At International Centres Week 1993, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) requested its Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to initiate a critical examination of CGIAR programs in the context of a long-term vision, taking into account current and future trends with options for structural change within the system. A derivative of this examination was a paper tabled at the Mid-Term Meeting in May 1994, in New Delhi, India, entitled, "The CGIAR in the 21st Century: Options for Structural Change." In this paper, TAC noted trends in root and tuber crops production and consumption, globally and by region, and put forth the "urgent need to define a CGIAR strategy for roots and tubers research in the medium term and to explore alternative institutional mechanisms."
This conclusion was based on several assumptions stated by TAC:
· Root and tuber crops are subsistence crops of critical importance to low-income producers and consumers.· These crops are subject to declining demands as incomes rise2.
2Panel's comment: This point is probably true for sweet potato, but it is believed not to be true for potato, yam, or cassava products.
· Biologically, these crops have many similar characteristics, such as: vegetative propagation; their susceptibility to some pests and viral diseases; and their perishability, which makes post-harvest work important. The research disciplines that provide inputs into roots and tubers research are therefore similar.
The paper then noted, "Because of potential reduced priority of cassava, potato, and sweet potato in the future and the emergence of alternative sources of research supply, the scale of future CGIAR efforts in research on these commodities could be lower than it is today... To this end TAC is conducting a stripe review of research on roots and tubers to further explore these issues."
