This is the Report of an External Review Panel appointed to evaluate the programme and management of the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). The membership of the Panel and their backgrounds are given in Appendix I. The Terms of Reference for this First External Programme and Management Review (EPMR) of CIFOR are shown in Appendix II.
Although the antecedents of CIFOR can be traced back some 15 years before its formal establishment in 1992 (Appendix III), the Panel recognized that a First EPMR does not have the advantage of earlier reviews for general comparison nor for assessing progress in specific areas. It noted that CIFOR had commissioned several internally managed external reviews and responded to them. The Panel found one of the external reviews particularly comprehensive and useful as background information (Appendix IV).
The Panel approached the EPMR exercise as a joint effort by Panel members and CIFOR staff to sharpen the focus and strategic definition of CIFOR's activities; to further strengthen CIFOR's reputation within the CGIAR and outside it; to enhance its partnership and policy roles; to increase the efficiency of use of its financial, physical and intellectual resources, and to assist in the confirmation and promulgation of its research input/output/impact/outcome pathways at a time of rapid change in the practices and politics of the management of natural resources. The Panel chose to approach the Review in the light of CIFOR's current programme (Appendix V), organizational structure and modus operandi.
The EPMR Panel thus took a process approach to the Review of CIFOR, recognizing the need for the Centre to respond to needs and changes while at the same time setting a firm foundation for it to meet its objectives of good science, sustainable forest management, policy advice and capacity building. The Panel interviewed virtually all CIFOR senior staff (Appendix VI), and one member met most Board members individually. The Panel also sought the views of CIFOR partners through a survey letter to all CGIAR institutions collaborating with CIFOR, and to all CGIAR Members and Regional Representatives. Three Panel members separately visited partner institutions and scientists in India, Latin America and Southern Africa. Some Panel members also met with national programme representatives and government officials in Indonesia. The itinerary of the Panel is shown in Appendix VII.
Finally, the Panel examined all published and internal documents produced by CIFOR staff and committees and by many collaborators; this material included paper and electronic reports, databases and computer software packages. A list of documents used by the Panel is shown in Appendix VIII.
