CGIAR’s governance and management structure distributes strategic direction, governing and advisory functions among several entities, reflecting the diversity of stakeholders within the CGIAR System and the critical importance of ensuring that the voices of our partners inform our actions and decisions.

Built on a strong partnership between CGIAR’s Funders and Research Centers, our governance and management structure focuses on enabling Centers and Partners to conduct high-quality research for development based on a solid foundation of clearly defined roles, responsibilities and accountabilities. We are confident that the sense of shared ownership and strong collaboration that exists throughout our governance structure, together with our deep commitment to partnership and transparency, provide maximum opportunity for CGIAR to deliver on its vision and the shared hopes and expectations of the CGIAR partnership as a whole.

For a high-level summary of governance functions in the CGIAR System, please click here.

CGIAR System Council

Representatives of Funders and developing countries meet as a System Council, to keep under review the strategy, mission, impact and continued relevance of the CGIAR System. Read more.

CGIAR System Organization

The System Organization provides governance to the CGIAR System in collaboration with the CGIAR System Council, and  comprises two constituent parts: the CGIAR System Board and the System Management Office. Read more.

CGIAR System Board

The CGIAR System Board is the governing body of the System Organization, and its composition, function and operational procedure are outlined in the Charter of the CGIAR System Organization. Read more.

Executive Management Team

The Executive Management Team (EMT) provides overall coordinated leadership of CGIAR. It is made up of an Executive Managing Director (EMD), Deputy Executive Managing Director, and six Managing Directors:

CGIAR System Management Office

The System Management Office is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the System Organization, providing support to the CGIAR System Board, the System Council and the Executive Management Team, and facilitating collaboration across the CGIAR System to support the fulfillment of CGIAR’s mission and goals. Read more.

General Assembly of the Centers

The General Assembly of the Centers is a forum for CGIAR Research Centers to discuss issues relevant to Centers, including those related to the CGIAR System and the CGIAR System Organization — it is an important linking mechanism for the CGIAR System as a whole. Read more.

Partnership Forum

CGIAR’s Partnership Forum, an innovation introduced in 2016, brings together our diverse group of stakeholders that actively support the CGIAR System to express their views on our operations. Read more.

The following documents are also available:

Integration Framework Agreement

On February 22, 2023, the CGIAR Integration Framework Agreement (IFA) was approved by the boards of all One CGIAR Centers and signed by their Board Chairs.

The IFA, developed by Center Boards and CGIAR leadership, was created to confirm and clarify the path to One CGIAR. Its successful completion paves the way for a united CGIAR to move forward with confidence.

Independent Review of CGIAR’s unified governance arrangements

As called for in the IFA, an independent review of CGIAR’s unified governance arrangements was undertaken during 2023. The overall process was overseen by the Ad Hoc Committee on Governance, and the review carried out by an external specialist consultant firm, Morrow Sodali.

Based on Morrow Sodali’s report, a set of proposed texts to implement the recommendations was developed through a consultative and multi-stakeholder process. The Memorandum setting out these texts was approved by all IFA Parties and the System Council in December 2023, for implementation in 2024.