Bouake, March 1993
WARDA's Board of Trustees and Management jointly present the following response to the panel's report:
Board and Management wish to commend the panel for conducting the review in a highly participatory mode. The panel is also commended for the highly professional and analytical approach they adopted throughout the review. Board and management greatly appreciate the clear and concise summary of their findings, judgements, and recommendations.
This response is divided into two sections viz: (1) responses to the findings and judgements arrived at in answering the five key questions relating to WARDA; (2) responses to the twelve recommendations contained in the report;
(1) The five key questions.
1. With reference to the need for an international effort in rice research in West Africa, the Centre agrees fully with the analysis of the panel, and with their conclusions that the case is convincing. Indeed, both the 1st and second medium-term plans of the Centre, have been developed to respond to the challenges posed by (a) the growing imbalance between supply and demand for rice, (b) the increasing degradation of the agricultural resource base as agricultural production shifts from extensive to intensive land use to meet the increasing demand for food, and (c) the concern for the future well-being of a substantial majority of women in the region who depend on rice not only as a subsistence commodity, but as a source of income.2. With reference to the question of an alternative organizational arrangements for the conduct of rice research in West Africa other than WARDA, Board and management are convinced that WARDA is a uniquely valuable experiment among the international research centres; WARDA was established as the direct expression of the will of West African governments to address one of the region's most pressing challenges. Those same challenges which provided the context and rational for WARDA's strategic plan, developed in 1988, remain virtually unchanged today.
Board and management approach the basic issues relating to alternatives to WARDA in the context of the new mechanisms the Centre brings to the CGIAR effort in the region.
It is our conviction and experience that WARDA's approach to partnership with national programmes can and does bring about a more complementary and efficient sharing of research tasks by allocating responsibilities on the basis of comparative advantage, and at the same time creating and maintaining scientific critical mass at the regional level.
We agree entirely with the panel's clearly positive view of the existence of a Council of Ministers which provides Ministerial level oversight, and indeed also financial contributions from beneficiary countries towards a target proportion of the budget.
3. On the question of the effective governance and management of WARDA, Board and management deeply appreciate the comments of the panel on this issue. In developing WARDA's Strategy and its first Medium-Term Plan, a major challenge for Board and management at that time was to establish a process for change which diagnosed and corrected past institutional weaknesses. A second challenge was to guide the Centre's reorientation and growth in an efficient, coherent and evolutionary fashion, with a commitment to excellence in the management of the organization. We are pleased that the panel has confirmed that the Centre has faced this challenge successfully.
4. On the issue of whether WARDA's Strategy is correct, we are encouraged to find that the panel considers WARDA's goal, operational mandate, programme structure and approach to partnership with national programmes to be moving the evolution of the Association in the right direction. We are, however, acutely sensitive to the fact that proof can only come through the achievement of concrete results.
Considering, however, that this review was conducted only in the middle of the third year of WARDA's 1st Medium-Term Plan, we believe it is reasonable and fair to discuss only potential impact at this time.
In its 2nd Medium-Term Plan proposals, the Centre has specified the target outputs of research in the Continuum and Sahel programs. These targets, though they cannot be predicted with accuracy, provide milestones against which progress can be monitored, and returns to research assessed. At this stage, however, the contributions to knowledge represented by WARDA's research activities can only be projected in terms of the soundness of the WARDA strategy.
5. The panel considered the very important question "Can WARDA deliver?" Board and management take some pride in the fact that the new WARDA has more than once demonstrated its ability to sustain financial hardship. Indeed, this has contributed in a small measure by narrowing the focus in the Centre's programmes. However, the Centre agrees with the submission of the panel that it should not be further required to operate with less than reasonably adequate funding.
WARDA has therefore proposed the implementation of its 2nd medium-term plan with a minimum viable program to be executed by at least twenty one (21) senior staff positions. Thus the highest priority research, training and communications programs will be implemented with core funding at the base envelope set by TAC for WARDA. The next set of priority core activities will be implemented with additional core funding at the level of base plus 10%, and the third level priority activities by complementary funding for core activities.
