Opening Session
Future CGIAR Research Agenda
External Programme and Management Review of CIP
1996 Programme and Budget Proposals
External Programme and Management Review of CIAT
Systemwide and Ecoregional Initiatives
Mid-Term Review of ICLARM
Future Reviews
Review of CGIAR Priorities and Strategies
Redesigning the CGIAR Review Process
CGIAR Regional Commitments: West Africa Study
Future Meetings
The TAC Chair, Dr. Donald Winkelmann, opened the meeting and welcomed the 13 TAC Members, the representative of FAO, Dr. Stein Bie, staff of the TAC and CGIAR Secretariats, the Chair of the Centre Directors' Committee, Dr. Christian Bonte-Friedheim, and a number of Centre Directors, Board Chairs and observers.
The report of TAC 65 was adopted with minor amendments to the list of participants. There were no matters arising from TAC 65 that required follow up, and the provisional agenda for TAC 66 was adopted without modifications. Under other business, it was suggested that TAC consider the report of the "GREAN Initiative" which would be presented by Dr. Uma Lele.
Mr. Alexander von der Osten, Executive Secretary of the CGIAR, subsequently reported on major developments in the CGIAR System since ICW'94, particularly with respect to the current financial situation and the outcome of the High-Level Ministerial Meeting in Lucerne. He also briefed TAC on the establishment of new committees to advise the CGIAR Chair, i.e., on the ecoregional approach to research, sustainable agriculture, genetic resources, NGOs and the private sector.
TAC Members discussed the paper prepared by the TAC Chair on the future CGIAR research agenda which had been presented at the meeting in Lucerne. They had not had the chance to comment formally on this paper prior to its submission but took this opportunity to express their concurrence with its contents and the future directions it indicated. The Chair also informed TAC Members that TAC had been asked by the CGIAR Chair to prepare a paper on the 1996 research agenda which would include a presentation of the proposed matrix in time for consideration at the Mid-Term Meeting of the CGIAR, Nairobi, May 1995. The paper would provide a synthesis of proposed research as submitted by the centres and their partners during 1996 as well as the matrix, with the framework endorsed in Lucerne and using data from the centres' 1996 programme and budget proposals.
TAC Members considered the outcome of the international consultation on the NARS vision of international agricultural research which was held in Rome in December 1994. The Committee discussed new developments in science which could have a bearing on future priorities and strategies, such as developments in molecular biology, soil science, development of perennials and control of biotic stresses. Finally, TAC discussed the CGIAR in the broader context particularly with respect to GATT, and the activities of other research organizations.
The report of the CIP External Programme and Management Review was presented by the panel Chair, Dr. David MacKenzie, in the presence of the Director General and the Chair of the Board and senior management of CIP. The panel produced a short report focusing on only a few major issues most important for CIP's future performance. The panel saw CIP as a well-managed Centre, favourably positioned to address future opportunities in potato and sweet potato research. The panel was encouraged by the transformation of CIP since the last external review and reported on its achievements, and noted that CIP must, however, clarify its institutional vision and operational mandate. TAC, in general, endorsed the panel's recommendations and prepared a commentary to supplement the report.
TAC considered the 1996 programme and budget proposals of the 16 centres of the CGIAR. The proposals had been prepared according to the guidelines issued by the CGIAR Secretariat on 15 December 1994. As indicated therein, the 1994-98 medium-term plans remain valid as a planning framework and the 1995 funding targets would be maintained in 1996. Centres could propose changes however in their 1996 funding envelope under the following circumstances: (i) new scientific breakthroughs and their impact on the centre activity; and (ii) shift in priorities of national research systems and the development assistance community. These constituted, therefore, TAC's criteria for allocating increases above the funding guideline. TAC also considered that centre Systemwide activities or programme should be funded through the respective Systemwide initiative. The Committee's recommendations on funding for the 1996 CGIAR core research agenda are indicated in its commentary and the table below.
The report of the External Programme and Management Review of CIAT was presented by the panel Chair, Mr. Declan Walton, in the presence of the Interim Director General, the Chair of the Board and senior management of CIAT. The panel reported that the Centre, after a good deal of turbulence, due to programme and management reorganization, aggravated by downsizing and insecurity, has begun to move into a calmer, more constructive period. The panel also considered that CIAT remained an exciting place to work and could make a significant impact in the years ahead both in its new and traditional fields of research. TAC, in general, endorsed the panel's recommendations and prepared a commentary to supplement the report.
