3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research Support
3.3 National Program Support and International Cooperation
ICARDA, over the years, has developed an extensive set of research-related activities and support services to extend and underpin its research program. These include national program support, training and information services, laboratory and field facilities, biostatistics and the evolving germplasm conservation program. The Panel has deliberately made distinction between (a) primary research and (b) activities such as germplasm conservation and seed health that, in its view, are maintenance and/or development-oriented programs.
In its Strategic Plan and MTPs, ICARDA attaches high priority to training and information. In the Strategic Plan, the Center identified training as the fastest growing area in ICARDA. Since 1990, however, expenditure on training has been considerably reduced. On the other hand, expenditure on other research support services and the international cooperation program (outreach) has steadily increased since 1988. The latter is generally consistent with the recommendations of the 1988 EPR.
3.2.1 Germplasm Conservation
3.2.2 Seed Health/Quarantine
3.2.3 Services
At the time of the 1988 EPR, the Genetic Resources Unit had neither permanent facilities nor a Program Head. Both of these deficiencies have now been corrected and the unit is well established in new buildings with adequate space and equipment. The Unit is now exercising the important mandate assigned to it by IBPGR/IPGRI to collect, conserve and characterize the unique genetic resources of the area - a task integral to the role of ICARDA as an ecoregional center. There are currently five IPGRI outposted staff accommodated in the GRU. They are responsible for the crops other than those (cereals and legumes) mandated to ICARDA, i.e., industrial crops, fruit, horticultural crops, trees and shrubs. There are 13 countries participating in the regional network. The principal achievements of the program since 1988 have been:
(a) the facilities are now fully operational and staffed;(b) the base collection (maintained at -21 °C) is being rapidly established from the previous active collection with 60-70,000 accessions at present;
(c) unique accessions from the WANA region have been duplicated at CIMMYT for all cereal species;
(d) the faba bean collection, for which the former breeder of the crop acts as curator, is being progressively duplicated at Linz, Austria;
(e) duplication of chickpea accessions at ICRISAT has also been initiated for unique material held by ICARDA;
(f) arrangements for the duplication of lentil accessions are under negotiation with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research;
(g) organizational databases have been established for all species conserved, with passport and evaluation data;
(h) new collections have been made each year on trips totalling about 20 since 1988, with an aim now to cover gaps in the existing collection, especially in countries where access has been or has become difficult such as Iran, Iraq and Lebanon; and
(i) sites for in situ conservation have been identified in Syria and Jordan.
These achievements are seen as important for maintaining the widest range of natural variability for species such as Triticum urartu and T. dicoccoides, which have poor survival when grazed. ICARDA is requesting the Syrian Government to seek support from the GEF to protect the sites identified.
The GRU distributes many samples on request each year both within and outside the WANA region. In 1991, the number of items distributed was as follows: within WANA 8,000, to ICARDA breeders 6,300, to others 9,000. It is difficult to assess the use to which distributed material is put but some NARSs are using landraces and primitive species in their germplasm enhancement programs, quite apart from the modern cultivars that the collection also contains.
Much of the germplasm evaluation has been supported by special project funding, e.g., the Italian Government has supported the work on evaluation of stress tolerance in wheat and the Dutch Government has been supporting the establishment and taxonomic characterization of a major world collection of Aegilops spp. The medium-term funding of both projects is not assured and it is a matter of some concern that the person working on stress evaluation is also the wheat germplasm curator, a position that requires some degree of permanence.
At the time of the Panel's visit the enlargement of the IPGRI team at Tel Hadya was under discussion. Such a move would require increased office space. There is also a requirement for a "dirty" working area to facilitate seed cleaning operations.
The GRU is associated with the Seed Health Laboratory and the Virology Laboratory, which have essential roles to play in the importation and exportation of germplasm. The Panel commends the GRU on the excellent progress it has made on establishing the base collection and the creation of organizational databases and urges it to proceed as expeditiously as possible with the seed multiplication required to complete the process of depositing material.
The Panel strongly supports ICARDA's efforts to persuade relevant government ministries in the WANA region to recognize and authorize the protection of in situ preservation areas. ICARDA should review and define how it intends to monitor the security of in situ areas. The Panel strongly suggests that ICARDA should attempt to quantify and evaluate the use made of genetic resources in germplasm enhancement both inside and outside its mandated area.
The objectives of the Seed Health Laboratory (SHL) and the Virology Laboratory (VL) are to ensure safe reciprocal exchange of seed between ICARDA and cooperators of national and international institutions. The SHL is headed by a part-time consultant from Aleppo University, with one associate and two technical assistants and casual labor (BSc level).
The incoming seed lots from foreign countries are first tested by Syrian quarantine authorities. When released from quarantine and fumigated, they are inspected visually for symptoms of infection. Batches are tested for seed-borne pathogens with a number of standard methods in both the SHL and VL. Thereafter, seed is treated and grown out in a post-quarantine field where any diseased plants are rogued in regular inspections. All outgoing seed from Tel Hadya is treated, as institutional policy, with fungicides and insecticides to minimize seed-borne diseases and insect pests. The SHL is advised about outgoing seed-shipment multiplications. It inspects the fields, and 50-60% of outgoing seed samples are tested for pathogens. A phytosanitary certificate is required by the Syrian Government for outgoing seeds. Some 24,000 lines were handled by the GRU in 1992. All were tested for seed-borne pathogens.
Since 1988, there have been several changes.
(a) There is better organization by the Syrian quarantine authorities. Syria passed legislation on plant quarantine in 1991, and included a list of exogenous pathogens important for quarantine. Syrian quarantine facilities and training have also improved.(b) The Syrian Government no longer requires ICARDA to obtain a permit of origin and importation as is required for commercial seed.
(c) SHL facilities have improved significantly and all equipment necessary is now available. In the past, the SHL was able to test only 25% of incoming and outgoing seed - now 100% of incoming seed and 50-60% of all outgoing seed samples are tested.
(d) Some research activities have been developed, including evaluation of fungicides, to improve treatment for specific pathogens and epidemiological studies of A. rabeii and Pyrenophora graminae.
(e) The SHL today is a core activity, whereas before it was supported by GTZ special project funds.
The SHL is changing to more rapid detection techniques. Molecular tools using PCR technology in collaboration with INRA-France and Montana State University are being considered. The associate recently received training in PCR techniques, particularly for P. graminae, at Montana.
ICARDA is commended for the way in which it has dealt with the seed-health issue. It has an established system for handling incoming and outgoing seed both for the GRU and breeding materials. The SHL has good facilities and staffing. Although not ideal, this work has been handled well, especially considering the financial constraints.
There are two areas that should be given more attention: (a) ICARDA should consider the wisdom of growing post-quarantine material in the same area as trials on seed-borne pathogens and (b) ICARDA should make an effort to increase testing of outgoing batches. The Panel questions the use of post-quarantine plots for seed-borne plant pathology trials. It believes such dual use compromises the purpose of the area and suggests plant-pathology trials be moved to another location.
3.2.3.1 Laboratory and field facilities
3.2.3.2 Computer and Biometrics
3.2.3.3 Visitor liaison
Laboratories
The laboratory facilities available at ICARDA are essentially those listed in the report of the 1988 EPR. They are generally well-equipped with adequate space for the existing work programs. One need identified is for a "dirty" working area in the Genetic Resources Unit and extra office space, should IPGRI confirm the expansion of its activities at Tel Hadya (section 3.2.1). CP is also seeking controlled environment facilities. There are no facilities for radioisotope work and no proposals to develop such activity in the foreseeable future. As noted in Chapter 2, work on transgenic Rhizobium has been initiated with inadequate consideration of how material would be subsequently handled at Tel Hadya. At present there is no designated high-security laboratory.
