From: The Secretariat
August 1998
CGIAR Secretariat · Mailing Address: 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. · Office Location: 701 18th Street, N.W. Tel: (1-202) 473-8951 · Cable Address: INTBAFRAD · Fax: (1-202) 473-8110 · E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Fifth External Program and Management Review of IRRI1
1 Extract from Summary of Proceedings and Decisions: Mobilizing Science for Global Food Security, CGIAR Mid-Term Meeting 1998, Brasilia, Brazil.
At a parallel session chaired by Weimin Yang, members discussed the fifth external review of IRRI. Review Panel Chair Bernard Tinker presented a summary of the findings and recommendations. Interim Director General Robert Havener read a written statement from Board Chair R. Rabbinge and presented the center's response. Lucia de Vaccaro presented the TAC commentary, which was followed by a general discussion. Many CGIAR members and IRRI's partners expressed appreciation for the Panel's report and pledged continued support for IRRI's work, which they view as very professional.
Highlights of Panel Recommendations
The Panel made 11 recommendations, which TAC fully endorsed. Highlights include the following:
· combine the three separate rainfed programs into a single program:· design a strategic program on soil carbon nitrogen dynamics;
· strengthen the International Network for Genetic Evaluation of Rice and evaluate the bioinformatics program;
· update the policies on intellectual property rights and the private sector's involvement;
· undertake an annual assessment of performance of the board and director-general;
· strengthen the center's management systems; and
· prepare a capital plan and document future adjustments.
Discussion and Conclusions
The IRRI Board and Management responded to the recommendations. The participants noted the following points with satisfaction:
· IRRI's significant accomplishments;· IRRI's strong emphasis on new developments in biotechnology and rice genomics, and its increasing collaboration with the private sector;
· IRRI's progress in overcoming management difficulties and the early results of the institutional stabilization process;
· IRRI's good financial health.
The participants endorsed the main recommendations of the Panel and:
· concurred with the integration of the three rainfed programs, with special consideration to ecoregional variations;· commended IRRI's decision to modify its intellectual property rights and biotechnology policies in light of changes in the external environment and the CGIAR system;
· urged IRRI to continue to develop new rice varieties that are not only drought and pest resistant, but also have high nutritional content to serve rice producers and consumers;
· supported IRRI's planned study of soil carbon and nitrogen in coordination with other centers;
· encouraged greater focus on training, the social dimensions of research, and strengthened participatory research in cooperation with national agricultural research systems (NARS) and others; encouraged increased support of INGER in partnership with NARS;
· urged IRRI to make greater efforts to maintain institutional stability; and
· suggested regular assessments by the board and director general.
The Group accepted the review panel's recommendations and:
· thanked the panel for its excellent and highly professional work and endorsed its recommendations;· commended the IRRI Board and Management for creating conditions in which high quality research work can continue;
· confirmed full support to IRRI.
