The Panel Chair attended the IRRI Board meeting from 7 to 12 April 1997. The Chair, together with the Panel Chairs of IFPRI and CIMMYT External Review Panels, attended a two-day briefing and discussion meeting in London on 10 and 11 May 1997, with the TAC Chair and staff from the TAC and CGIAR Secretariats. The purpose of the meeting was to brief the Panel Chairs on the review process and to initiate discussion of the key issues to be considered by the respective Panels.
The whole Panel visited IRRI Headquarters from 9 to 17 September 1997 for the initial phase to familiarize itself with the Institute. The visit was timed to coincide with the IRRI Board's Executive Committee and Programme Committee meetings. The Panel members interacted with the Board members, Management, and staff, including representatives of the various staff associations and the spouse employment committee. The Panel also met with directors of national programmes from the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, and Bangladesh, who had been attending a workshop at IRRI, and with the Director of PCARRD and the Chancellor of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños. On 17 and 18 September, a subpanel visited the national rice programme, Philrice, in Munoz.
In November 1997, two Panel members met with the ICAR Director General, the Director of the national rice programme in India, and some leading rice scientists in India From 4 to 16 January 1998, one subpanel visited India and another subpanel visited Vietnam where they met with IRRI field staff, national programme scientists, and government officials. Prior to the main phase, the Panel Chair and a Panel member communicated with the Board Chair and Board members.
The whole Panel returned to IRRI Headquarters on 26 January 1998 for the main phase of the Review, Panel members interacted with management and scientific staff, individually and in small groups, and also met with the nationally recruited staff and IRRI trainees. Two Panel members met with the external auditors, and the Panel Chair and a Panel member met the Philippines Under Secretary of Agriculture.
The drafts of the report were shared with the Interim Director General for comments. On 13 February 1998, the final Report of the Panel was presented by the Panel Chair to the Board's Executive Committee and IRRI Management, and subsequently to the staff.