Some concern exists amongst the staff and senior management about the effects of budgetary restrictions on the replacement of laboratory equipment. The situation is exacerbated by rudimentary servicing facilities for imported equipment within the host country. There is no easy solution to this problem but the situation requires monitoring and some form of priority assessment for the replacement of equipment. The Panel suggests that ICARDA initiates discussions on the location of controlled environment facilities in advance of proposals from CP for such facilities being approved.
Field Facilities
The Farm Manager oversees operations at Tel Hadya (944 ha) and at other sites in Syria: Ghrerfe (2 ha), Breda (76 ha), Jindaress (10 ha) and Lattakia (5 ha). He also oversees the machinery and vehicle workshops, and gardening services. ICARDA also operates two sites in Lebanon at Terbol (39 ha) and Kfardan (50 ha), but work at Bouider (35 ha) and Kasser (10 ha) has been terminated. The stock of agricultural machinery is adequate to maintain current operations but budgets do not permit allowance for an annual depreciation rate of, say, ten percent. Some of the equipment is now obsolete but environmental conditions at Tel Hadya do not cause rapid deterioration, which arises only from normal wear and tear.
The problems of increasing pressure on the availability of land for experimentation have been substantially reduced by tight management that has improved the rotation. Most scientific staff were satisfied with their land allocation, although some concern persists in LP about the need for isolation for pathological investigations. Trials generally are not irrigated except in very dry seasons. The dramatic reduction in the watertable at Tel Hadya in the past few seasons has serious implications for ICARDA but is only part of the monumental environmental problem facing the country and much of the WANA region.
Glasshouse facilities at Tel Hadya are very limited, there being only one in use for virology at present. The polythene tunnels have given good service but lack adequate temperature control.
Sheep holding and laboratory facilities for PFLP are deemed to be inadequate and there are proposals for expanding them (section 2.5.1).
The Computer and Biometrics Services Unit (CBSU) is the focal point for computer and biometrics services in ICARDA. It provides support to users of all computer facilities, software packages and hardware maintenance. The staff of 15 technical personnel is organized in sub-units covering scientific computing, biometrics, technical support and management information services.
ICARDA has a dual-host VAX4000/500 computer configuration connected in a cluster and to a local-area Ethernet network. The operating system is VAX/VMS. The Center also has 210 PCs under the DOS operating system. The majority of these PCs are connected to ICARDA's computer network. CBSU currently has a large set of software packages both for its PCs and VAX/VMS systems. VAX software includes FORTRAN and BASIC compilers, ORACLE, GENSTAT and SAS. PC versions are also available and are supported by a comprehensive set of graphics, spreadsheet and language processors.
The ICARDA research staff is assisted by CBSU in (a) the planning of experiments and surveys, (b) data analysis and (c) statistical interpretation of results. The Unit offers an ongoing training program to ICARDA staff in biometrics and statistical analysis with "hands-on" training in the use of software packages appropriate to the needs of research workers. Specialized biometric methods are developed to meet specific research needs. CBSU offers support services to a large user community that includes (a) ICARDA research and administrative staff, (b) visiting staff and consultants and (c) trainees, students and NARS research personnel. Integrated databases and application systems have been introduced to upgrade researchers' ability to store, retrieve, share, manipulate and analyze experimental data. Several ICARDA-specific application systems (e.g., meteorology and germplasm data) are being developed using ORACLE-RDBMS and Tools.
ICARDA is also replacing its old computerized financial and administrative system (MAS) with the more efficient user-friendly ORACLE financial system. The general ledger and accounts-payable systems are already up and running. These ORACLE financial systems are database-oriented and offer users prompt query and reporting facilities.
Biometrics and computing services in ICARDA have been significantly upgraded recently. The Center is now in good shape to provide modern, efficient and computer-based data storage, data retrieval and statistical analysis services to its in-house research and outreach programs. The Panel commends ICARDA for its foresight in developing this essential research support service. In continuation of this positive development, the Panel hopes that every effort is made to ensure that all Center research staff are trained to fully use the new services now available on-line. The Panel is also pleased to note that the Center's computerized financial and administration systems have also been significantly upgraded, and foresees that ICARDA is now well placed in this respect to move to project budgeting and devolved financial/administrative control.
ICARDA, like most IARCs, is subjected to many visitors, who come individually or in large parties, and have varying degrees of knowledge of the Center and interest in its research. Despite the protocols in force to mitigate the effects of interruptions, visitors and visiting parties are still intrusive on the working time of research personnel, who present expositions of their programs. The Panel encourages ICARDA to continue its efforts to provide visitors with information without detracting excessively from scientists' research time.
3.3.1 Outreach Program
3.3.2 Training and Information
3.3.3 Institutional Relationships
3.3.4 Overall Assessment
3.3.1.1 Introduction to outreach
3.3.1.2 Highland Regional Program
3.3.1.3 Arabian Peninsula Regional Program
3.3.1.4 West Asia Regional Program
3.3.1.5 Nile Valley Regional Program
3.3.1.6 North Africa Regional Program
3.3.1.7 Latin America Regional Program
3.3.1.8. Networks
3.3.1.9 Seed production
ICARDA's regional mandate extends to 24 countries in West Asia, and North Africa, stretching from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. The agroecological diversity of this spread is vast and far beyond ICARDA's on-station resource capacity. The Center's approach to its mandated challenge is to establish a chain of outreach programs relevant to the major agroecological zones within the region. In parallel with ICARDA's evolving objective to undertake strategic research at its Aleppo headquarters, the Center has devolved and continues to devolve applied and adaptive research to its constituent regions, whenever possible, by transferring the responsibility to capable and willing NARSs. In this approach, ICARDA has chosen to rely heavily on the local NARS institutions and scientists rather than building a large outreach staff. ICARDA's strategy is to act as a catalyst and partner in development, working in close harmony with NARSs, to encourage sharing of information and experience, to offer training, to promote technology uptake, to improve plant germplasm as appropriate and, where possible, to assist the individual NARSs to secure funding from other agencies. Networks and training are an essential component of ICARDA's approach to these activities. ICARDA considers its activities in developing regional programs and networks integral to its research program.
ICARDA's main clients in these outreach programs are the NARSs. These vary considerably in their stage of development, capability and needs. They are generally constrained by inadequate finances and weak infrastructure. Nevertheless, some NARSs have well-trained scientists who are capable and willing to engage, inter alia, in relevant applied and/or adaptive research. ICARDA's network strategy attempts to harness the capabilities of these researchers in collaborative and network programs with other NARSs in the region.
In its 1990-94 MTP, ICARDA outlined a six-region outreach program, which Regional Coordinators were subsequently appointed to develop and direct. These appointments constitute a watershed in the Center's decentralization of its activities. The main role of the Regional Coordinators is to introduce the research community within their region to ICARDA's expertise, to promote and develop appropriate regional programs and, in so doing, to develop a productive partnership between ICARDA and the NARSs.
ICARDA formally established a Regional Collaborative Program for the Highlands of West Asia and North Africa in 1990. Its main goal is to develop an outreach program appropriate to the challenges of the severe environments of Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Atlas Mountain areas of Algeria and Morocco. Some of the Central Asian republics of the CIS are now being considered to be part of this program (Box 3.1). The NARSs within this regional program, as elsewhere, are variable as regards research capability. Consequently, ICARDA has followed a flexible approach in responding to the needs of the different research institutes.
