Introduction
Institution strengthening research and services as they relate to CGIAR activities aimed at strengthening national research systems (NARS in the broadest sense) include: (i) Provision of more efficient and effective tools for planning and managing research, (ii) Capacity building, (iii) Dissemination of research results, (iv) Development of collaborative activities with NARS that help to strengthen their research capacity and (v) Provision of advisory and/or analytical services. Overall, the CGIAR allocates approximately 20% of its core resources, or about 52 million dollars, to these activities. All CGIAR Centres devote a significant proportion of their resources to institution strengthening activities. ISNAR's mandate singles it apart from the other CGIAR Centres in that its primary function is to assist NARS in research planning, management and delivery; the other CGIAR Centres, in varying degrees, engage in all four elements listed under (ii) to (v) above. All 18 Centres put forward institution strengthening proposals in their Medium-Term Plans (1994-98).1 A brief overview of these proposals follows.
1
Since the development of the MTPs during 1993, ILCA and ILRAD have been merged into ILRI and INIBAP was integrated into IPGRI.
CIAT. CIAT's institution strengthening proposals for 1994-98 are based on a threefold strategy, i.e., (i) To "strengthen national research institutions by providing advanced training for scientists and delivering specialized information through documentation systems, library based services and publications", (ii) To "enhance the efficiency of national research systems and facilitate their linkages with development activities through multi-institutional collaborative projects" and (iii) To "contribute to the formation and strengthening of national and regional training organizations to train professionals dedicated to commodity production and adaptive research". A set of seven activities is outlined in CIAT's MTP. Research training. The aim here is to phase out introductory research training so as to move gradually to specialized scientific curricula focusing on mid-career scientists as well as Masters and Doctoral degree trainees; a target of 100 trainees/year is foreseen. Group training will also become more specialized based on 2 - 3 courses per year involving as many as 60 participants. Training of Trainers. As CIAT reduces its entry- and intermediate-level training courses, it plans to strengthen its role as a Trainer of trainers; the training will focus on research and production methods, course organization and adult education. Conferences. CIAT plans to reduce its conferencing activities (eight per annum in recent years), especially in the areas of applied and adaptive research and increase its support to advanced research network meetings. Communications. In the coming years CIAT's MTP envisages a larger more diverse communications audience with products targeted to specific audience subgroups. New emphasis will focus on the germplasm development research audience, on natural resources scientists, technology intermediaries, national and international decision-makers and on public opinion groups. Bibliographic information. CIAT's bibliographic information services have been recently modernized. Future activities will seek to keep CIAT apace with developments in information technologies and to enhance national programme information systems through networking and training. Information products (on paper or diskette) will draw heavily on the Centre's databases, on CD-ROM databases as well as worldwide on-line searches in external databases. Interinstitutional support mechanisms will underpin the design and planning of collaborative projects and contribute to increased project accountability. Interinstitutional projects will be used as training ground for national programme scientists and decision-makers. Institutional information system. An information system on partner and collaborative institutions will be established to support CIAT's institution strengthening programme and activities; the system will collate information from different databases to ensure an integrated institutional support programme. The MTP describes CIAT's institutional strengthening activities as a gradual transition from a present to a future scenario. In CIAT's adjustment to the funding crisis of the past years, the Centre had to accelerate the pace of these changes to such an extent that by now practically all the announced strategic changes have already been implemented.
CIFOR. As a recently established international research centre, CIFOR's institution strengthening activities are as yet in embryo. The MTP 1994-98 outlines three activity proposals, i.e., (i) Development of human and institutional resources for forestry research, (ii) Publication and information services and (iii) Database harmonization, integration and dissemination. These three activities will constitute CIFOR's Research Support and Information programme with the main aim of providing institutional, personnel development and information support to the national forestry research systems. Development of human and institutional resources for forestry research will involve: (i) providing assistance to the strategic planning and human resource development of developing country research institutions, (ii) workshops and seminars, (iii) the production of texts and electronic teaching materials and (iv) internship training. In this context also, CIFOR plans to engage in strategic collaboration with National Forestry Research systems, in establishing research networks and to develop close collaboration with individual scientists through research programmes and training of Senior Research Associates and visiting scientists. Training will also be directed to management and leadership in forestry research. Publication and information services will include, (i) scientific and wide audience publications, (ii) reviews and syntheses of dispersed data (including 'grey' literature) on high priority topics, (iii) selective support to technical journals in developing countries, (iv) regional and global forestry literature searches as well as (v) enhancing the capability of national forestry systems through training in publication and information technologies. The Database harmonization, integration and dissemination programme will attempt to make available to developing country scientists, in microcomputer format, the vast range of scientific information on forestry that currently exists in the great colonial and university libraries as well as up-to-date publications. To this end, CIFOR will draw on and harmonize existing computerized databases, and as necessary, develop new ones.