OVERVIEW OF TAC'S 1996 CORE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS
|
Centre |
Guideline |
Programme Increases |
Transfer a/ |
Centre Total |
SWI b/ |
|
CIAT |
27.5 |
- |
- |
27.5 |
.32 |
|
CIFOR |
7.6 |
- |
- |
7.6 |
.13 |
|
CIMMYT |
26.5 |
.1504 |
- |
26.65 |
- |
|
CIP |
16.2 |
|
1.65 |
17.85 |
.155 |
|
ICARDA |
17.6 |
- |
- |
17.6 |
- |
|
ICLARM |
5.86 |
1.07 |
- |
6.8 |
.38 |
|
ICRAF |
16.2 |
.69 |
- |
16.8 |
.410 |
|
ICRISAT |
26.9 |
- |
.2311 |
27.13 |
.212 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
.513 |
|
IFPRI |
9.5 |
- |
5.0 |
14.5 |
.6714 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
.215 |
|
IIMI |
7.6 |
- |
- |
7.6 |
1.016 |
|
IITA |
23.3 |
- |
- |
23.3 |
.217 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
.518 |
|
ILRI |
25.1 |
- |
- |
25.1 |
4.019 |
|
IPGRI |
11.9 |
1.020 |
- |
12.9 |
1.621 |
|
IRRI |
29.4 |
- |
- |
29.4 |
.722 |
|
ISNAR |
6.8 |
- |
- |
6.8 |
|
|
WARDA |
7.0 |
- |
- |
7.0 |
|
|
TOTAL |
264.9 |
2.75 |
6.88 |
274.53 |
10.82 |
|
Ext. Rev. |
|
|
|
1.0 |
|
|
SWI |
|
|
|
10.82 |
|
|
Unallocated SWI |
|
|
|
1.42 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
|
293.00 |
|
a/ Transfer from complementary to core programme.
b/ Refers to globally or ecoregional defined Systemwide initiatives.
Footnotes
1 Inflation component to be considered by Finance Committee2 Soil, Water and Nutrient Management Initiative
3 Participation in Alternatives to Slash and Bum (ASB) Initiative
4 Testing of new selection techniques in wheat breeding
5 Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Development
6 Including $ 1 million fisheries reserve fund given positive outcome of Mid-Term Review
7 Pending submission of programmatic proposal at $ 500,000 and $ 1,000,000 levels
8 Coastal Environment Initiative
9 Increased priority given by development assistance community - to strengthen social science capacity
10 Alternatives to Slash and Bum (ASB)
11 Transfer of "Preservation of Wild Arachis Species" and "Striga Hermonthica" projects to core programme
12 Rice-Wheat Initiative
13 Desert Margins Initiative
14 Joint IFPRI/ISNAR Proposal for Agricultural Indicators Initiative
15 Property Rights and Collective Action
16 Water Management Initiative - pending receipt of proposal
17 IPM Workshop Subhumid and Humid West Africa
18 Ecoregional Proposal
19 Pending receipt of proposal
20 Pending receipt of joint IPGRI/CIFOR proposal on Forest Genetic Resources
21 Systemwide Programme on Genetic Resources
22 Ecoregional proposal for Humid and Subhumid Asia
TAC discussed the report prepared by Dr. Geoffrey Hawtin on the outcome of an inter-centre meeting held in December 1994 in Rome to discuss System-level issues related to Systemwide and ecoregional initiatives. The Committee prepared a note to further clarify the terminology of the terms Systemwide (refers to both globally and ecoregionally defined centre activities or combinations of the two), Systemwide initiative (refers to the start up of an ecoregionally or globally focused activity), and Systemwide programme (refers to established ongoing connected activities). TAC considered that a Systemwide initiative/programme was justified on the basis of, and established to achieve, one or more of the following; take advantage of potential complementarities, avoid duplication of activities, encourage specialization among centres, economies of scale in activities, and to internalize externalities. The Committee's rationale for recommending an activity in a Systemwide initiative or programme would include these and other criteria previously developed by TAC, along with the importance of the undertaking for poverty alleviation and protecting the environment. TAC also considered a total of 20 proposals for Systemwide activities and made recommendations for funding during 1996, as summarized in the table below.