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Box 3.1 Research Initiatives in Central Asia Should ICARDA's role and mandate be readdressed at this stage in the light of the very significant changes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia?1 1 Supplementary question 1, section I, Appendix 1, p. 112 of this Report. The Panel, with its extremely scarce resources, has addressed this question with some trepidation because of the complexity of the issues involved and breadth and scale of the challenges to agricultural research in the newly independent nations of Central Asia. A brief overview of agriculture in the Central Asian republics of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan follows. Collectively, the six states have a population of nearly 60 million people. Uzbekistan: This is the largest of the Central Asian republics with 21 million people. Basically an agricultural country, it produces 65% (1.5 Mt) of the Former Soviet Union's cotton output and is also a major fruit (22 Mt p.a.) growing area. Azerbaijan: A transcaucasian state with 7 million people, produces cotton, grain, rice, fruit and vegetables, largely (70%) under irrigated agriculture. Tajikistan: The smallest of the Central Asian republics (5 million population) is a very rural, largely (90%) highland state. Sheep (wool) and cattle production dominate agricultural output. Kyrgyzstan: It has a mixed agriculture based on livestock (including sheep and goats) and wheat and has a population of 4.5 million. Tobacco, cotton and rice are also important crops. Kazakhstan: It is a large state and supports 17 million people. As the granary of the Former Soviet Union, it produces wheat, cotton and industrial crops such as tobacco, rubber and mustard. Turkmenistan: It is the least populated of the Central Asian republics and has predominantly an irrigated agriculture, producing cotton, maize, fruit and vegetables. ICARDA's mandate and current research foci do not closely match the agricultural research needs of the six Central Asian states listed above, nor is the Panel in a position to adjudicate on the efficacy of the existing research systems within these countries. In broad terms, the Panel feels it would be unwise of ICARDA, at this time, to broaden its mandate to encompass in any substantive way the research needs of the Central Asian republics. The Panel is conscious of the interests of countries such as Turkey and Pakistan in having ICARDA respond to the research needs of these new nations, and it sees some logic in the Turkish view that ICARDA's outreach Highland Program be appropriately expanded with emphasis on livestock. On the other hand, the Panel cautions against over-ambitious expectations and demands on the Center at a time of financial austerity. Should significant special-project funds emerge to address some of the research problems in these states, and in particular the problems of highland agriculture, ICARDA might then justifiably reconsider its position. The general issue of international links to agricultural research in the Former Soviet Union is of sufficient importance to justify CGIAR concern and careful analysis. |
ICARDA's first project in the highlands started in 1985 with the objective of assisting the Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI) at Quetta (Balochistan) to become an effective federal research institute focusing on pastoral and rainfed farming systems in the arid regions of Pakistan; ICARDA has executed the project on behalf of USAID. The project is approaching the end of its second and final four-year phase.
Research activities within the project have included range and livestock management, agronomic and germplasm research on food crops (barley, lentil and wheat) and forages, field evaluation of water harvesting techniques and socioeconomic studies of development constraints and technology transfer. On-site and overseas training was also an important component of the project. ICARDA provided experienced project leadership and posted four researchers (specially recruited) at AZRI during the project's first phase.
In 1990, ICARDA extended its Highland Program to Turkey and, over the past two years, has initiated a series of seven mini-projects, four with the Central Crops Research Institute, one with the Soil and Fertilizer Research Institute and one each with the Universities of Cukurova and Ankara. Financial support for this work is provided by the Italian Highlands Regional Collaborative Project. The research activities are quite diverse. They include surveys of low-income farming systems in the Taurus Mountain and Sivas-Kayseri regions, the evaluation of barley and food-legume germplasm (chickpea and lentil), the selection of cold-resistant forage species and the monitoring of Rhizobium populations and nitrogen-fixation efficiency. Training and dissemination of information (largely through workshops) are also part of the project work plan.
ICARDA has recently concluded an agreement with the Government of Iran to technically underpin the establishment of a new research center for dryland agriculture. The project will be based in NW Iran (Marageh) and will involve a team of eight scientific staff and a five-year budget of approximately US$10 million.
Based on a brief visit to the Quetta project, an evaluation of the project reports, and interviews with counterpart staff at AZRI and PARC, the Panel considers that this project has been reasonably successful. Its most noticeable achievement is in its training of AZRI scientists and the development of a research ethic and culture in the Institute strongly based on scientific work and its reporting. It is not obvious that the research program has as yet developed effective technologies that can significantly advance agricultural production in the difficult environment of the Quetta plateau. The project has, on the other hand, significantly strengthened the agricultural information base of the region and, as it ends, will leave behind a reasonably well focused and trained research staff.
The Turkish Highlands Program is not sufficiently long in place to have delivered significant results as yet. The Panel sees ICARDA serving a catalytic role in nationally important but neglected areas. It notes the diversity of research activities but fails to see a clear focus in the program thus far. The Panel also is concerned that ICARDA is possibly being asked to initiate research in remote regions of Turkey and on research problems that the Turkish NARS has not addressed because of the inherent difficulties of engaging in agricultural development in these remote, poorly serviced highland areas.
The original objective of this Regional Program, as stated in the letter of agreement between the Arab Fund for Economic and Social development (AFESD) and ICARDA, dated October 4, 1988, is "to bridge the gap between production and consumption of wheat and barley in the Arabian Peninsula." This program was initially developed strictly for improving wheat and barley, in association with similar activities in the Nile valley. Since 1988, however, activities have expanded to cover all of ICARDA's mandate commodities and the related activities, and a broadened objective has been adopted: "to promote agricultural research, training and dissemination of information through a mature partnership with national agricultural research and development systems in the Arabian Peninsula."
The major activities of this program are (a) germplasm exchange, evaluation and improvement, (b) initiation of special wheat and barley regional crossing blocks for the Arabian Peninsula, (c) initiation of wheat and barley varietal description studies, (d) training and human resources development and (e) exchange of visits and consultancy between ICARDA and the seven participating countries of the Arabian Peninsula (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman and Yemen).
During the period of 1988-92, more than 260 research workers were trained at ICARDA headquarters and within the region. Despite the political unrest prevailing in the region, the Gulf War, visa restrictions, political constraints and other logistic problems, three coordination meetings were successfully organized in Yemen, Aleppo and, most recently, the UAE.
The participating countries and the donor representatives from AFESD have emphasized the need for this program to be tuned to the actual research and training needs of the region. Funding for APRP provided by AFESD is US$0.9 million covering the period 1988-92. The ICARDA contribution to this program is about one-half the time of the Regional Coordinator, who has also been acting as ICARDA's Head of Training since 1990. Efforts need to be made to secure financial support for the second phase of this program.
Regional needs require changes in the nature of support hitherto provided by ICARDA. The major elements of a possible new scenario will relate to research on forage crops, vegetables and some horticultural crops, and related agromanagement systems, in particular, irrigation, water-use efficiency, fertigation and protected agriculture. The Panel is conscious of ICARDA's failure to date to attract significant funds from the Arabian Peninsula countries. It would encourage the Center to further pursue funds from this region, including through tailoring a research program proposal to more fully suit the needs of Arabian Peninsula agriculture.
ICARDA launched the West Asia Regional Program in July 1989 and established its headquarters in Amman, Jordan. The program's goal is to coordinate and strengthen agricultural research and training activities pertinent to the problems of rainfed agriculture in Cyprus, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and lowland Turkey. The program focuses primarily on the region's major food (wheat, lentil and chickpea) and feed (barley, forages and pasture legumes) crops. Activities relating to livestock production also constitute a significant component of the program.
The Program covers a wide range of research and training activities across the six countries it serves. The principal activity is the Mashreq Project, which is jointly funded by UNDP and AFESD. This project contributes to the cost of the ICARDA Regional Office in Amman. The main aim of the project is to "introduce proven technologies to address the problems of farmers in the barley belt" - a large, low, rainfed area stretching north from Jordan into Syria and eastwards into Iraq. On-farm research is emphasized and available and appropriate technologies are demonstrated on farmers' fields. Plant-production activities consist largely of on-farm demonstration of proven agronomic practices relating to soil cultivation, seeding and fertilizer rates, choice of barley germplasm and the evaluation of the benefits of introducing vetches into the traditional barley-fallow rotation.
