The University of Waikato
Department of Economics
Te Whare Wãnanga o Waikato
Grant M Scobie
Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
Phone: (07) 856-2889 Ext. 4071
Central Telephone: (07) 856-2889
Home: (07) 854-7207 or (07) 362-8721
Central Fax: (07) 856-0135
Fax: (07) 838-4331
email: [email protected]
19 February 1993
Dear Alex,
It is my pleasure to transmit to you the report of the Panel that conducted the Inter-Centre Review of Rice entitled "Investment in Rice Research in the CGIAR: A Global Perspective". My colleagues and I have visited the major CGIAR centres with an involvement in rice research as well as a selected number of national research systems. We would like to acknowledge the excellent support we have received from the Directors General, management and staff of particularly CIAT, IBPGR, IFPRI, IITA, IRRI, ISNAR and WARDA throughout the conduct of this review. In gathering and analysing information, we have benefited substantially from the participation of Dr. R. Willey in the IRRI and of Dr. D. McDonald in the WARDA external review. Their extensive commitment to these two major reviews did however limit the time the Panel could spend collectively visiting key sites.
The Panel has conducted the review with a global perspective and has tried to address the question of how the CGIAR could most effectively allocate its increasingly scarce resources. As noted in the report, the CGIAR accounts for only 6 percent of global public sector expenditures on rice research and has to ensure that its resources are invested in a way that they generate the largest possible contribution to the CGIAR's mission and goals. The basic message of our report is simple and hopefully clear. Rice is by far the most important food crop in developing countries. Between now and 2030 rice production will need to more than double, mostly through increases in yields.
Dr. A. McCalla
Chair, Technical Advisory Committee
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
c/o University of California
Davis, CA 95616, USA
To meet this demand a major international effort in rice research will be required to break the present yield ceiling, close the existing yield gaps, and sustain the productivity gains already achieved. The overwhelming part of the increased demand will arise in Asia by the majority of the world's poor. In relative terms, the needs of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and West Asia-North Africa are minor in comparison with the enormous challenges facing Asia.
Currently, the CGIAR is allocating a disproportionate share of its resources for rice research to sub-Saharan Africa. The Panel has carefully considered the balance of resource allocation and strongly recommends that in a situation of limited resources, the CGIAR should substantially increase resources allocated to Asia and correspondingly reduce its investments in sub-Saharan Africa. We have also raised the question as to whether there is a disproportionate share going to poorer environments. Given the importance of irrigated areas in supplying the bulk of the rice output we recommend that more resources be allocated to the needs of that ecosystem. In this report, the Panel notes that France is a major contributor to rice research in developing countries and that the major focus of its research interests are the upland and highland rice producing areas.
The Panel believes that future institutional arrangements for the organization of rice research should be based on TAC's views with respect to global and ecoregional responsibilities in the CGIAR. The Panel also considers that the current level of funding for sub-Saharan Africa cannot be justified. It recognizes that WARDA, faced with reduced core funding, may not be able to continue as an independent commodity centre for a relatively small region. Alternative institutional arrangements must then be sought. We recognize that these may have significant consequences for the management of WARDA. I would like to stress that our recommendations in no way imply any criticism whatsoever of WARDA's current management or research programme. On the contrary, the Panel endorses the conclusions of WARDA's External Review Panel, which found it to be a well managed and well focused Centre. The Panel's own observations of the work of WARDA reinforce that view. I reiterate therefore, that our Panel took a global perspective and analysed where CGIAR investments in rice research would have the highest payoff. Considerations related to the efficiency of individual institutions were beyond the mandate of the Panel. It cannot be overemphasized that decisions regarding the allocation of resources and issues related to the management and performance of a centre must remain as two entirely separate matters.
I extend my sincere thanks to the Members of the Panel, Drs. Robert Willey and Don McDonald for their hard work and extensive contributions. The Panel benefited enormously from the insight and guidance of Dr. Guido Gryseels of the TAC Secretariat in Rome, whose dedicated and professional approach was evident at every stage of the review.
On behalf of the Panel, I wish to thank you and the Technical Advisory Committee for the opportunity to participate in this review. It has been both a challenging and humbling experience. We have been constantly impressed by the high quality of rice research in the CGIAR, the dedication of its scientists, and the strong partnership of CGIAR efforts with national research systems throughout the developing world. Investments by the CGIAR in rice research have generated very high rates of return in the past and the Panel has no doubt that these returns can be maintained in the future.
The Panel prepared this report at ILRAD in Nairobi. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Director General, Dr. Ross Gray, the management and the staff of ILRAD for their wonderful hospitality and the superb logistical arrangements made for the work of the Panel. We chose this location because of its 'neutrality' in the rice scene and the facilities it had available. It proved to be a very good choice.
The report was produced by Mrs. Jane Garrioch of the TAC Secretariat. Her good cheer, willingness to work endless hours, and commitment to high quality output proved to be an outstanding asset to the team.
Yours sincerely,
Grant Scobie