(2) The following are WARDA's responses to recommendations 2.1 - 4.4:
Recommendation 2.1 The Panel recommends that WARDA take further steps to obtain the cooperation of other institutions such as IFPRI in undertaking research on the effects of markets, infrastructure and government policies on the adoption of improved technology by rice farmers.
WARDA concurs entirely with the panel as to the importance of non-technical constraints to rice production in West Africa. It is highly desirable for WARDA to develop a basic capacity for analyses of input and output markets, infrastructural constraints, and alternative government policies. WARDA's Second Medium-Term Plan has proposed the addition of a policy economist to be based at WARDA headquarters.
But WARDA also recognizes the limitations of conducting policy research in isolation. For maximum impact, research on market and policy issues is most effectively conducted in close cooperation with national policy makers and regional economists, and with institutions specializing in policy issues. Recognizing IFPRI's strengths in food policy analysis, WARDA and IFPRI jointly developed a collaborative research project proposal in 1991. The project made provision for outposting an IFPRI economist at WARDA in Côte d'Ivoire and would have established a regional task force for rice policy analysis. WARDA and IFPRI did not succeed at that time in attracting donor support.
We believe that it is now appropriate to prepare an updated collaborative project and to revive fund raising efforts. Encouraging indications of interest in such work have already been received.
The project would build upon information being generated by a rice sector study to be completed by WARDA in 1994. WARDA will take early steps to explore IFPRI's interest in this endeavor and to prepare the outlines of a collaborative project by fall 1993.
Recommendation 2.2 The Panel recommends that donors enable WARDA to maintain at least a second core scientist position in the Sahel Programme.
WARDA agrees completely with the desirability of maintaining international staff strength in the Sahel Programme at the level of at least two senior scientists. WARDA's Second Medium-Term Plan has proposed introducing an agronomist to replace a rice physiologist in that Program to achieve this by 1994.
Recommendation 2.3 The Panel recommends that WARDA explore with IIMI the possibility of a joint ecoregional initiative in the irrigated areas of the Sahel.
WARDA fully accepts this recommendation. Contacts with IIMI in this regard had already been undertaken as early as 1991, but funding constraints thwarted these efforts. WARDA will take early action to contact IIMI to determine its interest to develop a collaborative research proposal and to jointly seek support under the rubric of an ecoregional initiative.
Recommendation 2.4 The Panel recommends that WARDA intensify its effort to mobilize complementary funding to maintain most of the present Mangrove Swamp Rice Network activities.
WARDA welcomes the panel's support of its plans to obtain complementary funding for support of Mangrove Swamp Rice Network Activities after the termination of restricted funding in mid-1993. WARDA's Second Medium-Term Plan provides for such support under complementary activities.
Recommendation 2.5 Donors should enable WARDA to (a) restore the position of Trainer, and (b) assist NARS to assume responsibility for conducting rice production-related courses.
a) The Center agrees fully with this recommendation. WARDA recognizes the importance of a full time trainer in view of the increasing demand from the NARS partners for training in rice science.The addition of a Trainer will certainly increase the human resources component and strengthen the capacity of WARDA's training Unit. Steps have been taken in 1993 to appoint a trainer for one year with restricted funds from a UNDP supported training and communications project.
b) WARDA is ready to promote devolution of responsibility for conducting rice production-related training to NARS. Recent experience with two countries show clearly that funds are needed to provide backstopping to strengthen the training capabilities of NARS to run training courses. The Center has initiated efforts, in collaboration with certain NARS, to seek funding from in-country sources to support such activities.
