Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
Nairobi. Kenya
· P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya · Tel: +254-2 63 07 43
Fax: +254-2 63 15 99 · E-Mail: [email protected]· P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia · tel: +251-1 61 32 15
Fax: +251-1 61 18 92 · E-Mail: [email protected]
DG99/Lett/035
16th March, 1999
Dr. Donald L. Winkelmann
TAC Chair,
355 East Palace Avenue,
Santa Fe, NM 87501,
U.S.A.
Mr. Alexander von der Osten,
Executive Secretary,
CGIAR Secretariat,
The World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433
U.S.A.
Dear Dr. Winkelmann and Mr. von der Osten,
Subject:
First External Programme and Management Review of the International Livestock Research Institute
On behalf of ILRI Board, Management and Staff, we express our appreciation to Prof. Samuel Jutzi and the members of the EPMR Panel for a positive report and their constructive recommendations. We appreciate the Panel's strong support for international livestock research to help meet the tremendous increase in demand for meat and milk in developing countries over the next two decades.
The Panel noted that after four years, ILRI has made significant progress in re-orienting the resources of two institutes, which had both focussed on sub-Saharan Africa, to serve our expanded global mandate. We appreciate the Panel's recognition that this significant progress has been achieved despite an uncertain financial environment. Fortunately, funding for ILRI has increased by more than ten percent from 1998 to 1999. With the Panel's endorsement of ILRI's programmes, we are now optimistic that the TAC recommended levels of funding will be fully realised in the foreseeable future.
As we indicate in ILRI's response to the Panel's Report and Recommendations, we particularly value the Panel's critical evaluations of ILRI's programme and management. Their constructive criticism identifies specific areas requiring improvement. ILRI's Board and senior management have already agreed to steps to effect the agreed needs for improvement.
ILRI's response to the overarching issues addressed by the Panel and, specifically, to the fourteen recommendations follow. In addition, ILRI will carefully consider all the Panel's comments and suggestions in the course of developing our new strategy and the Medium Term Plan (2001-2003) over the next nine months.
Sincerely,
Hank Fitzhugh
Director General
Neville Clarke
Chair, ILRI Board of Trustees
