TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Donald Winkelmann, Chairman
17 April 1998
Dear Mr. Serageldin,
It is our pleasure to submit to you the report of the Fourth External Programme and Management Review of CIMMYT which was conducted recently by a Panel chaired by Dr. Graham Jenkins of the UK. The Review report and the CIMMYT response to it were considered by TAC at its 74th meeting held in Hyderabad in March 1998. The Panel Chair was present at the meeting, and CIMMYT was represented by the Board Chair and the Director General.
In addition to the Panel's report, there are two attachments to this letter. The first contains the TAC commentary, which summarises the Committee's reactions to the Panel's report and to the response of CIMMYT's Board and management; the second is CIMMYT's response to the review report.
We are pleased with the Panel's favourable Review of the Centre. The EPMR concludes that CIMMYT conducts high quality science, has an impressive record of achievements, and is well governed and managed. TAC supports the Centre's current emphasis on multi-commodity projects. It believes that CIMMYT's emphasis on biotechnology, economics and NRM research can be further exploited to generate increased synergy among its maize and wheat research projects; and that the Centre could further improve its internal priority-setting processes.
We are particularly pleased with the leadership role CIMMYT is playing in the management of intellectual property rights, given the importance of this topic for the System as a whole.
Mr. Ismail Serageldin
CGIAR Chair
World Bank
1818H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC, 20433
USA
355 E. Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501 · (1-505) 988-1284 · FAX: (1-505) 988-1285
· [email protected]
We also note the comments made by CIMMYT on the implications of the CGIAR's new financing arrangements for Centre management and governance, and agree with these in general.
CIMMYT continues to be a high-return investment. We highly recommend that the CGIAR maintain its strong support of this flagship Centre.
Yours sincerely,
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