Animal-production activities include oestrus synchronization and pre-mating ewe nutrition, the evaluation of Awassi rams selected for increased milk yield, and the demonstration of straw treatment (urea) and the use of urea-molasses blocks to improve the use of by-product feed resources. These activities are conducted on a farmer-managed and/or researcher-managed basis and are replicated across Jordan, Syria and Iraq. Training of researchers, extension agents and farmers is an integral part of the program. In addition to the Mashreq Project, the program promotes a wide range of other research-related activities including studies of wind erosion, water harvesting and seed technology, germplasm collection and evaluation, and tillage-cum-residue management work. ICARDA staff visit the West Asia region frequently.
The West Asia Regional Program is active and embraces a wide range of activities, many of which are relevant to the advancement of agriculture in the countries concerned. However, the Mashreq Project involves ICARDA in an unusually heavy involvement in extension-oriented rather than research-based activity. Although some involvement of IARCs such as ICARDA in technology transfer to the farmer is justifiable, the Panel notes that ICARDA has accepted the management of a project that represents a departure from the role usually assumed by international centers. The Panel also wishes to flag its concern about the involvement of ICARDA in the application of technologies on which it does not have in-house scientific expertise. The sheep breeding program in Iraq and the oestrus synchronization trials in Syria, Jordan and Iraq are examples of such work. The relevance and research efficiency of this work are questionable. The Panel is conscious of the difficulties ICARDA faces in meeting the many demands on the West Asia Regional Program. There is a need, however, to narrow and focus this Program to a set of activities that relate more directly to ICARDA's mandate and research competence.
The Nile Valley Regional Program (NVRP) includes Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. It covers research, transfer of technology and training to improve the production of cool-season food legumes and cereals. The EC funds the Egypt-based portion of the program. All ICARDA activities in the Nile Valley have been funded by special projects. Activities in Sudan and Ethiopia are supported by DGIS and SAREC, respectively. A new proposal to the EC for a second five-year phase will give more emphasis to the newly reclaimed and rainfed areas, management of resources and sustainable production. The main element of ICARDA's strategy is to enhance self-reliance in national programs in the areas of research leadership, coordination, program planning and execution. On-farm research and integration of research and extension is being emphasized, as is establishment of multidisciplinary teams to address problems of the Nile Valley.
National coordinators for legumes and cereals are responsible for the daily management and coordination of projects, with the support of the ICARDA Regional Coordinator. Annual meetings that include national scientists, the Regional Coordinator and ICARDA scientists, are organized to develop research plans. A national management committee reviews proposals and considers them in the light of priorities and a budget. A regional coordination meeting is organized to develop work plans for networks, which address common regional production problems, and to discuss regional results. Headquarters staff also used to attend national meetings, but since 1992 attendance has been limited to specialists responding to requests from the NARSs. Proceedings from national and regional coordination meetings etc. are published in annual reports, workplans and budgets.
The Panel visited Egypt and used that as an indicator of ICARDA's effectiveness in the region. All technical and financial reporting to donors is done through the Regional Coordinator, who is also involved in developing special projects and seeking funds in coordination with NARSs and ICARDA headquarters. Senior managers of ARC, its program leaders, scientists and donors expressed appreciation for ICARDA's role. Program scientists commended ICARDA's coordinator and the Center's contribution to Egypt in technical support, as a source for germplasm and for its work in organizing regional meetings, travelling workshops, conferences and training.
ICARDA is coordinating research on aphid and disease resistance and heat tolerance. In addition, the Center organizes specific activities, such as the virus survey that was being conducted during the Panel visit. Problem-solving networks in cereals (5), food legumes (7) and socioeconomics (1) are operational with complementary roles for various Nile Valley countries. Egypt has a well-equipped molecular biology laboratory staffed by well-qualified scientists. ICARDA has excellent collaboration with these researchers, in developing media for culturing callus, embryos and nodal cuttings to facilitate inter-specific hybridization of lentils. ICARDA training on seed production has proved valuable. ICARDA is helping ARC to improve socioeconomic work in order to identify bottlenecks to technology adoption. One criticism expressed in Egypt was the site-specific bias of ICARDA's research concentration in Syria and the need for the Center to contribute more to other regions.
Adoption of new technology by farmers is apparent, both through high adoption rates for production-package components (as documented by socioeconomic surveys) and by the increase in average national yield and production. There is considerable pride in the ongoing OFR but additional effort is required nationally, especially in order to integrate socioeconomic information with technology research and to increase farmer involvement. ICARDA has played a major catalytic role in OFR, yet it remains weak in the social sciences and in some other areas, e.g., in systems characterization, farmer participation in technology development and testing and impact studies. To remedy this situation, ICARDA posted a socioeconomist supported by the Rockefeller Foundation to work in NVRP.
ICARDA has actively encouraged the free use of its office facilities in Cairo by other IARCs. IRRI shares ICARDA office space, and IIMI has expressed interest in doing the same. A USAID project on maize and wheat involving CIMMYT and ICARDA is also administered through ICARDA's Cairo office. In the context of ecoregional research, the Panel sees no conflict in ICARDA's coordination of work in the Nile Valley. Although ICARDA's historical emphasis has been on the dry areas, ICARDA's involvement in the Nile Valley and agroecoregional zones seems justified.
The Panel suggests that ICARDA pursue short-duration research postings in the region so as to promote the involvement of national programs in areas where ICARDA has expertise. The involvement of specialized international experts in meetings would, perhaps, be helpful in fulfilling national needs and in generating international contacts for national scientists. ICARDA should be involved in strategic research in Egypt on conservation of resources and sustainability. Egyptian new lands, rainfed areas and fertile old lands, provide an excellent opportunity to do "sustainability" research at various input levels and this approach is being taken in the new phase (Egypt II) of NVRP.
The North Africa Regional Program (NARP) executes and coordinates ICARDA's core and special-funded collaborative research and training activities in Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia in collaboration with the NARSs. ICARDA has a strong regional team operating from Tunisia and Morocco, with the coordinator based in Tunis and two research scientists working closely with the NARSs. During the transfer of the faba bean program, the ICARDA team based in Morocco increased to four. ICARDA's primary interaction has been in cereals and food legumes in which ICARDA's contribution has been substantial and its expertise acknowledged. ICARDA's major regional donor agencies are IFAD, AEESD and IDRC. ICARDA is instrumental in creating a regional problem-solving perspective, which donors appreciate.
ICARDA works with several Tunisian institutions that comprise the NARS (mainly INRAT, INAT, ESAK and Office des Cereales). The arrangement has been flexible and productive. ICARDA initiated work in Tunisia in 1980 on barley and food legumes, where no prior programs existed, and later extended its activities to bread wheat and durum wheat. Collaboration with LP has centered on the transfer of winter chickpea technology, which is expected to have a significant impact on production. PFLP has also been active recently in mixed forage-livestock farming systems.
The institutional arrangement in Algeria is unconventional. In that INRA is not closely involved, the work on cereals and food legumes has been devolved to ITGC. Another institution works on livestock. ICARDA's activities are primarily with ITGC, with scientists drawn from other institutes as needed. PFLP and ITGC have planned an eight-year crop-grazing rotation trial in eastern Algeria.
In Morocco, ICARDA interacts mostly with the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), especially with the Centre Regional de Recherche Agronomique (CRRA), located at Settat, near Rabat and with a research station in Douyet. INRA and other Moroccan institutions have been strengthened substantially in the past five years, especially with support from USAID. CP has based the highland barley breeding program for North Africa in Morocco and LP is involved in collaborative work with winter chickpea and lentils legumes. FRMP and PFLP have activities coordinated from Syria.
