The agreed research program is outlined in the modified Medium-Term Plan within the TAC's US$4.8 million funding envelope. Despite success in receiving several restricted core and complementary grants, bringing the overall 1994 budget to approximately US$6.7 million, ICLARM still is not able to implement fully the agreed program. In particular, it has not been possible to staff a training unit and other NARS strengthening activities, and several parts of approved thrusts are facing imminent or present funding shortfalls as restricted core funds terminate and are not easily replaced (e.g., Fishbase, IRM in Malawi).
Even a restructuring of the existing funds would make a considerable difference in ICLARM's capacity to implement the agreed core research program. This restructuring would move some funds from the short-term and project-based restricted core to unrestricted core, thus providing greater stability of funding for key elements of the approved program.
ICLARM requires greater research infrastructure to operate effectively. It needs more appropriate office space and more research facilities. It is time ICLARM's scientists were better able to "get their hands wet" with pond, field and laboratory research studies to complement many of the desk-type activities which have been the mainstay of the past. The CAC and the GIFT project and the Malawi and Bangladesh work show the real benefits of field research.
The additional US$1 million tentatively committed by TAC pending the outcome of the Mid-Term Review, according to ICLARM in its 1995 Program and Budget proposal, would be assigned as follows:
· an international relations officer to strengthen partnership opportunities to the benefit of partners and ICLARM;· a training officer to provide the seed for specific grants for training courses;
· a senior social scientist to value-add considerably to the myriad of multidisciplinary research activities now underway but not substantively pulled together and built on in ICLARM;
· a geneticist to add depth to the GIFT project, INGA and related work which is showing so much promise for sustainably improving fish productivity;
· extra investments in ICLARM staff training and information technology to considerably strengthen its capacity to deliver an effective work program;
· impact assessments of ICLARM's work.
Perhaps a more relevant issue posed in the above 7.0 heading would be "the appropriateness of the available scale of resources to implement the needed ICLARM research program." Given the magnitude of research problems and needs facing ICLARM as the only IARC concerned with aquatic resources, the Panel considers the level of available resources to be woefully inadequate for ICLARM to carry out its important mission appropriately.
At the Delhi Mid-Term meeting of the CGIAR in May 1994, Chairman Serageldin stated that research on living aquatic resources was currently far less than required. The Panel fully agrees with this assessment.
The Panel recommends that consideration of the issue of inadequate resources be given high priority by TAC and the development assistance community. The Panel fully understands the past reluctance to invest significant additional funds in ICLARM, given all its past difficulties. Although some residue of these difficulties is still evident, the Panel believes that under the able leadership of the new Director General and the policy directions of the current Board, ICLARM can have an unusually bright and productive future - if more adequate resources are made available.
