SEVENTY-THIRD MEETING OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
(IFPRI, Washington. D.C., U.S.A. - 24-27 September 1997)
REPORT OF THE MEETING
Opening Session
Implications of the Centre Financing Plans for the 1998 CGIAR Research Agenda and Priorities and Strategies
Approach to Setting Research Priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean
Study of CGIAR Commitments in Latin America and the Caribbean
The Economic Returns to Agricultural R&D: A Review of the Evidence- A Progress Report by IFPRI
Specialist Panels dealing with Biotechnology, and Proprietary Science and Technology in the CGIAR
Strategic Issues
CGIAR Activity Classification
CGIAR Study on Marginal Lands Research
Future Reviews
Future Meetings
Other Business
The TAC Chair, Dr. Donald Winkelmann, opened the meeting by welcoming the 11 TAC Members present, Dr. Hubert Zandstra, Director General of CIP and Chair of the Centre Directors' Committee, Dr. Zafar Altaf, Chair of the IIMI Board of Trustees, Dr. Per Pinstrup-Andersen, Director General of IFPRI, observers from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Spain, USA, the IAEG, and staff from the CGIAR and TAC Secretariats. (Also observing after the opening day were Drs. Bruce Alberts (President) and Michael Phillips of the National Academy of Sciences, and Dr. Mahendra Shah, Executive Secretary of the CGIAR System Review.) Dr. Winkelmann conveyed apologies on behalf of Dr. Keiji Kainuma, TAC Member, and the cosponsors who could not attend.
Dr. Per Pinstrup-Andersen, Director General of IFPRI, extended a warm welcome to the participants on behalf of the Centre hosting the meeting. He highlighted the ongoing activities of the Institute and expressed the satisfaction of IFPRI in hosting TAC 73.
The report of TAC 72 was adopted without amendments.
Matters arising from the TAC 72 report which did not appear on the agenda of TAC were raised.
The agenda for TAC 73 was adopted with minor amendments.
On behalf of Mr. Alexander von der Osten, Executive Secretary of the CGIAR, Dr. Ravi Tadvalkar, Principal Finance Officer, reported on the major developments in the CGIAR since MTM'97, particularly the membership drive, Centres Week '97, staff changes at the CGIAR Secretariat, funding and the evolution of the financial process.
TAC considered the Financing Plans for 1998 prepared by the Centres in the context of its recommendations on medium-term plans and on CGIAR priorities and strategies, as endorsed at MTM'97. Discussion was based, in considerable measure, on a two-day, case-by-case review of financial reports by the TAC Chair and three TAC Members, along with relevant staff from the CGIAR and TAC Secretariats. Overall, TAC was pleased with the improved quality of proposals and concurred that in general they were in line with what had been agreed upon at MTM'97. While the proposals were generally congruent with recommendations on CGIAR priorities and strategies by activity, commodity, production sector and Systemwide programmes, TAC expressed concern about the projected shortfalls for investment in livestock research and water management research. A number of centres were asked to submit clarifications on their financing plan, particularly regarding how they intended to cope with projected shortfalls, specifically on the programmatic implications. On the basis of the discussions and responses received from the centres, the TAC Chair will prepare a report for submission to the Finance Committee at ICW'97.
Dr. Phil Pardey and Mr. Stan Wood of IFPRI briefed the Committee on the progress they are making in a bid-funded project in developing more rigorous approaches to support efforts to set strategic research priorities in the LAC region. A briefing was also provided on new information with respect to the state of global information on R&D and of important trends.
The Committee considered a draft report of the desk study for the Study of CGIAR Commitments in Latin America and the Caribbean conducted under the guidance of Dr. Eugenia Muchnik de Rubinstein, formerly of CEPAL. TAC also discussed the planning and implementation of the assessment phase of the Study, whose panel will be chaired by Dr. Lucio Reca of Argentina. The Committee revised and endorsed the Terms of Reference of the Study. It further approved that Dr. Reca work with a team of consultants from the region which will include expertise on forestry, high science, as well as the Caribbean region. The draft report will be submitted to the TAC Secretariat in April 1998 for sharing with Centres before discussion at TAC 75.