Collaboration between ICARDA and Libya started in 1989, and both CP and LP have developed collaborative programs. Work concentrates on disease and insect surveys. ICARDA also provides assistance to the NARS' work on-station and with on-farm variety testing within an IFAD technology transfer project. ICARDA has also organized germplasm collection missions. PFLP and FRMP have recently started collaboration with Libya.
The Panel was impressed by ICARDA's work in North Africa. The Center's strength may be attributed in part to its diverse means of communication with the NARSs - through research coordination, direct scientific collaboration, workshops, meetings and training. ICARDA has also sent questionnaires to NARS scientists seeking their views on program and institutional issues, program balance and training. Personal visits by ICARDA research personnel have also furthered collaboration. The positive relations between ICARDA and regional staff are a credit to the Regional Coordinator and outposted ICARDA staff. They know the region well and are appropriately responsive to the national programs.
The Panel was particularly impressed by collaboration forged with the NARSs by CP and LP. ICARDA has made an impact with barley, wheat and more recently with the introduction of winter chickpea, although quantification is difficult since the results of impact studies are not yet available. It is providing NARSs in the region with earlier generation material, selected jointly with NARS scientists.
The effect of ICARDA research on mixed crop-livestock agricultural systems is not readily visible. The special project on farming systems research in Tunisia can reasonably be said to have failed. One of the reasons for the failure was the lack of a sustained input from the NARSs. The same danger exists with respect to the ambitious project at Khroub, Algeria. The impact of FRMP in the region generally is minor and the Program must work further to initiate contacts, conduct strategic research relevant to the region and to coordinate its work in North Africa.
Evaluation of the devolution of the faba bean program to Morocco is discussed in Box 2.3 (section 2.4.2). Related to this, the Panel finds that the Douyet station is an inappropriate site to base ICARDA staff. The station lacks an infrastructure and is inefficient for regional as well as national work. Frequent travel to Rabat is necessary for visas, supplies and communication. It would be better to position ICARDA staff more centrally where travel, time and resources can be used more efficiently.
Recommendation 3.1
Research staff in Morocco should be moved to a more effective regional location for interaction with national and regional research personnel.
ICARDA's publications from regional work, other than the annual project reports, have been few, especially from the farming systems project. ICARDA has recently published a paper on winter chickpea and women's labor use. It has begun related studies of women's roles in Tunisian agriculture and on the adoption of improved wheat, barley and triticale practices.
As part of the realignment of research responsibilities following the 1983 QQR, the direction of barley breeding moved from CIMMYT to ICARDA in 1984. The target area in Central and South America is estimated to be about 900,000 ha of which one-third is in Mexico where a primary objective is the production of malt for brewing. The crop is used less for animal feed in Latin America than is the case in the WANA region. The spectrum of diseases in Latin America is also different and includes leaf rust, stripe rust, scald, net blotch and Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus.
Only one senior scientist is engaged on the program in Latin America. He is responsible for distributing nurseries throughout Mexico and the Andean region and has also developed links with China. There is some increasing interest in hulless barleys for food and possibly feed. In the absence of a private-sector involvement in barley breeding, work on barley for malting is entirely supportable since it provides farmer income. Some pilot agronomic work using medics in rotations has been initiated in Mexico.
The location of the scientist in charge at CIMMYT means that he is not in a major production area for barley but he benefits from infrastructure at the Center (see also sections 2.3.2 and 3.3.3.4). The production area is, in any case, fairly dispersed.
The financial sustainability of the Latin America Program should not be forced on ICARDA's attention unless a Center budget of less than US$17.6 million has to be considered. The credibility of ICARDA's present mandate would be challenged if it could no longer support this activity.
Networks may be defined as multilateral cooperation of scientists and/or institutions (national, regional and international) to collaborate in agricultural research to find solutions or exchange information on problems or research areas of common interest and use existing resources (human and physical) more effectively, and learn from the experience of each other. ICARDA's networks, which involve NARSs in the WANA region, fall clearly within this definition. Complementarity in research efforts should be the main feature of regional or sub-regional networks in order to avoid duplication and make better use of the limited human and physical resources available to national programs. ICARDA is playing an important role in ensuring such complementarity through the national and regional coordination meetings held annually.
In addition to the regional networks described in section 3.3.1, ICARDA coordinates from Syria worldwide (international) networks, such as the International Cereal Nursery (with CIMMYT), numerous subject-specific networks over the whole WANA-region, such as the WANA Plant Genetic Resources Network (WANANET), and subject-specific networks coordinated within WANA regional programs, such as the North African Legume Research Network, which functions in the North Africa Regional Program. The networks range in their complexity from simple information exchange, to cooperative research, which includes exchange of information, personnel and materials. The networks are used to solve regionally important problems by dividing labor between different NARSs, or to produce and share information that no single program could obtain on its own. As a "neutral broker," ICARDA plays a central role in coordination between NARSs. Through ICARDA's efforts, extensive collaboration has developed between NARSs in the region (and even within-country) that has had a "multiplier effect" on the quantity and quality of scientific work produced in the region.
Since 1988, ICARDA has increased the number of regional programs and other network activities. It now has a regional network in North Africa. It has established the Nile Valley Regional and Mashreq Networks, and begun new initiatives in the Arabian Peninsula and the Highlands. Numerous new subject-specific networks are functioning, especially in commodity related subjects, but also to a lesser extent in FRMP, PFLP and other units at ICARDA (Table 3.1).
Table 3.1 The types and numbers of networks coordinated by ICARDA
|
Group |
Subject-specific: networks |
|
Cereal Program |
11 |
|
Legume Program |
11 |
|
Farm Resource Management Program |
3 |
|
Pasture, Forage and Livestock Program |
3 |
|
Communication, Documentation and Information Services |
3 |
|
Germplasm Resources Unit |
1 |
|
Seed Unit |
1 |
Source: ICARDA International Cooperation Office.
ICARDA has developed various network mechanisms Center-wide to suit country and donor requirements. It has substantially increased the number of regional and subject-specific networks. Both NARSs and regional donors noted the importance of ICARDA as a facilitator for regional collaboration and that they valued the networks highly. The Panel commends ICARDA for its excellent achievements in this context.
Communication within the networks is done through informal and formal meetings (e.g., workshop and coordination meetings, and network visits). Exchange of genetic material and information is welcomed by NARSs in spite of some difficulties (e.g., seed movement).
Seed production facilities have improved substantially due to prudent management by the specialist in charge of the German/Dutch funds provided for this purpose. A seed processing unit (throughput 130 t from 30 ha), not part of the original plan, was purchased and has proved valuable for training purposes. It is also increasingly being used to process seed lots at ICARDA.
A major objective is to encourage the NARSs to improve standards of seed production. There is clearly a continuing need in the WANA region for more resources and training in seed production. On present projections, capacity in the NARSs will not be adequate except to cope with the introduction of new varieties. Increased use of farm-saved seed therefore seems inevitable, along with the need for mobile seed processing facilities. Incidentally, this would almost certainly retard further the already rather bleak prospects of any privatization of the seed industry, at least for cereals and legumes.
In 1992, a Seed Production Network was established at a workshop in Amman, sponsored by ICARDA and the GTZ/Jordan Seed Multiplication Project. The network will disseminate information on seeds, strengthen the infrastructure for seed production in WANA and encourage formal education in seed production. Several activities, such as the production of a WANA Seed Directory, a refereed testing system, a catalogue of seed standards and a seed newsletter have already been initiated. The Seed Production Unit is a downstream but vital activity for ICARDA and the NARSs, and is one that is likely to have an immediate impact.
