Donald Winkelmann, Chairman
1st October 1999
Dear Mr. Serageldin,
It is my pleasure to transmit to you the report of the Review of Systemwide Programmes with an Ecoregional Approach. The review was conducted during April-July 1999 by a Panel chaired by Dr. Ted Henzell, Australia. The attached report was considered by TAC at its 77th meeting held in The Hague in September 1999, in the presence of the Panel Chair. Please find attached the Panel's report and TAC's commentary on the review.
TAC is pleased with this thorough analysis of Systemwide Programmes with an Ecoregional Approach. The Committee recalls that it committed itself to reviewing Systemwide activities during the last round of setting CGIAR priorities and strategies to evaluate lessons from new collaborative approaches of the CGIAR in uncharted territories, recommended by TAC in the mid 1990s. Thus, this review of Ecoregional Programmes follows the First Review of the Systemwide Genetic Resources Programme carried out in 1998. Other Systemwide activities with a thematic approach will be reviewed in due course before the next setting of CGIAR priorities and strategies during 2001-2002.
A preparatory desk study was instrumental for the Main Phase of this review. It brought together relevant information from the centres and others on the Ecoregional Programmes. Field visits to selected programmes, allowing in-depth evaluations of several of the eight ongoing Ecoregional Programmes, were conducted in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The Committee is pleased to learn that the principles of the Ecoregional Approach in the CGIAR are still valid but recommends that greater attention should be placed on poverty and human aspects in research geared towards the sustainable improvement of productivity. TAC noted as well the Panel's strong comment about partnerships that have been formed with NARS. The Panel emphasizes issues of problem focus, planning, performance indicators, impact monitoring and governance, among other themes in its report.
TAC's views on these and other issues are further elaborated in the attached commentary.
On behalf of TAC, I would like to thank Dr. Henzell and his Panel for a comprehensive report. I look forward to a fruitful discussion at ICW'99.
Sincerely yours,
Donald L. Winkelmann
TAC Chair
Mr. Ismail Serageldin
CGIAR Chair
World Bank
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