Samuel Paul
Chairman, Public Affairs Center
27, SBI Colony, Block 3, Koramangala
Bangalore 560 034
INDIA
Tel/Fax: +91 80 5537260
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Donald Winkelmann
TAC Chair
355 East Palace Avenue
Santa Fé, NM 87501
U.S.A.
December 20, 1996
Mr. Alexander von der Osten
Executive Secretary, CGIAR
The World Bank
1818 H Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433
U.S.A.
Subject: Report of the Third EPMR of ISNAR
Dear Don and Alexander,
I am pleased to submit to you the Report of the Third External Program and Management Review of ISNAR.
The Panel conducted this review in a period of substantial changes in the external environment that have made ISNAR's task much more difficult and complex. As indicated in the report, the Panel is unanimous in its assessment that ISNAR's mission continues to be relevant today. ISNAR is very well administered and its outputs have increased considerably during the last five years, both in terms of quality and quantity. Staff morale is good. NARS and other stakeholders have indicated a high degree of satisfaction with ISNAR's work and services, and with the contributions ISNAR has made in strengthening national research capacities.
The Panel is of the view, however, that important directional changes are required at ISNAR, particularly because of the need to respond to the rapidly changing environment. ISNAR needs to define the niche it should carve out for itself in the years to come. We have included some pointers to assist ISNAR and the CGIAR in defining this niche. ISNAR should also reformulate its strategy.
We tried a novel approach in preparing our report. We kept the main report short and related it directly to our terms of reference, covering: strategy, outputs and impact, quality, management and ISNAR's future. Annexes provide more detailed assessments of ISNAR's programs and management.
The report includes four main recommendations and ten other recommendations. The main recommendations are in the main report, the others in the annexes.
We want to express our sincere appreciation to the Director General, Management and staff of ISNAR for their superb efforts in preparing documentation and providing logistical support for this Review, their cooperation at all times and their warm hospitality.
I also want to put on record my personal appreciation for the Members of the Review Team and the CGIAR and TAC Secretariat resource persons. They were a fine team that worked well together, and while our debates were sometimes intense and occasionally difficult, we always found a way to reach a consensus.
Yours sincerely,Samuel Paul
Panel Chair