The main objectives of ICARDA's training activities are to improve and update the technical capabilities of NARS personnel to enable them to conduct independent and cooperative research focused on the needs of their countries. Training also assists national scientists in understanding the processes of and decision making concerning technology transfer at many levels, especially at the level of farmers involved in adopting or rejecting new innovations. Although in citing numbers "trained" the Panel does not wish to imply any belief that headcounts (or quantity irrespective of quality) are relevant indicators, in 1992, ICARDA trained 716 individuals from 38 countries including 21 WANA countries, about one-half at headquarters and one-half in-country. It is gradually shifting its training from headquarters (17 courses) to in-country (20). This policy has the advantage of making the courses more accessible but it has the recognized disadvantage of reducing the recipient's exposure to the scientific culture of ICARDA.
Each Program has a senior training scientist/training assistant. Their primary responsibilities are to develop training programs reflecting the needs of national systems, to develop training methods and materials and to organize ICARDA scientists to participate in training. The Head of Training is also designated Chairman of the Training Coordination Committee (TCC).
The budget crisis is hitting the training program rather hard. Training tends to be regarded as one of the easiest activities to reduce and cutbacks have already led to the cancellation of courses and reduced intake of trainees. Outside funding for training was secured from AFESD for trainees from Arab countries. Only 30% of training funding comes from core funds, while 70% comes from special-project funds.
The Panel recognizes the important role of the Training Coordination Unit (TCU) in removing the burden of trainee administration and logistics from the program/unit-based training scientists, allowing them to concentrate on improving the quality of their training activities and to interact closely with their colleagues in ICARDA and the region.
Despite the important role of TCU at ICARDA, the Panel has found that the support given to it in terms of human and financial resources is insufficient to meet the increasing demands for ICARDA training. This is reflected in the three-year delay in appointing a Head of Training, the delay in appointing two Q-level staff members to assist the Head of Training and the recent transfer of the position of the training-material production specialist from TCU to CODIS. The two positions of senior training scientists in LP and FRMP have been vacant since 1992. Problems are recognized by ICARDA, and are presently under consideration by TRAC.
The Panel, through its visits to the different countries in the region, found good recognition of the training offered by ICARDA. Training activities must be seen as an important element of ICARDA activities and thus should be considered in its annual appraisal and promotion procedures for research staff. The Panel also shares the opinion of the 1988 EPR that the graduate research training (GRT) program of ICARDA is a powerful tool for building regional capacity and improving partnership with NARSs.
Recommendation 3.2
With due regard to the importance that must be assigned to training as part of capacity-building in NARSs, the Center should ensure that all aspects that bear on the effectiveness of the program (such as preparation of training materials) are adequately covered and, in this spirit, the filling of the Head of Training vacancy should be a high priority.
ICARDA's Scientific and Technical Information Services (STIP), established on a program basis in 1985, was reorganized in 1989 under the new title Communication, Documentation and Information Services (CODIS). The program's goal remains the same, namely, "to provide scientists concerned with ICARDA's mandate crops, both within the WANA region and outside it, with relevant information and to promote the exchange of information between ICARDA and national systems and between the WANA region and the outside world." CODIS activities include (a) publications, (b) library, (c) training support, (d) public relations (section 3.3.3.6) and (e) translation and interpretation services.
Publications
ICARDA's in-house publications are numerous, and are wide-ranging in terms of technical content, target audiences and distribution. They can be classified under four broad headings, major reports (e.g., Annual Report), specialized publications (e.g., newsletters, workshop proceedings, MTP), training materials, and policy and procedures manuals. Other miscellaneous publications include ICARDA catalogs/directories, information brochures and special study reports. The scientific publications are considered ICARDA's most important written output.
Following a recommendation by the 1988 EPR, ICARDA established a Publications Committee in December 1988. This committee has prepared a clear and succinct statement of ICARDA Publications Policy and Procedures. The publication procedures are explicit and cover refereed and non-refereed papers, training publications and general-audience material, as well as French and Arabic translations.
Library
The library occupies a prominent position in the ICARDA headquarters building, close to the main entrance. It is well laid out and has a pleasant albeit sometimes crowded work environment. Currently, the library has some 38,000 accessions and supports 395 journal subscriptions annually. Limitations on library funds dictated that the annual number of accessions has decreased from 1900 in 1989 to 1300 in 1992. In this situation, priority in accessions is placed on ICARDA's mandated commodities and agriculture in the WANA region. ICARDA has recently developed a comprehensive Information Management and Exchange Program anchored in the much expanded computerized facilities within the Center. Lack of space has been a major problem in the library for some time.
Training Support
CODIS, at the request of and in close collaboration with the Training Coordination Unit, prepares general and course-specific training materials including manuals, field guides and course modules. CODIS also offers advice to visiting NARS scientists on the preparation of effective training materials and in the use of library systems. When a training course is scheduled, a list of the training materials required is prepared by the Training Coordination Committee (TCC). CODIS then prepares the material as specified by the TCC.
Translation and Interpretation
The unit provides translation services to the Center as a whole, including the outreach programs. Translation into Arabic is particularly important in the region and this service extends to scientific publications, training materials as well as general-audience publications. For example, the Annual Report continues to have an Arabic version, whereas the FABIS, LENS and RACHIS newsletters carry Arabic abstracts of all articles. The Center is placing increasing emphasis on the preparation of training materials in Arabic so as to provide more effective support to NARSs in Arabic-speaking countries. CODIS has in-house Arabic translation capacity. As regards French translations, the Center is dependent on freelance expertise. Based on comments made to the Panel on its field visits, the Panel would encourage ICARDA to provide more publications, as well as more training, in French.
3.3.3.1 Host country
3.3.3.2 National agricultural research systems
3.3.3.3 Regional organizations
3.3.3.4 CGIAR centers
3.3.3.5 Other institutes and agencies
3.3.3.6 General public relations
ICARDA's Assistant Director General of Government Liaison facilitates relations with the host country (in 1988 the position designated as Assistant Director General handled this). The current incumbent was an Undersecretary in the Ministry of Agriculture of Syria and member of the ICARDA BOT before he assumed his position in 1990. The Panel's discussions with Government Ministers and senior officials indicate that ICARDA's relations with the Government of Syria are good and perhaps better than at any stage in the past. The Ministers of Planning and Agriculture were articulate in their knowledge and praise of ICARDA. This reflects well on Management's efforts to strengthen ICARDA's image in Syria and, in the Panel's view, on improving staff interactions at the senior scientist level.
A concern expressed by host-country scientists with whom the Panel met is ICARDA's lack of serious attention to the land area within Syria that receives less than 250 mm average annual rainfall, and which occupies 55% of the land area and supports 80% of Syrian farmers. This issue is a long-standing matter of contention between ICARDA and Syrian NARS scientists, which is not readily solved.
The ongoing discussion within ICARDA to place greater emphasis on the selection of cereal germplasm suitable for cultivation at rainfall regimes as low as 150 mm per annum has triggered some discussion within the Syrian NARS. The idea of cultivation of any kind in this area was vigorously opposed by staff of the Meteorology Department, and the Director of the Irrigation and Water Directorate pointed to the correlation between recent increases in grain production and severe depletion of aquifers. These specialists would argue that ICARDA should place more emphasis on selection of genotypes having greater water-use efficiency.
ICARDA's primary clients are the NARSs. These vary considerably in their size (Tables 3.2, 3.3), stage of development and capability, and are generally constrained by inadequate finances and weak infrastructure. It is of utmost importance that the ICARDA research community be alert to the strengths and weaknesses of NARSs in order to structure a meaningful research program. To facilitate such understanding, and because of the rapid changes in some countries, an updating system should be developed in consultation with other regional organizations, NARSs and ISNAR.