CIMMYT. CIMMYT's MTP summarizes the Centre's institution strengthening activities under three headings, i.e., (i) Training, (ii) Information and (iii) Consultancy services. Specific details are presented for each of the Centre's mandated commodities, wheat and maize. Training at CIMMYT is being fundamentally transferred by increasing the array of specialized and advanced training opportunities, while at the same time reducing entry-level training in crop management research (CMR); however, the Centre is promoting and providing support to regionally organized CMR training programmes managed by national programmes. In-service training programmes will offer more specialized and advanced courses for mid-career researchers. Finally, the visiting scientist programme is being expanded and its focus improved; priority participation is being offered to those candidates who can profitably work for longer periods on well-defined research projects that are relevant both to their own institutions and to CIMMYT's research goals. Information products and services are becoming increasingly important to CIMMYT and its partners. Largely drawing on the use of new information technologies, the Centre plans to increase the availability of scientific information, not only to its own staff, but also to colleagues in national programmes. Emphasis will be placed on publishing information of a more technical nature, much of it in refereed journals. However, CIMMYT will continue to publish practical guidelines and manuals to enhance the research and training capabilities of other researchers, especially those in the national programmes. Consultancy services are, and will continue to be offered, at the request of the national programmes; such consultancies are based on less frequent, but more structured forms of interaction. CIMMYT's experience to-date suggests that such interactions are proving to be more useful to national programmes and to the Centre and have the added benefit of requiring fewer resources to implement. Increasingly, the major focus of those consultancies is to improve priority-setting and decision-making capabilities in the national systems as well as to collect information that can guide CIMMYT in its own priority-setting work.
CIP. CIP's MTP reflects a new strategy to more effectively integrate research, training and information activities on a global basis so as to achieve greater efficiency in its decentralized collaborative research programmes. The Centre plans to strengthen its bridge-building role to contribute to the development of capability in national institutions such that they will be better able to capitalize on the opportunities available through genetic engineering and other advanced technologies. The current collaborative country research networks will also continue as valuable mechanisms for fostering self-reliance in CIP's partners. The strategy underlying CIP's collaborative research programmes involves close interaction with the national programmes in the identification of research needs, the conduct of research and the dissemination and transfer of research results. A major advantage of this approach is that it directly contributes to the enhancement of the national programmes through training, information dissemination and collaborative research activities. Training and Technology Transfer. Over the past two decades, more than 10,000 researchers, extension workers and educators from developing countries have participated in CIP's training programmes. Future training will be based on a needs assessment study of the national programmes; projections will be made for a five-year timeframe. Training will become more specialized (80%) in subject matter and will increasingly encompass regional (45%) and international (35%) fora. A wider set of audiences will be targeted and will include technology transfer, development agents and the private sector. A training-the-trainer approach will be followed. The sustainability of production systems, be they potato, sweet potato or Andean root and tuber crops, will be highlighted in future training curricula. Drawing on advances in computer and video programmed learning, CIP plans to develop and promote the utilization of techniques such as computer-assisted instruction and simulation. On a more fundamental level, individual training will be offered to NARS scientists in areas such as molecular methodologies for germplasm transformation. Information Systems and Services. The development of databases and information services are based on programme-identified needs and will focus on areas for which CIP has a comparative advantage to classify, integrate, manage and conserve valuable data sets collected by national collaborators and Centre staff. CIP's publications programmes will be upgraded to support regional communication activities. Other bibliographic services will include computerized literature searches and the compilation of bibliographies for national programme scientists. Emphasis will also be placed on information management systems including training and assistance to national programmes in their use. Priority will be given to national scientists involved in germplasm improvement and seed programmes. Supporting National Communication activities will form a key part of CIP's assistance to national programmes in the timeframe of the MTP. Drawing on advances in information technologies an expanded telecommunications network involving national partners will be developed. Communications support to national programme activities will be aimed primarily at strengthening skills and backstopping take-off efforts. Learning modules for in-service training will also be used to supplement national programme skills in information generation and exchange, farmer-focused media production and database access.
ICARDA. Active participation in the joint planning, implementation and evaluation of collaborative research is, and will continue to be, ICARDA's main contribution to strengthening capability in the national research systems; the Centre's outreach programme is the main instrument of collaboration with the NARs and is targeted on five distinct sub-regions across WANA. ICARDA's collaborative research relies heavily on networking. In addition to collaborative research, the Centre also provides support to the national research systems through, (i) Training and Conferences and (ii) Documentation, publication and information dissemination. Training and Conferences are important mechanisms for enhancing the capabilities of national programmes. Since its foundation ICARDA has trained over 6,000 scientists and technicians from more than 50 countries. Training at ICARDA continues to be demand-driven. The Centre's annual training programme is developed during the research and training planning meetings which are held yearly with each national programme. With increasing numbers of trained staff in the national programmes there is a tangible shift towards more specialized training; up to 16 specialized courses per year are envisaged. Individual non-degree training will continue and ICARDA's support to graduate and post-graduate training courses (8-10 trainees per annum) offered by the Universities in the region will be strengthened. Train-the-trainer courses are offered to decentralize from Headquarter to in-country training for technicians and extension staff. Documentation, Publication and Information Dissemination. ICARDA's impact in the region relies heavily on its capacity to process and exchange information. The Centre's approach emphasizes the exchange of information with research partners and target audiences, mainly within but also beyond the WANA region, together with the strengthening of national information systems through training, networking and research sharing. Drawing on advances in electronic information technologies new and more accessible data bases (CD-ROM) will be developed. Improved courseware through the development of audiovisual training modules, computer-based instructional courses as well as conventional training manuals will be developed. Library networking is also being expanded and special project funds will be sought to strengthen the dissemination of Arabic language publications, the training of information personnel in the national systems, particularly in the adaptation and use of new technologies.
ICLARM. ICLARM will continue its strengthening activities through Training, Information, Networking and Collaborative Research. Training. A limited number of short courses will be run each year within the Centre's areas of expertise and ICLARM will assist in answering training requests in other areas of fisheries related research. The emphasis, however, will be on development of training materials. Information. Mechanisms to disseminate and exchange information are in place; a new communication/information strategy is under development. Networking. ICLARM presently coordinates two information-exchange networks and two research networks. The latter networks and involvement of many national institution partners in joint research projects indicate ICLARM's strong commitment to Collaborative Research as a mode of strengthening, where applicable, national research systems.
