, and in the course of the meeting, interacted informally with TAC Members on the subject.
186. The Central Asia proposal was submitted by nine CGIAR Centres for a Systemwide initiative. Dr. Mohan Saxena (ICARDA, the convening centre) introduced on behalf of the Director General the research proposal giving the necessary background information to the project. It was noted that historically some Members such as USAID have been supporting development assistance in the region, e.g., through the development and supply of quality seeds.
187. In contributing to the discussion, Mr. von der Osten commended the initiative; it was a step in the right direction and prepared over a long period by the participating Centres. He added that the CGIAR owed this initiative to Central Asia and the international development community.
188. Dr. Hank Fitzhugh, Director General of ILRI, pointed out that the new initiative in Central Asia would be the first involvement of the CGIAR in a development activity. Therefore, he stressed that TAC should evaluate how this new strategy would fit into established programmatic policies for guidance on research in the System.
189. TAC noted that much of the CGIAR's research was relevant to the region and that a strong case could be made for support of integrated programmes that responded to the dominant opportunities there. The proposal, however, did not evidently respond to those opportunities.
190. In terms of the circumstances of the region itself, three characteristics of the research environment were frequently mentioned: that the region had an abundance of qualified researchers, that there was little public sector support for research, and that the paradigms which currently oriented and organized research were largely those of a centralized, bureaucratic past. The challenges, then, were simultaneously to:
- undertake research which had near term payoffs in productivity with appropriate consideration for natural resources;- bring into play the abundance of human capital now in the region;
- demonstrate the efficacy of programme-oriented research, e.g., that of integrating cereals, livestock, natural resources (including biodiversity), and policy;
- demonstrate to the research organizations the efficacy of new forms of management and decision making;
- bring these developments to the attention of the higher reaches of the public sector so as to demonstrate payoffs from research and to foster greater support for investment there.
191. The TAC Chair opined that, to the extent that these considerations were important, research proposals based on the above challenges would be more likely to receive the support of CGIAR members than would the loose knit mix of projects submitted in the initial draft. TAC encouraged further efforts to develop integrated programmes of work.
192. TAC reviewed and agreed on the criteria by which it would judge the Centre submissions for the 1998 King Baudouin Award to be submitted to TAC by 15 August 1998. The criteria were: (a) direct or indirect, actual or potential impact on resource-poor farmers and low-income people; (b) direct or indirect, actual or potential impact on sustainable production systems; (c) innovation in science; and (d) partners and collaboration. TAC noted that the winning Centre would receive the Award at ICW'98. The Committee was informed that the TAC Chair would write a letter to all CGIAR Centres to inform them of the above criteria and to invite them to make submissions.
TAC Commentary on ICRISAT's Response to the Recommendations of the Fourth External Review
193. In introducing this topic, the TAC Chair recalled that ICRISAT had submitted a written report to TAC 73 regarding actions taken in reponse to recommendations 6 and 8 of the EPMR. The first called for an improvement in the due diligence responsibility of the Board. The second recommended a deferment of the selection of a new Deputy Director General until the new Director General could participate fully in the recruitment process, and that a transition team of interim DDG and DG be put in place as soon as possible. TAC was satisfied with the Centre's response to these specific recommendations, and had requested ICRISAT to submit its next progress report to TAC 74 which it had done in the document entitled: "A New Vision for ICRISAT".
194. Dr. Shawki Barghouti, who had taken office as the Director General since TAC 73, was then invited to present ICRISAT's response to the recommendations of the EPMR. Dr. Barghouti stated that the New Vision document was the result of a re-examination by staff and Board, in consultation with stakeholders, of ICRISAT's vision and strategy based on the EPMR findings. This had led to a set of proposed or actual changes and reorientation by ICRISAT which he elaborated. TAC considered these to be well founded and in the right direction, and encouraged the Institute to complete the transformation expeditiously, particularly the items requiring further effort. TAC offered the following commentary to facilitate the transformation.
