Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research - CGIAR
From: The Secretariat, January 1996
CGIAR International Centers Week
Washington, D.C.
October 30 - November 3, 1995
IITA External Program and Management Review 1/
1/ Extract from "Summary of Proceedings and Decisions - Report from the Ad Hoc Evaluation Committee", CGIAR International Centers Week, Washington, D.C.
The fourth External Program and Management Review of IITA was completed in April 1995 by a panel led by Mr. Eduardo Venezian of Chile. The report and response of IITA's board of trustees was discussed by TAC at its 67th meeting in Rome. The Ad Hoc Evaluation Committee endorsed the recommendations of the EPMR and TAC's commentary on the Panel's findings. The review report was positive and optimistic about IITA. The Center has been substantially strengthened over the past five years, which the Panel attributed to IITA's board and management, especially its Director General. IITA is well regarded by the research community in Africa, especially with respect to its research on germplasm and plant health management and leadership in emerging ecoregional initiatives. IITA has broadened the geographic scope of its activities to include parts of eastern and southern Africa, decentralized research responsibilities, completed the transfer of rice research responsibilities, completed the transfer of rice research to WARDA, and reorganized its management structure. The internal work environment has improved notably.
The Panel recommended that research on resource and crop management as well as on socioeconomic activities be strengthened. IITA should also strengthen its collaboration and strategic partnerships with NARS, other Centers (especially the tree crop Centers), advanced research institutions, and, increasingly, NGOs and the private sector. On governance and management, the EPMR suggested that project-based management, planning, and resource allocation would make IITA an even more cost-effective institution by improving the efficiency of resource utilization. This approach should be implemented incrementally.
The Group endorsed the recommendations of the Panel based on the counsel of the Ad Hoc Evaluation Committee.
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