ICRAF. One of ICRAF's guiding principles is to carry out research and the dissemination of information in collaboration with its main partners, the NARs, with universities and regional research organizations and with NGOs. To this end it has established four Agroforestry Research Networks for Africa (AFRENAs) covering the unimodal rainfall plateau of Southern Africa, the bimodal highlands of East and Central Africa, the humid lowlands of West Africa, and the semi-arid lowlands of West Africa. The AFRENA's are providing a natural focal point for ICRAF's institution building programme. The main elements of this programme are training and information. Training. ICRAF's MTP outlines four training projects, i.e., (i) Human resource development, (ii) Training materials, (iii) Education in Africa, and (iv) Education in Latin America and South-East Asia. The broad objective of the human resource development project is to "improve the performance of scientists and development workers in the fields of agroforestry research and dissemination by enhancing their skills and knowledge." At least 30 training courses are foreseen in the period 1994-98. By 1998 at least 40 postgraduate fellows, 20 research fellows, and 40 student attachments will have undertaken field research training under ICRAF's auspices. Training materials in support of these human resource development activities will be prepared; at least three multimedia training packages per year will be prepared, tested and distributed to collaborating NARS. The Education projects are designed to improve the content and delivery of agroforestry curricula at universities and technical colleges, primarily in the countries that are participating in the agroforestry research networks. Activities will include, (i) Development and maintenance of relevant (inventory) education databases, (ii) Coordination of fellowship programmes, (iii) Provision of training workshops, including curriculum development, and (iv) The Establishment of a global network of institutions that advance agroforestry education. The Information projects focus on documentation and publications. The objective of the documentation project is to identify, process and disseminate information relevant to agroforestry. Activities will include acquisition and processing of relevant publications, library services, training and advice on information management to NARs, and the development of supporting databases. The agroforestry bibliographic database (AFBIB) is expected to grow by 5,000 acquisitions a year and will be available on CD-ROM. By 1998 at least three NARs in each ecoregion will have received agroforestry data bases and trained in the skills needed to run them. The main objective of the Publications project is to publish and distribute agroforestry research results generated by ICRAF and others. The centre will continue to publish Agroforestry Today and contribute to Agroforestry Systems and Agroforestry Abstracts. Education. ICRAF's current activities in Education include the coordination and management of the African Network for Agroforestry Education (ANAFE) with 78 member institutions - universities and technical colleges - from 31 countries.
ICRISAT. Collaborative research. ICRISAT's research has been structured as 22 global interdisciplinary research projects. Each project is targeted to have impact in several regions of the semi-arid tropics (SAT) and elsewhere. The conduct of the research relating to each project thus necessitates close collaboration with the NARS of each country embracing the regions of targeted impact. Collaborative research is the cornerstone of ICRISAT's relationships with the national research systems. Effective collaboration is sought through a three-pronged approach:
- direct project-related dialogue (including workshops and conferences) involving NARS staff and the members of ICRISAT's 23 global research project teams;- dialogue encouraged through established networks (CLAN, WCASRN, ROCAFREMI, ...);
- contacts established through ICRISAT research establishments in 7 countries of the SAT (India, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Zimbabwe).
Education and Training. The Training and Fellowships Programme (TAFP) continues to respond to requests for training from the NARS. As training requirements change, so does TAFP's response. As a result, specialist courses on specific research-related topics are increasing, while the 6-month production training courses are being phased out. The specialist short-term courses are held in each of ICRISAT's three main regional sites (in India, Niger and Zimbabwe). Despite the phasing out of the 6-month production training courses (declining from 91 participants in 1990 to 36 in 1994), the total number of participants in ICRISAT training initiatives remains steady at over 200 each year). ICRISAT is encouraging NARS to organize technical-level training in their own countries, and as appropriate will assist in training the trainers. Use is also made of the networks mentioned above to deliver training and support services to the NARS of the relevant programmes.
Information Management. The Information Management and Exchange Programme (IMEP) disseminates ICRISAT research findings and experience through an extensive publishing programme, provides library and bibliographic services, and helps NARS in the establishment of their own information services. ICRISAT currently prints or publishes about 200,000 copies embracing 100 different publications each year. These are freely available to research collaborators, and to many libraries in the NARS of the SAT and elsewhere. The rate of such publishing will continue to grow. To further facilitate access to ICRISAT-published material, it is planned to increase the extent of electronic publishing: i.e., on diskette, CD-ROM, and the World-Wide Web (Internet). In addition to publishing traditional material electronically, IMEP plans to publish a computer-based expert diagnostic system for crop protection, and a fully searchable germplasm catalogue.
The worldwide Semi-Arid Tropical Crops Information System (SATCRIS) contains bibliographic material relevant to ICRISAT's crops and farming systems. Use of the SATCRIS selective dissemination of information (SDI) service has increased to over 400 subscribers throughout the SAT, and further growth will be encouraged, as will the growth of custom search services.
It is expected that the demand for IMEP participants in NARS information services building exercises will continue to grow; IMEP will continue to be as cooperative as possible in such instances.