Recommendation 2.6 INGER-Africa should be maintained as a unitary Network for the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, sponsored and managed jointly by WARDA and IRRI. The new INGER should be so organized as to meet the specific requirements of WARDA and West African NARS; special arrangements should also be made for the ESCA countries if they so request. The ultimate location of INGER should be in WARDA; the timing of the move should be worked out as part of an overall package that will guarantee the Network's future stability and effectiveness.
WARDA endorses all aspects of the panel's recommendations concerning the future of INGER in Africa. A unitary Network is clearly desirable to ensure close coordination and an efficient flow of germplasm both within and from outside Africa. WARDA accepts the panel's recommendation with regard to special arrangements for ECSA countries. While WARDA's geographic mandate for its second medium-term plan is still West Africa, provision will be made through its task force activities to ensure that ECSA countries benefit from its research activities if they so desire.
The panel's recommendation that special arrangements should be made to meet the requirements of WARDA and the West African NARS is sound. This recognizes the advantages of integrating INGER activities into existing varietal improvement task forces in order to maximize INGER's ability to respond to the specific germplasm needs of different NARS and to eliminate duplication of effort.
We welcome the panel's conclusion that the base location for INGER Africa should be at WARDA's Main Research Station (MRC) in Bouake. Among other factors underlying this conclusion are the concentration of rice researchers in Bouake, ample modern rice facilities at WARDA's Main Research Center (MRC), and the efficient international communication systems in Côte d'Ivoire.
WARDA also welcomes the panel's suggestion that WARDA and IRRI jointly plan a series of interim measures to ensure a smooth transition from the present to the future organization. Recent discussions with IRRI authorities have laid the groundwork for this transition. WARDA is seeking agreement with IRRI on the following issues:
(1) WARDA complementary funds can be combined with IRRI core funds to support a strengthened INGER program throughout Africa over a three year transition period beginning in 1993.(2) coordination during this three year period will be provided by the IRRI liaison scientist currently serving as the INGER coordinator.
(3) the current INGER coordinator would move to Bouake as soon as WARDA indicates that appropriate facilities are in place.
(4) WARDA and IRRI will jointly recruit a highly qualified regional rice scientist who would serve as a counterpart of the INGER coordinator during a three year interim period, and who would take over leadership for INGER Africa after that period.
(5) INGER activities would be restructured to target germplasm more efficiently to meet NARS needs, and a reduced set of uniform trials would be put in place in well characterized sites to support research on germplasm by environment interactions.
(6) IRRI, WARDA and CIAT would jointly develop a project proposal for long-term funding of INGER after 1996 when responsibility for INGER would be shared by the three centers.
Recommendation 3.1 The Panel recommends that WARDA distribute its internal training effort more evenly between its international and local staff and that managers, at all levels, be made responsible for providing appropriate training opportunities to the staff reporting to them.
The Centre has made only modest progress in the general area of career development and internal training both at the international and local staff level in part because of the short tenure of the present staff.
Plans are being developed to ensure career advancement for local staff during the second Medium-Term Plan period. As the different programs are stabilized, and long-term supervisory positions are identified, career prospects will emerge.
With regard to the possibility of utilizing the Fonds de Developpement de la Formation Professionelle for training actions especially in Côte d'Ivoire, WARDA will seek clarification from the Ivorian Government on ways to derive benefits from this scheme.
Recommendation 3.2 The Panel recommends that WARDA make systematic efforts to recruit qualified women, especially for senior positions.
The Centre agrees fully with the panel that it has not done as well on gender distribution as it has on nationality distribution. The recent loss of one senior and one middle-level female has also contributed negatively to an already serious situation.
The Centre plans to strengthen further its systematic recruitment targeting to attract qualified women for middle-level and senior positions. Moderate success has been recorded in this direction with the recruitment of two (2) middle-level women for positions in the Women Trainers Internship Programme.
Recommendation 4.1 TAC, the CGIAR and the donor community in general should reaffirm their support for WARDA, and their determination to keep it going as a viable international centre. Sympathetic consideration should be given to the specific recommendations in this report which would lead to strengthened support for WARDA programmes.