195. The Fourth External Review (main phase December 1996) identified the need for the Institute to formulate an operational mandate, which clearly spells out the strategic elements and focus of its work, us the transcending issue underlying the majority of its recommendations. The first two recommendations were aimed at speeding up the transformation of ICRISAT's commodity improvement research at Patancheru to a global focus on prebreeding based on the strong advantage of the valuable germplasm of the five mandate crops held in the Centre's genebank.
196. The next two recommendations pertained to the need: (a) to extract the maximum value from the data already collected from the long-term watershed studies at Patancheru; and (b) to undertake a collaborative strategic planning exercise in integrated natural resource management (INRM) to formulate priorities and operational strategies, particularly in fostering effective partnership with NARS and to focus the bulk of the INRM work in Africa.
197. Recommendation 5 placed a strong emphasis on a strategic partnership model for the future research of the Institute, emphasizing the adoption of more closely integrated partnerships supported by further development of the visiting scientist programme.
198. The next four recommendations dealt with matters of governance and organization and management. The Panel recommended an external mid-term review, but TAC considered that a phased assessment of critical steps could, if progress were favourable, serve in its stead.
199. In that context, ICRISAT submitted a written report to TAC 73 regarding its response to Recommendations 6 and 8. The first called for an improvement in the due diligence responsibility of the Board. The second recommended a deferment of the selection of a new DDG until the new DG could participate fully in the recruitment process, and that a transition team of interim DDG and DG be put in place as soon as possible. TAC was satisfied with the Centre's response to these specific recommendations, and requested ICRISAT to submit its next progress report to TAC 74.
200. ICRISAT submitted a written report to TAC 74 entitled "A New Vision for ICRISAT". As ICRISAT was the venue for the TAC 74 meeting, the Committee was able to see and assess first hand the progress achieved by the Centre in its response to the recommendations of the EPMR. Below is TAC's assessment of the progress made by ICRISAT in implementing the recommendations of the Fourth External Review.
201. Since TAC 73, Dr. Shawki Barghouti took office as the Director General, and has engaged staff and Board, in consultation with stakeholders, in a re-examination of ICRISAT's vision and strategy based on the EPMR findings. This has led to the following proposed or actual changes and reorientation by ICRISAT which TAC considered to he well founded and in the right direction:
· Restructuring of the research strategy and workplan for 1998/99 as described in the 1999-2001 MTP.· Re-balancing resources and emphasis in line with ICRISAT's new vision, and programme structure and strategy towards genetic resources activities in response to the "new paradigm in strategic germplasm research"; and to accommodate a shift in emphasis in NRM research from production agronomy to strategic micro and macro issues.
· Shifting resources from Asia towards Africa, but at a pace slower than envisioned by the EPMR and TAC, and consolidating the Africa locations from 7 to 2 with considerable cost-savings.
· Re-evaluating involvement in Systemwide activities, followed by selected reductions where necessary.
· Implementing an institutional renewal process of transformation at all levels promoted not only by the EPMR but also by the threat of serious financial shortfalls. These include: (a) the Board to provide greater leadership and be more diligent in its oversight of key ICRISAT policies and functions: and (b) the management adopting new business practices resulting in large efficiency gains and cost-savings.
· Redefining ICRISAT's partnership strategy consistent with the new "strategic partnership model" recommended by the EPMR.
202. TAC commends ICRISAT for taking decisive steps, and encourages the Institute to complete the transformation expeditiously, particularly in relation to the following items which TAC believes still require further effort:
· Defining the nature of the leadership required to manage the new programme structure, and completing the recruitment and appointment of senior directing staff. Once leadership is in place. ICRISAT should continue shifting NRM research work towards sub-Saharan Africa.· Continuing to implement the staff restructuring programme for both the IRS and NRS, and to monitor staffing ratios.
· Finalizing uniform staff policies.
· Strengthening ICRISAT's new strategic partnerships with a range of partners commensurate with its new operational mandate.
203. TAC looks forward to seeing these ideas being reflected in ICRISAT's 2000-2002 MTP proposals.
204. There being no further business, the Chair thanked TAC Members for their contributions and declared the meeting adjourned at 16.30 hrs.