IFPRI. One of the main objectives of IFPRI's outreach programme is to strengthen the capacity for food policy research in developing countries including better two-way communication between IFPRI and the NARs and to ensure a high degree of relevance of IFPRI's work to decision making on food policy. IFPRI's sole product on offer to the NARs is information which together with training and capacity building constitutes the main elements of IFPRI's institution strengthening support. Information. The information programme is at the vanguard of IFPRI's outreach activities. Publications include research reports, books, scientific and wide-audience papers, all mainly earmarked towards the policy research community; international media communication also features in IFPRI's awareness outputs. Over the timeframe of the MTP, IFPRI plans to initiate an annual publication composed of brief reports contributed by members of a network of IFPRI associates that address national and regional agricultural development and food policy issues. IFPRI's library will also contribute to the outreach programme by developing collaboration with NARs libraries. Training and Capacity Strengthening. IFPRI's current activities typically focus on methodological and practical training for field researchers and collaborators. IFPRI also provides informal training to its research collaborators by including them at all stages of its policy research activities. In the course of the MTP period, IFPRI plans to establish a general training programme in food, agricultural, and natural resources policy research where the Centre will undertake training courses to meet identified training needs. These courses will be of two to four weeks' duration and these will be meant for policy advisors, policymakers, policy analysts, researchers, academics, and others involved in the areas of food, agricultural, and natural resources policies in developing countries. IFPRI also plans to collaborate with selected teaching, research, and policy research organizations in developing countries on a long-term basis to improve their teaching, research, and policy research programmes thereby enhancing their capacity to conduct similar exercises on their own in their respective countries. These activities, in time, will be expanded to become a focus of regional training and capacity strengthening programmes within different parts of the developing world. Plans are also being prepared to establish at IFPRI a fellowship programme for visiting and/or collaborating post-doctoral, doctoral, and post-masters scholars. Seminars, workshops and conferences. In collaboration with national and international agencies, IFPRI will sponsor seminars, workshops and conferences, primarily on policy research, to be held at national, regional and global venues. Syntheses of research results from different research programmes will constitute an important components of these activities. The division will also establish a biennial IFPRI Lecture Series in order to make IFPRI's work and presence better known to donors and through the media to the general public. An additional means of providing support to the Centre, NARS collaborators and associates is Networks of IFPRI Associates. Several regional networks are being planned to be established by the Centre where its members will be professionals employed in national and regional government, and research organizations. Some members of the Network will spend periods of up to twelve months at IFPRI for conducting policy research that is of high priority to their home organizations as well as to IFPRI.
IIMI. In its mission statement IIMI identifies two of its goals in direct reference to institution building, i.e., strengthening national research capacity in the field of irrigation management, and supporting the introduction of improved management and policy making. These goals will be addressed through four sets of activities, i.e., (i) organizational development activities, (ii) professional development activities, (iii) implementation dissemination activities, and (iv) information networks. All four institution strengthening activities are closely inter-woven with and heavily dependent on the Centre's research and support programmes. The objectives of the Professional Development programme are to: (i) improve the capacity of individual researchers to undertake irrigation management research, and (ii) to improve the capacity of irrigation managers to undertake tasks related to the management of irrigated agriculture. IIMI plans to undertake professional development activities such as, (a) offering fellowships and research opportunities to scientists, (b) offering study/research opportunities to managers and policy makers, (c) organizing conferences, seminars and workshops and (d) supporting study visits. Over the MTP period, IIMI plans to develop up to five international courses for irrigation managers and researchers. In addition, it plans to involve 5-10 researchers and 3-5 irrigation managers in hands-on training within its regular programme activities. Organizational Development. The objectives of this programme are to: (i) improve the capacity of national research institutions to carry out irrigation management research, and (ii) to improve the capacity of irrigation management institutions to undertake tasks related to the management of irrigated agriculture. Activities will include: dialogues and counselling; conferences, seminars and workshops; and study visits. Most organizational development activities will fall within IIMI's complementary programme, since by and large they will be country specific. IIMI's Dissemination of information activities are designed to share research findings and experience with the Centres partners, including a wide range of people holding key positions in national irrigation management agencies and irrigation research systems. A wide range of technical publications will be generated and disseminated to client and donor audiences. Library and documentation services will be expanded and upgraded. Electronic conferencing and communications will be promoted. The installation of a LAN bridge will permit field offices and national partners to access directly any of the institutes databases. IIMI plans to establish Information Networks as a channel of communication with its partners and collaborators. It plans to establish a worldwide network focusing on key irrigation management topics; strong regional lan-networks are envisaged for West Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
IITA. The IITA MTP outlines four approaches which it follows with the specific aim of strengthening the capacity of its NARs clients. These are: (i) Promotion of discussion with NARs to identify common objectives that ensure effective planning of appropriate research agendas; (ii) collaboration with national programmes and regional centres in the development of their research capabilities; (iii) facilitation of the evaluation, adaptation and adoption of IITA technologies by the national and regional centres; and (iv) contribution to the development of research manpower needed by the NARs to effectively generate and utilize improved technologies. The Centre embraces these approaches though its training, information and networking activities. Training. Various studies suggest that at least 10,000 professionally trained agriculturalists would be required in sub-Saharan Africa by the year 2000. IITA certainly cannot meet this requirement but has set an ambitious target that 2,000 SSA scientists and research technicians will have received further training by the end of the plan period; over the years, more than 6,000 African nations have received training at IITA, and as many as 900 have received post-graduate and non-degree training with IITA support. The centre will continue to support its collaborating scientists and resident scientist training schemes. In the resident scientist scheme, IITA provides scientists to work within a NARs institute to address specific problems for which IITA has appropriate capability; these scientists assist the national system in developing its applied research capacity. Training is one of the major achievements of this scheme. A new development of this scheme which will continue in a revised form over the course of the MTP period is the location of research liaison scientists, in carefully selected host countries; these scientists will play an active leadership role in IITA/NARS collaboration research. The Congo, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana have been chosen as host countries for West and Central Africa. Networks. IITA is involved in more than ten research networks in Africa and values them as an important means of receiving advice on its research priorities and of making available to the national systems its improved technologies for further testing and adaptation to local agroecologies. Increasingly, IITA sees the management of these networks as the responsibility of the NARs. In view of the growing and wide range of networks, the Centre will attempt to contribute to harmonizing and rationalizing existing networks to ensure that they serve the needs of the national systems. Information Services. IITA from its inception attached high priority to the dissemination of information; twenty-five years later the high priority of information still remains valid. During the plan period, information activities will be a more active mechanism for cooperation with NARs. Publication activities will be strengthened. IITA's library policy embraces, not only the acquisition and dissemination of scientific and technical information, but also the provision of assistance to the NARs (libraries and documentation centres) in the strengthening of their library and documentation functions. The development of the core library on CD-ROM and its download to the IITA stations will bring the information closer to the NARs. IITA will also need to develop and become an active participant in Agricultural Information Network for Africa that the CGIAR Centres have recently proposed.