WARDA's Board and management would like to record once again their appreciation for the strong support from TAC, and the donors during the Centre's very difficult transition period. The Centre is particularly grateful to the panel for the level of sensitivity with which it has approached the important question of funding for WARDA in the future.
It is envisaged, that this very positive report and the critical evaluation of the Centre which it contains, will add the required credibility to the assessment of WARDA by its current and prospective donors. WARDA hopes that it has justified the call for strengthened financial support.
Recommendation 4.2 The Panel invites the WARDA Member States, through the Council of Ministers, to take urgent steps to bring their contributions to the WARDA budget up to the target level of 5% of operating funds.
The Centre will continue to attach significance to the moral, material and financial support from the immediate beneficiaries of its research, training and communications activities, i.e. the Member States.
With the added credibility that this report provides, management will now seek to further strengthen this relationship, and increase its fund mobilization efforts among the Member States. The Centre believes that the existence of a strong partnership with national programmes has and will continue to encourage Member State governments to meet their obligations to WARDA.
Recommendation 4.3 WARDA should systematically promote the concept of an open centre, with a view to associating a broader range of institutions with its work.
In developing its Strategic Plan in 1988, the Centre recognized that it was only one of a number of organizations and institutes concerned directly or indirectly with increasing rice production in West Africa. Since the region's rice producing environments and production constraints were extremely varied and complex, WARDA had proposed fairly broad collaboration to enhance the potential for impact.
Thus, in the intervening years, from the transition period through the first three (3) years of the implementation of the First Medium-Term Plan, the Centre has actively sought collaboration with, and the contributions of scientists and other professionals from national programmes, sister CGIAR centres and advanced research institutions in industrialized countries.
There is already an impressive roster of joint activities now being implemented through the Task Force mechanism, with participation by scientists from NARS programmes and advanced research institutions. The Centre is convinced of the tremendous potential of this model for cooperation, and is encouraged by the response from current and prospective partners.
WARDA has therefore proposed that in its second Medium-Term Plan period, it will increasingly take on the character of an open centre. This means that the Centre will provide a permanent institutional framework to focus the efforts of a range of collaborators working together in partnership. The unifying factor will be that all participants will contribute to solving priority problems identified through a rigorous priority setting exercise.
In developing the Open Centre concept, WARDA is sensitive to the need for it to have within its own programmes, a nucleus of core scientists and activities around which broadened programmes may be developed. WARDA is aware also of the need to avoid "overloading" the core activities.
Although some loss of total control of the direction of certain programmes is inevitable in an Open Centre structure, this is not at all a negative consequence since the sharing of responsibility and control is an integral feature of an Open Centre.
Recommendation 4.4 WARDA should take the initiative for developing a joint research project with IITA for inland valley ecosystems in West Africa.
WARDA endorses the panel's recommendation that the most efficient approach to conduct research on inland valley ecosystems is through a collaborative project with IITA, and that WARDA should take the initiative in this effort. WARDA's second Medium-Term Plan proposals call for 5.5 core senior scientist years plus 5.4 collaborating scientist years allocated to research on lowland rice systems in the Continuum Program. Combined with the 4.5 scientist years projected in IITA's Medium-Term Plan for its Inland Valley Program, this represents a critical mass of researchers adequate to achieve early and significant impact in these high potential ecosystems.
Fortunately, good progress has already been made in developing a base for collaboration. WARDA and IITA are currently working together with the Agricultural University of Wageningen and with the Winand Staring Center in characterizing continuum environments with a focus on inland valleys. This work is being supported by the Government of the Netherlands, with funds being administered by WARDA. In mid-1993, a joint proposal will be developed by the four institutions for longer-term "program" support of the development and testing of improved inland valley technologies. WARDA will again play a lead coordinating role, and will facilitate early involvement of national scientists through the formation of an inland valley task force.