The report of the Mid-Term Review of ICLARM was presented by the panel Chair, Dr. E.T. York, in the presence of the Director General and the Chair of the Board of ICLARM. The panel reported that ICLARM had largely implemented the recommendations of the 1992 external programme and management review. Significant progress has also been made in implementing an effective research programme and in improving the Centre's governance and management. TAC endorsed the panel's recommendations and prepared a commentary to supplement the report. The Committee agreed with the panel that ICLARM should be assigned the US$ 1 million fisheries reserve which it had been allocated pending a positive outcome of this Mid-Term Review.
The Committee noted the progress in the implementation of the external reviews of IITA, ICRISAT and IPGRI. TAC discussed the timings of the future external reviews of IFPRI and ISNAR. Progress reports on the implementation of the inter-centre reviews and studies were also discussed, namely, the Inter-Centre Review of Roots and Tubers Research, the Strategic Study of Public Policy, Public Management and Institution Strengthening Research, and the Study of Strategic Natural Resources Management Issues and Research Needs in the CGIAR. TAC also considered a proposal for an Inter-Centre Review of Cereals, and discussed the possibility of conducting a study of the CGIAR commitments in Latin America.
TAC is due to submit its next report on CGIAR priorities and strategies to the Group at ICW'96. The Committee will proceed by first updating the information contained in its 1992 report. It will thereby engage in a systematic process to seek better indicators of poverty and environmental variables. TAC will also, in collaboration with the centres, develop an information database on alternative sources of supply including private sector, universities, and NARS as well as their capacity to assume responsibilities currently met by the CGIAR. The Committee is further in the process, in close collaboration with the CGIAR Secretariat, of reviewing projects that centres currently feature in their research management. The CGIAR project database is under development and an analysis is being made of how the different centre projects can be structured in broader aggregates, to be used subsequently as building blocks in the CGIAR matrix. The current process of stripe reviews is also being linked explicitly to the process of priority setting. At TAC 67 in July, TAC will allocate three days to the discussion of issues relating to alternative scenarios for agricultural development in the medium and long term, strengthening of NARS, resource degradation, poverty, and other sources of research supply, for which inputs will be sought from the CGIAR Centres, FAO and others.
TAC discussed the draft terms of reference and guidelines of the different types of external reviews of centres: standard comprehensive reviews, issue-driven reviews, interim review and mid-term reviews. The Committee also discussed issues related to external reviews of CGIAR Systemwide programmes, and aspects related to reviews and assessments of special topics normally undertaken to provide inputs into TAC's ongoing activities related to Systemwide priorities and strategies. The Committee agreed to bring the deliberation on this agenda item to closure by submitting a complete package of documents to ICW'95 consisting of a policy paper on the CGIAR review process, and terms of reference of centre and programme reviews. In the meantime, terms of reference of centre reviews will be presented at MTM'95 as part of TAC Chair's report to the Group, and the Inter-Secretariat Working Group on External Reviews will prepare draft terms of reference and guidelines for reviews of Systemwide programmes and of special studies for distribution to centres and CGIAR members for comments in time for discussion at TAC 67 in July 1995.
The report on CGIAR Regional Commitments in West Africa was presented by the panel Chair, Dr. John McIntire. An earlier draft - presented at TAC 65 - had been substantially redrafted to take into account comments from the Centre Directors, NARS and TAC. The report concludes that the current organization of CGIAR activities in West Africa is reasonably cost effective and makes a number of recommendations with respect to specific CGIAR activities. The Committee also considered the commentary of the Centre Directors' Committee on the revised report. TAC prepared a commentary to supplement the panel's report.
The Committee changed the dates and venues for its forthcoming meetings and decided to add a third meeting to its agenda for 1995. The proposed dates and venues are as follows:
TAC 67, 11-17 July 1995, FAO, Rome, Italy
TAC 68, 4-8 December 1995, ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya
TAC 69, 25-31 March 1996, IRRI, Manila, Philippines
TAC 70, 25-31 August 1996, venue to be decided.