ILCA. During the course of the 1994-98 MTP, ILCA proposes to make a significant contribution to the strengthening of the national systems engaged in research on livestock production. Specifically, the Centre plans to provide: (i) mechanism for the development of a self-sustaining critical mass of livestock scientists in NARs, through networking; (ii) consulting and technical assistance to livestock research and development; (iii) training in research methodologies, data management and analysis for livestock and resource management research; (iv) training and counselling in prioritization, planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation of livestock and resource management research; (v) opportunities for early career NARs scientists to develop and consolidate their research experience through graduate and postgraduate fellowships; and, (vi) access to information, in different forms, to support livestock research and development. To realize these goals, ILCA proposes to strengthen its work in collaborative research networks, in consulting and technical assistance to NARs and in training and information. Collaborative research networks. During the life of this MTP, ILCA will continue to promote and encourage the activities of the collaborative research networks. Priority research areas have been identified for each of the three ILCA instigated networks, i.e., African Feed Resources Networks (AFRNET), the Cattle Research Network (CARNET) and the African Small Ruminant Research Network (SRNET). The operational costs of the three coordinators of the networks will be covered from core funding. There is a strong continuing demand on ILCA to provide consulting and technical assistance to NARs. The Centre's interactions with NARs dictate a need to assist in areas such as priority setting and strategic planning as well as counsel on wider issues of appropriate structures for research management and research. ILCA will seek the collaboration of ISNAR on the latter issues. In the field of data management, ILCA has developed LIMS, the Livestock Information Management System. LIMS is provided free of charge to NARs in ACP countries and is sold to other potential users. The aim of the Training and Information Programme is "to increase the livestock research capacity of NARS by increasing the levels of skills and knowledge of their staff through training and the provision of training materials." ILCA has made a substantial contribution to NARS training and in the course of the MTP plans to extend its impact in this area by collaborating (providing ILCA developed training materials) with other training agencies operating in SSA. ILCA also plans to place training emphasis on trainers. Topics for new core-supported training courses, 1994-98, include (i) crop-livestock-tree interactions, (ii) small-holder dairying, (iii) nutrient cycling in crop-livestock systems, (iv) ruminant nutrition, (v) livestock health and reproduction management, (vi) livestock economics and marketing research, and (vii) experimental design, data management, analysis and interpretation of livestock and crop-livestock research projects. Information services are a key component of ILCA's support to the national systems. Its computerized library data base grows by about 5,000 new entries per year. The Centre also offers a 'current awareness' service to over 350 NARS scientists in 37 countries across Africa. Other services to be provided during 1994-98 include retrospective literature searches on demand and the production of specialized bibliographies in hard copy or on diskette. Formal publications are an important part of ILCA's information dissemination activity. In addition to wide audience and newsletter type publications, ILCA publishes a refereed journal, African Livestock Research. ILCA's programme of strengthening NARS capacities is an interactive one, and is designed to complement the efforts of other organizations contributing to institution building of the NARS of sub-Saharan Africa.
ILRAD. ILRAD proposes to expand its outreach programme in response to external environment developments such as UNCED Agenda 21 and the CGIAR discussions on livestock research. The main elements of ILRAD's outreach programme, pertaining to the strengthening of NARs, are Cooperative Programmes, Training and Information. Cooperative Programmes. The objectives of the Cooperative Programmes are (a) "to encourage and develop contacts and establish collaborative research projects between ILRAD scientists and national, regional and international research and development organizations, and (b) to provide advice and counsel to government policy-makers on the design and implementation of research and development programmes aimed at introducing improved control measures for diseases of livestock." ILRAD's collaboration with NARS aims to (i) transfer technology and information pertaining to improved disease control methodologies and (ii) strengthen manpower and institutional development of the NARS. During the MTP period, ILRAD's collaborative programmes will focus on Africa but initiatives will be taken to extend its activities to other regions, i.e. Asia, LAC and WANA. ILRAD will continue to collaborate widely with other international and regional organizations in its institution strengthening activities. Training. ILRAD provides individual training in relevant technical skills for senior technicians and scientists from the NARs; 230 individuals have been trained at ILRAD for periods of one week to six months. Selection of trainees will be more critical in future to ensure that candidates are capable of transferring the information and the techniques. Group training courses provide, in response to specific demand from the national programmes, expertise in specific technologies associated with disease diagnosis, parasite biology, and laboratory technology; 550 trainees have participated in these courses. Education and training through graduate programmes provide facilities, scientific expertise and supervision for scientists engaged in masters and doctoral degree work; 84 students have undertaken degree-related training, of whom 68 were African nationals. Scientific workshops are another mechanism to disseminate information on new methodologies for livestock disease research. Information. ILRAD's information services aim 1) to disseminate information about the Centre's objectives, programmes and scientific results and, 2) to raise public awareness of the importance of ILRAD's research objectives and programmes. In addition to wide audience publication, ILRAD provides information packages for visiting NARs scientists, research fellows and trainees. The Library service provides journals and books and literature searches, as well as a reprint and loan service of scientific publications for NARs scientists. New activities for the Library service will include: databases listing references to tickborne diseases and trypanosomiasis, and in collaboration with other CGIAR centres the establishment of information retrieval networks.