Table 3.2 Agricultural research personnel in WANA
|
Sub (region) |
1961-1965 |
1966-1970 |
1971-1975 |
1976-1980 |
1981-1985 |
Growth Rate |
|
Agricultural research personnel (full-time equivalents) |
% |
|||||
|
Egypt |
569 |
1,431 |
2,070 |
2,748 |
4,246 |
10.6 |
|
North Africa(4)a |
301 |
371 |
444 |
616 |
770 |
4.8 |
|
West Asia (15) |
1,287 |
1,683 |
2,232 |
2,655 |
3,980 |
5.8 |
|
West Asia and North Africa (20) |
2,157 |
3,485 |
4,746 |
6,019 |
8,995 |
7.4 |
|
Less-Developed Countries (130) |
19,753 |
28,829 |
37,004 |
55,143 |
77,737 |
7.1 |
a Numbers in parentheses are of the countries for which data were available.
Source: Pardey, Roseboom and Anderson (1991).
Table 3.3 WANA NARSs classified according to the number of researchers employed
|
Micro (<25) |
Small (25-99) |
Medium (100-999) |
Large (³ 1000) |
|
Kuwait |
Cyprus |
Algeria |
Egypt |
|
Qatar |
Jordan |
Iran |
Turkey |
|
United Arab Emirates |
Lebanon |
Iraq |
|
|
|
Oman |
Israel |
|
|
|
Yemen, A.R. |
Libya |
|
|
|
Yemen, P.D.R. |
Morocco |
|
|
|
|
Syria |
|
|
|
|
Tunisia |
|
Note: Classified on the basis of the 1981-85 average number of full-time researchers.
Source: Pardey, Roseboom and Anderson (1991).
The diversity of size (at least as indicated by research personnel), stage of development and agroecological mix has been mentioned at several points in this Report as a major factor in the complexity of ICARDA's challenge. ICARDA has responded energetically to this in the many ways in which it has sought to foster strong working relationships with NARSs. These have ranged from broad consultations in ICARDA's planning processes (section 4.4.4), to the elaborate outreach program (section 3.3.1) and many direct and collaborative research (chapter 2), training (section 3.3.2.1) and information (section 3.3.2.2) activities managed from headquarters.
The overall effectiveness of the relationships with NARSs is difficult to assess. Many of the responses of researchers in NARSs approached by the Panel (section 3.3.1.2-6) are overall positive, while pointing to aspects of the collaboration that might be improved. The engagement is surely a complex one and seems destined always to be so. With the elaboration of the ecoregional approach and the heightened CG System attention to NARSs' needs, ICARDA will be obliged to continue to strive to enhance the effectiveness and equality of the NARS-linked working relationships. As it does so, it may find the concept outlined in Appendix 7 to be helpful in reorienting some directions of its laudable efforts. Whatever is done, and the needs are surely great, will not be easy and the difficulties will be aggravated unless funding constraints ease. The Panel wishes ICARDA well in this most challenging and important aspect of its mandate.
Cooperation and joint projects between ICARDA and advanced NARSs in the region must continue for all the obvious reasons including the contribution to the maintenance of a more viable research environment for ICARDA itself. This relationship between ICARDA and advanced NARSs will reflect on its overall achievement in the important tasks to be performed in the region. Within the context of a continuum in the relationship between the advanced NARSs, ICARDA and all the NARSs in the region, the Nile Valley Network provides an example of establishing such cooperation without any additional infrastructure.
AOAD (Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, Khartoum, Sudan)
AOAD, situated in Khartoum, supports ICARDA's training programs. A joint ICARDA/AOAD study on nutrition policy supported AOAD's major orientation, of food security in Arab countries. A constructive relationship is facilitated through the regional office AOAD maintains in Damascus. The ICARDA-AOAD collaboration concentrates mostly on training. AOAD financially supports trainees in ICARDA courses. In addition, ICARDA participates in AOAD-organized or jointly organized symposia and workshops, mostly concentrating on agricultural policies.
ACSAD (Arab Center for Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands, Douma, Syria)
ASCAD is an institution of the Arab League with a mandate similar to that of ICARDA. It has four main divisions covering water, soils, plant production and animal production, with expertise in agrometeorology, soils, hydrology, small ruminants, range management, steppe vegetation, genetic resources of steppe plants and cereal breeding. An agreement to facilitate collaborative work between ICARDA and ACSAD was ratified in 1983.
Like ICARDA, ACSAD maintains links with many international organizations. Unlike ICARDA, it works only in Arab countries and is involved in irrigated production systems. In other respects, the work programs have much in common, although the emphasis may be different, e.g., ACSAD works on food legumes but does not breed them. In cereal breeding, ACSAD work on wheat and barley is organized collaboratively with national programs where much of the work is done. ACSAD has established direct liaison with CIMMYT on wheat breeding and database management.
On-going cooperation between ICARDA and ACSAD includes coordination of research activities, exchange of germplasm and research results, collaboration in verification and on-farm trials of cereals, and cooperation in training courses and workshops. All new lines developed by ACSAD are tested by ICARDA for diseases, and data are shared. The steppe management and rehabilitation work of ICARDA is done in close collaboration with ACSAD.
Recently ACSAD proposed a five-point collaborative program with ICARDA (a) collaboration on cereal improvement through a joint nursery of elite materials from both institutions, (b) organization and implementation of joint training courses, (c) collaborative/joint research on steppe improvement, (d) collaborative/joint research on water harvesting particularly in the steppe/barley transition and (e) collaboration in the collecting and conservation of genetic resources and particularly in-situ conservation. This program will be discussed once ICARDA's medium-term planning and ER processes are completed. The Panel supports the enhancement of collaboration between ICARDA and ACSAD, where complementarities exist. The Panel notes that cooperation between the centers might be enhanced further in the development of agriculture in marginal lands, water harvesting and range land/pastures (with the involvement of ICARDA in arid areas with 150-200 mm complementary to ACSAD's role). Cooperation also may be expanded to on-farm evaluation of winter cereals on a larger scale, as well as training in areas of mutual interest.
ARINENA (Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in Near East and North Africa)
ICARDA along with ISNAR and FAO, is a sponsor of AARINENA. AARINENA has not been functioning over the past two years and their scheduled meetings have continuously been postponed. Recently, in April 1993, a meeting was held at the FAO Regional Office, Cairo and attended by ICARDA at which it was decided to hold a full meeting of AARINENA in April 1994 to decide on future actions. ICARDA remains supportive of AARINENA in principle, but at present it cannot contribute financially.
FAO Regional Office for Near East (RNEA, Cairo)
ICARDA retains cordial and close working relationships with RNEA and sits on many of the coordinating inter-agency working committees established by RNEA to try to help coordinate agricultural research and development efforts in the region.
ESCWA (UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia, Amman)
ICARDA retains cordial and close working relationships with the joint ESCWA/FAO Agriculture Division. During 1993 a formal agreement will be signed.
CIHEAM (International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, Paris)
ICARDA signed a formal agreement with CIHEAM in February 1989. The centers cooperate in arranging one or two joint training courses each year and the occasional technical workshop.
CIHEAM output is often used in planning, e.g., the inventory of agricultural research in the Mediterranean countries.
ICARDA stands proudly among the family of IARCs supported by the CGIAR and the present responsibility of the DG as Chair of the Center Directors Committee is indicative of the considerable energy ICARDA puts into its many System-wide and inter-center roles. The Center has had active working relationships with several other centers including CIAT, CIMMYT, IBPGR, ICRISAT, IFPRI, ILCA and ISNAR, and discussions with IIMI have just begun.
The relationships with ICRISAT remain excellent. ICRISAT retains a chickpea breeder at ICARDA. The centers have jointly sponsored meetings, and maintain frequent contact in chickpea improvement. ICARDA attributes the good relations to an unformalized but cordial working arrangement.
