CHAPTER 3 - PLANNING AND PRIORITY SETTING IN ICRAF: LINKS TO REGIONALIZATION AND PROGRAMME QUALITY ISSUES
1. The Panel recommends that ICRAF review and update its 1993 Strategic Plan, develop both strategic and medium-term plans for each of the Programmes and Regional Offices and use these as the basis for annual planning.
2. The Panel recommends that ICRAF do a systematic analysis within the year of the factors associated with successful and unsuccessful operation in the regions that draws out the lessons for an updated set of guidelines for management of the regional programmes.
3. The Panel recommends that all IRS and senior nationally recruited staff take part in regular training courses on creating working partnerships, of working in teams and on recognizing the influence of personality and of cultural differences in relationships.
4. The Panel recommends that ICRAF further develop the research and training needed in the area of vegetative propagation and nursery management and establishment.
CHAPTER 4 - THE RESEARCH-DEVELOPMENT CONTINUUM: ICRAF LINKAGES AND CAPACITY STRENGTHENING
5. The Panel recommends that ICRAF develop an area of identifiable activity and develop greater capacity at headquarters related to research on dissemination methods and techniques within Programme 4.
6. The Panel recommends that ICRAF pursue the establishment of activity and expertise at headquarters in the areas of market development research and strategic planning for value added activities (including the process of identifying, choosing and developing appropriate post-harvest technologies).
7. The Panel recommends that ICRAF craft a strategy, operational policies and associated guidelines on partnerships that go beyond its current policy guidelines and that these new statements be based on the results of a thorough analysis of ICRAF's partnership experience. Special attention should be given to the pathway for NARS strengthening and to ways to handle differences in organizational culture.
8. The Panel recommends that ICRAF establish a visiting scientist scheme to attract postgraduate researchers and mid-career scientists to work with the Centre's cutting edge scientists.
CHAPTER 5 - GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
9. The Panel recommends that:
a) The board strengthen its programme oversight by increasing the frequency of Programme Committee meetings, becoming more proactive in setting its agenda and seeking appropriate documentation from management; andb) The board institute a formal procedure to schedule and commission Centre-Commissioned External Reviews and to discuss these, other external review reports and management's responses.
10. The Panel recommends that management restrict initial contracts to between three and five years, with the possibility of renewal and without the current ceiling often years.