IPGRI. The very nature of IPGRI's role in the conservation of plant genetic resources dictates that it works closely with a wide set of collaborators including national and regional institutions, NGOs and the private sector. The Convention on Biological Diversity emphasizes the importance of strengthening the capacities of countries to conserve and use their genetic resources in a sustainable manner and over 100 countries have established plant genetic resource conservation infrastructures. Yet many national programmes remain weak and depend heavily on external support. This, assistance to countries in the conservation and use of plant genetic resources and the mobilization of international efforts and resources to this end is the keystone of the IPGRI programme.
IPGRI, and its predecessor, the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR), have played an important role in global efforts to strengthen genetic resources conservation and use, through assisting in the establishment of national genetic resources conservation facilities, establishing plant genetic resources collections, training personnel, collecting genetic resources, conducting research to improve conservation technology, helping set management standards for genebanks, and maintaining and disseminating information on plant genetic resources.
As part of its transition from IBPGR in 1994, IPGRI developed a new structure and programme strategy to assist national and regional programmes in formulating and becoming more directly involved in plant genetic resources conservation and use activities. The IPGRI structure comprises five regional and three thematic groups. The regional groups are: The Americas; Asia, the Pacific and Oceania; Europe; Sub-Saharan Africa; and West Asia and North Africa. The regional groups have an essential role in providing linkages between IPGRI's programme as a whole and national programmes, and in fostering links among national programmes, where appropriate and possible, drawing upon within-region developed country resources and expertise (see below for more details).
The Headquarters-based thematic groups that complement the activities of the regional groups are: Documentation, Information and Training (DIT); Germplasm Maintenance and Use; and Genetic Diversity. Together, the eight groups contribute to a collaborative, project-based institutional programme that seeks to fulfil four strategic objectives: (1) To assist countries, particularly in the developing world, to assess and meet their needs for the conservation of plant genetic resources and to strengthen links to users; (2) To strengthen and contribute to international collaboration in the conservation and use of plant genetic resources; (3) To develop and promote improved strategies and technologies for the conservation of plant genetic resources; and (4) To provide an information service to advise the world's genetic resources community of both practical and scientific developments in the field. The most obvious contribution to institution building comes from Objective 1, but all four objectives make an important contribution and draw upon the efforts of all IPGRI Groups. Institution building is specifically reflected in the IPGRI MTP through regionally-based projects aimed at strengthening national plant genetic resources programmes, networking and technology transfer, and through a project of the DIT group aimed at building capacity in developing country universities to offer plant genetic resources courses.
IPGRI provides advice to national programmes on the development of appropriate national genetic resources priorities, plans and strategies, and helps promote these policies and activities among national decision-makers, as well as informing on international developments in the area of genetic resources access and utilization. The interdependence of nations with regard to biodiversity is a compelling argument for the cooperation of all countries in the conservation and exchange of plant genetic resources. In this context, IPGRI supports the formation of networks as a means to facilitate the sharing of tasks and genetic resources internationally. The networks are formed on both a crop and a regional basis and IPGRI's contribution includes providing scientific and technical advice and support, training, and assistance in setting up common databases. The latter is just one of the information activities in which IPGRI is involved. Others include the development of global databases on collecting, training, and genetic resources collections, the publication of scientific and technical works, standardization of systems, methodology and tools for the documentation of plant genetic resources, including the development of guidelines on information exchange, a comprehensive library and bibliographic service, and public awareness activities.
An effective national effort depends on the ready availability of qualified scientific and technical staff. For this reason, training is a key component of IPGRI's support to national programmes. Through individual and group training, the institute assists countries to achieve an adequate strength of personnel trained in plant genetic resources work at the technical and advanced levels, to enable them to conduct effective national genetic resources programmes and to participate in regional and international activities. With a view to sustainability and self-sufficiency, IPGRI's training programme seeks to build capacity in national programmes to train future generations of plant genetic resources scientists and technicians, through the training of trainers and the development of training curricula and materials in locally-important languages.
