CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Donald L. Winkelmann
Chair
10 April 1995
Dear Mr. Serageldin,
We are pleased to submit to you the report of the Fourth External Programme and Management Review of CIP which was conducted by a panel chaired by Dr. David MacKenzie of the USA. The review report and the response of the CIP Board of Trustees and management were discussed by TAC at its 66th meeting in March 1995 in the presence of Dr. MacKenzie. CIP was represented at the meeting by the Chairman of the Board, Director General and other members of senior management.
We also attach CIP's response to the report and the TAC Commentary which summarizes TAC's reactions to both the Panel's report and CIP's response to it. TAC's Commentary incorporates the CGIAR Secretariat's views on the management aspects of the review.
We are pleased to note the transformation of CIP which the Board and management has set in motion. Although the transformation process is not yet fully complete, much has been achieved. Also, the management problems that were evident at the time of the 1989 review have been effectively resolved. These improvements have been brought about against a background of serious political upheaval in Peru and funding uncertainties in the CGIAR.
TAC has endorsed the Panel's view, in particular, on three key strategic concerns: (1) CIP should clarify its future roles in germplasm research and ecoregional activities for the Andean region; (2) CIP should focus its research more towards the strategic end of the adaptive-applied-strategic-basic research continuum; (3) CIP should give stronger emphasis, through strategic partnerships, to collaborative research and training programmes with strong NARS to take advantage of growing capacities in national systems.
Mr. Ismail Serageldin
CGIAR Chair
World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433
USA
Mail address: 1058 Mansion Ridge Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA
Tel & Fax: (1-505) 820-7248
We agree with the panel that selected strategic research in potato and sweetpotato is urgently needed, and CIP is well placed to lead the way in addressing the most difficult research problems.
We recommend continued support to CIP by the CGIAR.
Yours sincerely,Donald L. Winkelmann
Chair, TACAlexander von der Osten
Executive Secretary, CGIAR
