CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Mail address: 1058 Mansion Ridge Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA
Tel & Fax: (1-505) 820-7248
Donald L. Winkelmann
Chair
11th April 1995
Dear Mr. Serageldin,
I have great pleasure to transmit to you the Report of the Study of CGIAR Commitments in West Africa, conducted by a Panel chaired by Dr. John McIntire (USA). The Panel Report and the comments of the Centre Directors' Committee were considered by TAC at its 66th meeting at CIP, Lima, Peru from 13th - 24th March 1995. I should recall here that the proposal to undertake this study was made in TAC's recommendations on Medium-Term Resource Allocation 1994-98 and in the revised Chapter 13 of the report on CGIAR Priorities and Strategies.
TAC praises the Panel for a thought-provoking review and a well-written, analytical report. The Committee is pleased with the finding that the present organization of the CGIAR's work in West Africa is reasonably efficient and cost-effective. TAC was also pleased to note that "the Panel strongly supports the centres' efforts in West Africa, admires the significant successes that have been achieved and expects these successes to multiply in the future". The Panel also makes valuable suggestions with respect to improvement of IARCs-NARS relations and impact assessment as well as a number of centre-specific recommendations.
In addition to the Panel Report, I attach the TAC Commentary, which summarizes TAC Members' reactions on some of the major issues raised in the Report. The Report has raised generic issues on policy research and the returns to investment in research in semi-arid areas which will be referred to the forthcoming stripe study on public policy and management research and a special study to be commissioned by TAC respectively. Other centre-specific issues will be addressed through the external review process.
Mr. Ismail Serageldin
Chair, CGIAR
The World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433
USA.
TAC was pleased with the experiences gained and with the outcome of this study. It intends to proceed by undertaking a similar study in Latin America, and subsequently in Asia and West Asia/North Africa.
I look forward to a stimulating discussion at the Mid-Term Meeting in Nairobi.
Yours sincerely,
Donald L. Winkelmann
Chair, TAC.