TAC considered the progress made by Dr. Phil Pardey of IFPRI on the work sponsored by TAC on the economic returns to agricultural R&D, with emphasis on natural resources management. More than 600 publications reporting on returns to agricultural R&D are being screened and some initial results were shared with the Committee. The final report on this study will be available at TAC 74 in March 1998.
The Committee was informed that the CGIAR intends to address major issues in biotechnology to assist the System in developing a medium- and long-term strategy with a flexible policy framework that will enable the centres to manage biotechnology within their programmes.
TAC discussed the issues motivating the formation of two specialist panels, one on General Biotechnology, the other on Proprietary Science and Technology, and what the CGIAR expects from the panels by ICW'97 and MTM'98. Members were informed that the panel on General Biotechnology is being chaired by Richard B. Flavell of U.K., and the one on Proprietary Science and Technology by Timothy Roberts of U.K. Each panel has initiated e-mail exchanges, will hold one meeting before, and produce a concept report for, ICW'97.
TAC is expected to prepare an observation by e-mail on the two reports. After ICW97, the panels will continue their work, with the second round of meetings being planned for February 1998 in order to prepare a second report. During TAC 74, a commentary will be prepared on the panels' reports in readiness for MTM'98.
TAC considered a number of strategic issues on which it would like to focus its attention over the next two years. These issues had been submitted by TAC Members, Centre Directors and members of the CGIAR. The Committee prioritized the different issues in terms of their importance and the extent to which TAC was best placed to address them. At the Group level, the most important issues were the CGIAR's portfolio for international public goods by 2010, the role of the CGIAR in strengthening national work, and the opportunity for alternative collaborative arrangements. At TAC's level, issues identified were monitoring of quality and relevance of science, cost-benefit analysis of research on biodiversity and natural resources management, monitoring of the CGIAR's external environment, a systematic assessment of alternative sources of supply, and the work underway on the location and level of poverty.
TAC considered a follow-up to the Feldafing Workshop on an alternative CGIAR logical framework. A second Feldafing meeting would take place in February of 1998. In the meantime, consultants would undertake additional work on indicators and on milestones in preparation for this meeting. Centres had also been asked to comment on the initial results that had been discussed at TAC 72. It was intended that this work would be completed by MTM'98.
The Committee discussed and endorsed a proposal to move forward with the study by preparing the following two papers: one to summarize TAC's responses to the marginal lands study by the Nelson panel; the other to elaborate on marginal lands issues in terms of: (i) the six-celled matrix that TAC received favourably at TAC 71; (ii) the existing knowledge, from the very specific viewpoint of the CGIAR, on the relationship between poverty and land type; and (iii) the existing knowledge on the relationship between poverty and the enhancement or degradation of natural resources.
TAC discussed the progress on the conduct of the external programme and management reviews of IFPRI, IRRI, CIMMYT and CIFOR as well as the organization of the external reviews of ICRAF, ILRI and ICLARM.
The Committee also considered a proposal for the external review of the Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme to be conducted in 1998.
The Committee endorsed the proposal to undertake a review of CGIAR's Systemwide ecoregional approaches to research. The review will begin in 1998 and be completed in 1999.
TAC confirmed and/or amended dates and venues for the following meetings:
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TAC 74: |
22-28 March 1998 |
ICRISAT, Patancheru, India |
|
TAC 75: |
20-26 September 1998 |
CIMMYT, Mexico, DF, Mexico |
|
TAC 76: |
22-27 March 1999 |
FAO, Rome, Italy |
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TAC 77: |
20-26 September 1999 |
ISNAR, The Hague, The Netherlands |
The Committee considered collaboration with the Impact Assessment and Evaluation Group in the light of deliberations at MTM'97. Members were briefed on the plans and activities of the IAEG by Dr. Carlos Zulberti who represented the IAEG Secretariat. The TAC Chair also reported that during ICW'97, a consultative meeting will he held with the TAC Chair, Drs. Jim Peacock and Tim Healy. Progress on the work being carried out for TAC by UNEP/GRID-Arendal on mapping of poverty in West Africa and identifying databases for future work was reported. The Committee was also informed that Dr. Bram Huisman, a former TAC Member, was representing TAC at a European Colloquium on Agricultural Research for Development, held in Montpellier, France, 25-26 September 1997. A brief report on the Colloquium will be circulated in due course.