INIBAP which was established in 1984, came under the governance of IPGRI in 1994. The development of regional research and training activities is an important element in INIBAP's programme as expressed in two of its three objectives: "to promote research and training efforts to deal with region-specific problems and opportunities, including issues of an agronomic and socio-economic nature", and "to strengthen the ability of NARS to conduct research on banana and plantain". INIBAP is active in strengthening NARS through its regional and thematic programmes. INIBAP has sponsored young scientists in higher degree and short-term courses in tissue culture techniques, agronomy of plantain, Musa quarantine and Musa disease management. More training is planned on Musa virus indexing, Musa germplasm management and Musa taxonomy through the International Musa Testing Program (IMTP) sponsored by UNDP, a thematic activity. In addition to formal instruction, INIBAP provides funds so that NARS can participate in regional network advisory meetings which co-ordinate and set research agenda. INIBAP also aids NARS by supporting visits by research specialists, who investigate problems with local counterparts and offer advice, and by assisting NARS scientists to participate in regional and global conferences. Seed money donated by INIBAP also helps NARS initiate and undertake research projects. The Information and Documentation sub-programme of INIBAP aims to create a free-flow of information within the Musa community, overcoming language barriers. It produces MUSARAMA, a journal of bibliographic abstracts, three times a year and INFOMUSA, an international magazine on banana and plantain, twice a year. Both these publications are in English, Spanish and French. Fact-sheets on Musa diseases are published and distributed and the sub-programme operates a reprint request and supply service. INIBAP has a mailing list of over 2,400 Musa workers in NARS and elsewhere who regularly receive publications. Scientists in NARS are informed of the activities and location of others working on Musa through the INIBAP Directory of banana and plantain researcher. Besides regional and thematic publications based on workshops and conferences organized by INIBAP, the sub-programme maintains trilingual bibliographic and research databases. These have a user-friendly interface and have been distributed to NARS in computer-readable form. Group and individual training on information management and dissemination of information has been undertaken in the African and Latin American/Caribbean regions. Further dissemination of information is planned as an Asian/Pacific communications network is developed.
IRRI. IRRI's MTP outlines two programmes specifically focused to strengthen the research capabilities of its NARS' partners. These are: (i) Information and knowledge exchange and (ii) Natural research services. The goal of the Information and knowledge exchange programme is: to create an information environment within which all IRRI clients have timely, appropriate, and economical access to rice-related information. Programme objectives are to: (i) create, produce and disseminate information materials that cover rice research and related issues, that create public awareness, and that are accurate, interesting, and useful; (ii) improve the quality of publication and dissemination of IRRI research results and promote a global exchange of rice research information among scientists: (iii) make rice research information accessible through electronic communication technologies; (iv) maintain the IRRI Library and Documentation Service as the world's major repository of rice literature and facilitate access to the collection by rice scientists worldwide; and (v) serve as a convenor, clearing-house, and forum for dialogue among IRRI partners and the Institute in setting programme strategies and priorities, planning rice research activities, sharing research results, and promoting discussion on institutional and policy issues. Training. IRRI's training programme will emphasize sharing responsibilities and promoting collaboration among national programme training centres and institutions. Its objectives are to: (i) provide opportunities for PhD and postdoctoral research, and mid-career training of selected scientists in areas of mutual interest to national programmes and IRRI; (ii) offer group training courses in specialized, upstream areas that parallel IRRI's research activities at headquarters and at consortia key sites; (iii) develop, evaluate, and share training materials in forms that are readily adaptable and easily translated to meet specific national training needs; (iv) facilitate shifting responsibility to NARS for implementing national and regional versions of IRRI-developed courses; and (v) anticipate and respond to national programme training needs by conducting need assessments and by developing and jointly implementing in-country training plans. Training courses have evolved from relatively basic courses in rice production and research methodologies to courses and fellowships that teach new highly sophisticated techniques. National research services. The objectives are to: (i) help strengthen the capabilities of selected national agricultural research systems; (ii) provide, through regional projects, research services to countries with relatively small but important rice production areas; and (iii) develop mechanisms to expand the spillover effects of nationally developed technologies to other countries within the same agroecological zone. Core projects support management of and facilitates research services to national programmes. Special funding is used for bilateral assistance projects to support national systems of specific countries.
ISNAR. ISNAR was created specifically to help strengthen National Agricultural Research Systems throughout the developing world. It does this by working in partnership with developing countries to enhance their capacity to develop and put in place appropriate research policies, structures, strategies and management approaches.
ISNAR adopts a broad definition of a NARS: a national agricultural research system comprises all of a country's entities responsible for organizing, coordinating, or executing research that contributes explicitly to the development of its agriculture and the maintenance of its natural resource base. It concentrates on strengthening public sector research management on the request of national governments and supports these services through its research and training. However, it is to be noted that the broader definition of a NARS given above includes universities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in ISNAR's work in the degree to which they share and contribute to NARS' goals.
ISNAR's strategy for the 1990s 'Service through Partnership' provides the contextual framework for the MTP proposal. ISNAR will help NARS deal with three major strategic issues during the MTP period: i) institutional sustainability, ii) assessment of institutional performance, and iii) institutional implications of increasing research on natural resources management. In meeting the needs of NARS, and also those who seek to strengthen NARS, ISNAR offers three types of service: i) comprehensive institutional development, ii) strengthening research policy and management components, and iii) generating and disseminating knowledge and information about NARS-building. These three services respond to clear operational goals and resource allocations. Comprehensive institutional development, which assists a limited number of NARS bring about change over a wide range of activities, receives about 30% of core resources. Strengthened research policy and management components, which improve the performance of particular functions and improve management tools in a wide range of NARS, receive about 42% of resources; while targeted generation and dissemination of the improved knowledge and information needed to strengthen NARS claims about 28% of resources. Each of these services involves a mixture of research, advice, and training. ISNAR seeks to multiply the impact of its work through partnerships with other organizations in addition to NARS: international centres, regional organizations, universities, development research institutes, and management institutes in developing and developed countries. The dissemination of its improved management approaches to these partners comes through its collaborative research, training and publications. With its double commitment to improving management approaches and service to NARS, ISNAR is a bridge between upstream and downstream interests involved in the NARS. Regionally, ISNAR's strategy foresees an allocation of core resources of approximately 40% to sub-Saharan Africa, 30% to Asia, 20% to Latin America and 10% to WANA.