The Center's close collaboration with IBPGR also has had a long history and will be on-going with the new-named IPGRI. Aspects of this active association are described in sections 2.3.1, 2.4.1 and 3.2.1.
If there is a question of any significant potential concern regarding ICARDA's working relationship with other centers, it probably involves that with CIMMYT. This question relates essentially to the Cereals Program and the current allocation of responsibilities, as described in section 2.3.1.
The Panel is pleased to record that, with one or two exceptions, the poor interpersonal relations and petty rivalries between middle management of the two centers identified by the 1988 EPR have now largely disappeared. This is a tribute to the incoming heads of both programs and to the senior management of both centers. It is evident, however, that at the operational (breeder) level a few anxieties still persist and both centers should jointly address these remaining small areas of concern.
There are inevitably problems in managing at a distance. Clearly, day-to-day management of a scientist must be undertaken at the location at which he or she is operating. It would seem to be advantageous to allow the same line management to be responsible for the annual appraisal review of the scientist concerned, or at least, to have a major input to it.
In the durum program, the work between CIMMYT and ICARDA does not seem to be fully interactive, despite the existence of joint regional nurseries. The contribution of CIMMYT to the earlier development of material released in the WANA region is indisputable. The program based at ICARDA now seems to be capable of producing acceptable varieties (e.g., Lahn) that fit the higher rainfall/irrigated end of the spectrum, as well as working for the lower rainfall regimes.
Some lack of definition of separate objectives for the spring wheat and facultative bread wheat programs in the CIMMYT/ICARDA organization in the WANA region has been discussed in section 2.3.1. Any overlap between the winter and facultative wheat programs is properly a matter for CIMMYT to review. Hitherto, CIMMYT's main impact on bread wheat cultivation in the WANA region has been mainly in the coastal, irrigated spring wheat areas.
Within some countries of the WANA region, and certainly in the host country of ICARDA, there is political pressure to switch some of the durum production into bread wheat. ICARDA will need to monitor this situation and reallocate resources if necessary. The Center will also have to review its responsibility for the Andean barley program, given tighter funding constraints, which raises broader questions of tradeoffs between maintaining a global mandate and/or meeting needs of the WANA region. In addition, budget shortfalls may require ICARDA to reconsider its agreements with CIMMYT and other centers.
ICARDA has contacts and collaborative projects with numerous advanced institutes. Many of these arrangements are flexible and rely on individual contacts. Should the donor community remain so shy of ICARDA, the Center will have to rely increasingly on links to institutes and universities that hopefully will continue to have the resources to make further scientific advances in fields relevant to ICARDA's mandate and activities. This could be construed as ICARDA creatively increasing upstream work despite declining resources. At the same time, better opportunity is created for advanced institutions (a) to bring some of their work to a strategic and applied level of research application and (b) to make more of a contribution than might otherwise be possible towards development efforts in the less-developed world.
The scope of such arrangements is wide in disciplinary, thematic and geographic coverage (ICARDA Annual Reports), and it is not within the capabilities of the Panel to subject even a small fraction of the collaborations to any real scrutiny. It observes that, through such collaborations, for instance, ICARDA strengthens its very modest biotechnology capacity. Given the personal and individualistic nature of most of the arrangements, and their importance for fostering the "invisible university of agricultural science," members of ICARDA's research staff could perhaps be more explicitly recognized for their "scientific entrepreneurship" in forging and collaborating in such links. It may be that the emphasis on publication in scientific journals already does this sufficiently, albeit indirectly.
In recent years, ICARDA has become increasingly concerned about its public image. Part of the Center's rationale to establish Regional Coordinator offices throughout the region was to develop closer partnerships with NARSs and, in so doing, to promote ICARDA's image. It is the Panel's impression that ICARDA is held in high esteem throughout WANA. At the global level, ICARDA presents itself quite well. Its wide-audience publications are professionally prepared. However, the Panel is conscious that ICARDA, along with the other CG centers, faces increasing competition from the proliferating number of organizations seeking funds for research and conservation activities relating to the environment. This is occurring at a time of financial temperance within the donor community and highlights the challenge to ICARDA to impress potential donors. ICARDA's desire to communicate effectively with its major audiences is reflected in the quality and professionalism it seeks in its publications such as the Annual Reports and yearly Highlights. The Center is also targeting publications at specific donors, such as the recent publications Australia and ICARDA and The United States and ICARDA.
On balance, the Panel was quite impressed by the high esteem in which ICARDA is held throughout its mandate countries. The Panel's impressions are based on its country visits, the survey of ICARDA's clients, interviews with Regional Coordinators and outposted research staff and relevant reports. Equally, the Panel observed in each of the outreach programs that the Center is seriously attempting to help its NARS partners on a broad front and that it has developed, and is constantly attempting to improve, a genuine dialogue with the NARSs as to their needs and how ICARDA can best serve these.
Because of the broad regional mandate of ICARDA and its limited resources, the focusing of outreach programs is especially important. In the opinion of the Panel, however, some of the outreach programs are not well focused. This concern relates particularly to the Highland and West Asia Regional Programs. In the latter Program, ICARDA is involved in some activities for which it has little expertise. With respect to the Highland Program, ICARDA is in danger of being used to seek solutions to national research issues that the host country has not yet chosen to address, perhaps because of problems arising from the remoteness of a major part of the target region. For an outreach program to be successful, it is vital that the NARSs concerned are fully committed to it. Related to this issue, the Panel urges that ICARDA establish and use an explicit set of criteria to determine the acceptability of projects in order to guide its participation in specially funded projects.
It is generally recognized that the commodity programs in cereals and food legumes, which lead to the development of varieties that can be of direct benefit to farmers, have so far had a greater impact in the regions than the products of PFLP or FRMP. Data on the number of varieties released by the NARSs, however, are more readily available than those for areas cultivated, which reduces the certainty of assessing impact. In terms of socioeconomic activity, there is considerable but uneven representation throughout the regions. A problem here is that there are few socioeconomists in national research institutes so that collaboration is then restricted to university contacts. Furthermore, the NRM element of FRMP is generally poorly institutionalized by nations in the region.
ICARDA staff posted to outreach programs play visible and essential roles for ICARDA. Their postings can create personal hardships and professional isolation, and they need to be assured that their career progression will not be adversely affected as a consequence. The Panel suggests that ICARDA establish guidelines for the rotation of staff between headquarters and the regions. Other incentives such as priority in the award of sabbatical leave should also be considered.
Some NARS staff spend time at ICARDA on sabbatical studies and, where they can be conveniently accommodated within the research programs, this practice should be encouraged, provided that the projects chosen are related to a subject of high-priority interest in the Center. Normally, this arrangement for sabbaticals would be supportable only through special project funding.
If training is done well it might be ICARDA's enduring contribution to the agricultural development of the WANA region. Undoubtedly, the image of ICARDA has benefitted already from its training and also greatly from the presence of the Regional Coordinators and outreach scientists. Its profile has been perceptibly raised in some cases where it was not hitherto prominent. The Regional Coordinators encountered by the Panel have proved excellent ambassadors for ICARDA.
The networks sponsored, supported and participated in by ICARDA are many, differing in research function (Table 3.1), and are central to a cost-efficient approach to an ecoregionally focused center with active engagement in a diverse set of NARSs. ICARDA is working hard to make these networking activities "work" well, and so too are some of the partner NARSs.
Plurality of approach in networking arrangements is probably a positive feature and is one on which ICARDA scores well. Just how effectively they operate is a relevant question to which a reasonable answer can only be found after considerable investigation that was beyond the Panel's resources. It did, however, form a generally positive view of the professionalism and seriousness of ICARDA's commitment to these endeavors. Especially for some of the long-term examples, such commitment is vital to ultimate achievement, and the Panel trusts that requisite resources will continue to be applied.
