This is the Report of the Fifth External Programme Review (EPR) Panel appointed to evaluate the programme and programme management and oversight of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). The membership of the Panel and their backgrounds are given in Appendix I.
Before appointing the full Panel, the Panel Chair was briefed by the interim Science Council (iSC) Chair, Emil Javier, and the iSC Secretariat. The briefing included a discussion of the Terms of Reference for this EPR and the revised Guidelines for the review process (Appendix II) as well as issues which the iSC considered important. In conducting the Review, the Panel was requested by the iSC to interpret the Terms of Reference and the Guidelines in the light of the new CGIAR focus on science relevance and quality, the new monitoring and evaluation approach proposed by the iSC, and the need to streamline and reduce the cost of the review process.
As a result, the Panel composition and size were specifically defined for the purpose of this EPR. This was followed by a design visit of five days to ICRISAT HQ in March 2003, which coincided with ICRISAT Board meeting, when the Panel identified the key issues facing the Institute, and decided not to add to the Panel composition. Although, there was originally a provision for an additional Panel member and two consultants, none were appointed as result of the appraisal during the design visit. Further, field visits were kept to a minimum necessary and undertaken by two Panel members visiting the ICRISAT team in West Africa, and one Panel member and the iSC Secretariat resource person visiting the ICRISAT teams in Southern and Eastern Africa. A new feature introduced in this review was the virtual mode of working, curtailing the length of the main phase visit by half. All of the above measures were introduced to reduce costs and minimize disruption of work at ICRISAT while maintaining the credibility and objectivity of the evaluation.
During the design visit, the Panel received briefings from and interacted with senior management and staff. The Panel attended the meetings of the Board and of the Programme Committee and the Technology Exchange Committee of the Board, and had a special session with the Board on issues and challenges facing ICRISAT. Subsequently, the Panel worked in a virtual mode from home bases until the main phase visit to ICRISAT HQ from 16 to 25 June 2003. During the main phase visit, the Panel worked electronically, thus minimizing the need to produce hard copies. The Panel completed its report by the end of the main phase visit, and presented the main findings and recommendations to the management and staff before departing.
The information on which the Panel based its decisions regarding the key concerns and issues, and its assessments and conclusions were gathered in a number of ways. These included: visiting the Institute's HQ for the design visit and main phase visit and interacting with the Board, management and staff; visiting ICRISAT's regional teams in West Africa, Eastern Africa and Southern Africa; meeting and interviewing ICRISAT's collaborators in the North and the South, including half a day roundtable meeting with a range of national collaborators in India; identifying important issues and obtaining information through a survey letter to all CGIAR institutions collaborating with ICRISAT, and to all CGIAR members and regional representatives. Further, both the iSC and the ICRISAT Board and management raised issues that they considered important for the review. The Panel itinerary is given in Appendix III.
The Panel had access to documents and data made available by ICRISAT in advance, during the virtual phase and during the main phase visit. The Panel also asked ICRISAT to prepare specific documents in advance of the design visit, including a document on the management of relevance and quality of science at ICRISAT.
The iSC Secretariat was responsible for execution of the review under the oversight of the iSC. The Secretariat provided: documentation covering different aspects of the CGIAR System; a Panel Secretary/Resource Person to the Panel; logistical and administrative support; and secretarial assistance. A list of documents given to the Panel is shown in Appendix IV. One of the documents provided by ICRISAT was the response of the Institute to the recommendations of the Fourth External Review, which is reproduced together with the Panel's comments in Appendix V.