ISNAR's mandate is complex. As is apparent from the previous paragraph, ISNAR's work involves choices among regions and countries, policy and management issues to be addressed, and a need to integrate its advisory services, research, and training in the delivery of its products and services to clients of all types. In order to manage this complex mandate, ISNAR has recently adopted a simplified structure based on two programmes: 1. Policy and System Development and 2. Management. These programmes are designed to be client-oriented; to integrate research, advisory services and training in meeting the needs of ISNAR's partners; and to provide the supporting platform for improvements in general knowledge about strengthening NARS. They are supported by a set of specialized service units which report to the Deputy Director General (training, computer services, publications, library).
The Policy and System Development Programme is targeted to the needs of national policymakers. These are the people who must make decisions which define the system and its place within global and regional research, as well as in relation to the rest of the national agricultural technology system (including universities, extension, NGOs and development programmes). The work of the Policy Programme identifies three areas of concern that reflect this broad systems approach: i) research policy at the global and national levels, ii) system structure and organization, and iii) system linkages. It is within this programme that ISNAR has developed the Indicator Series documenting resource allocations to NARS over time; studied the role of the private sector in research; and developed new approaches to research evaluation and priority setting. It is also strongly involved in studies of the financing of research. Its work in system structure and organization includes approaches to master planning of research systems, developing national information strategies, and studies of the particular needs of small countries. In the area of linkages, ISNAR has progressively developed new understanding of linkages of the research system with farmers, extension, universities, farmer organizations and NGOs.
The Management Programme is aimed at bringing about sustained improvements in the performance of national agricultural research organizations in developing countries. Three themes give direction to the programme's work: i) management of organizational change, ii) management of research programmes, and iii) management of resources for research. Under the first theme, ISNAR aims to ensure that good management technologies are being adopted by client organizations and to good effect. The last two themes relate to the performance of agricultural research organizations. ISNAR designs and tests management techniques aimed at helping NAROs improve their capacity to produce relevant and effective research outputs. It is within this programme that ISNAR is developing organizational performance indicators and studying the process of managing change in NARS organizations. The programme management needs of research institute directors and programme leaders are addressed by ISNAR's work on planning, monitoring and evaluation and on management information systems. Their needs as institute managers are addressed by ISNAR's work on human resources, financial management, and management of physical resources.
The two programmes come together in a number of cross-programme activities where system-level and institute-level concerns are integrated. These include ISNAR's work on the policy and organizational implications of natural resources management and on research financing.
The Office of the Director General ensures that the Programmes, supported by the specialized services, are responsive to the requests from national systems and carry out their plans to integrated research, advisory service and training in their mode of delivery. The thematic-based-but-client-oriented programmes fit within the matrix structure of the 'new CGIAR'. They provide the thematic and disciplinary base for input to Systemwide initiatives convened by others as well as the breadth in coverage to be the convener for Systemwide initiatives in research policy, management, and NARS-strengthening.
WARDA. WARDA's institution strengthening activities are based on the conduct of partnership research together with the provision of relevant training and information services to the NARs scientists engaged in rice research within its mandate region. Partnership (WARDA/NARs) is the cornerstone of WARDA's strategy which aims to assist national programmes in adaptive rice research and technology transfer. To this end it has developed an "open centre' institutional framework within which "to attract, focus and facilitate the efforts of teams of collaborators working together in an integrated regional research programme." The collaborative research programmes offer NARs scientists opportunity not only to influence the direction and conduct of WARDA's work but also the possibilities to strengthen their own research programmes and research capacity. A set of six regional task forces, each of which is chaired by national scientists, has been established to orchestrate and facilitate this two-way collaboration process. Training and the communication of rice research information are key elements in WARDA's support to NARs in these collaborative programmes.
Training. WARDA's training proposals for the 1994-98 MTP period are based on the recommendations of a Training Working Group, consisting of NARs and WARDA scientists, established in 1990. These recommendations addressed a number of issues, including (i) manpower needs of national programmes; (ii) career opportunities for rice scientists and trainers in national programmes; and (iii) establishment of a formalized trainee follow-up and support mechanism. During the course of the Centre's first medium-term plan WARDA trained a total of 289 scientists, research technicians and extension personnel in its group training programme. Group training in the coming years will focus on laboratory and field research techniques, as well as skills in technology transfer. A set of fourteen topics has been drawn up for future group training courses based on the recommendations of the Training Working Group. These will cover research (e.g. genetic evaluation and utilization of rice), production (e.g. water and irrigation management for rice production) and technology transfer (e.g. extension methods in rice production) topics. A programme of individual research-related training, primarily directed at M.Sc., Ph.D and postdoctoral trainees, has also been developed. Postdoctoral scientists will be supported from core funds whereas the research scientist and visiting scientist programme will be implemented through complementary funding. Additional training opportunities will be offered through the organization of conferences, seminars and workshops and a training newsletter, Trainerlink, will be published to provide a regional medium for exchange of information in rice science training and research.
Communications. With modern information management equipment backed up by strong collaborative literature exchange arrangements, WARDA plans to consolidate its information dissemination services, and to focus attention on supporting and upgrading the information systems of the national programmes. Activities will include: (i) increasing library acquisitions including "grey" rice literature; (ii) specialized training of NARs library staff and supply of books and journals; (iii) updating directories of rice research scientists and institutions; and (iv) publication of specialized bibliographies.
Publications. WARDA will continue to produce all its publications in French and English. In addition to its wide audience publications (e.g. Annual Report, Programme of Work and Budget) and conference/workshop proceedings, the Centre will also publish Rice Terminology, Africa Rice Statistics and WARDA News. WARDA also plans to copublish particular material with the NARS, thereby assisting and strengthening their capabilities in communications. The Centre distributes its publications widely throughout its mandated countries.
