A Reform with "Legs"? – An Interview with the TMT

Ren Wang, Jonathan Wadsworth, Stephen Hall and Mark Holderness, members of the CGIAR Transition Management Team (TMT) meeting in Penang, Malaysia, in March 2009. The strength of this team comes from its collective determination to get this transition work done—and done right—and the diversity of the opinions of its members, each of whom has significant experience working on agricultural research for development.

The TMT is overseeing the process that is articulating the next level of detail of the reform and ensuring that each proposed change adds value to a new and improved CGIAR that is more effective in delivering positive development outcomes and higher impacts on poverty and hunger. At the TMT’s recent meeting in Penang, Ellen Wilson, Director of Global Health and Science Team, Burness Communications, interviewed the Team to learn their views on the need for change, their personal commitment to the change process, progress to date, and their vision for the new CGIAR.  Susan MacMillan, Head of Public Awareness at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), created the following summary with photos by Klaus von Grebmer, Director of Communications at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).  Videos of the interviews are available at: http://blip.tv/file/1974286

Question 1: Why are we changing the CGIAR?

	Jonathan Wadsworth, Senior Agricultural Research Advisor to the UK Department for International Development (DfID)   “A mature organization with a mission I believe in is transforming itself for greater impact on problems that matter, problems I am passionate about solving.” I believe in the mission of the CGIAR. I believe the CGIAR has achieved great things in its almost four decades of existence. It’s an organization which has reached maturity. We are up for transformation to do a great deal more—and do it effectively.
	Ren Wang, Director of the CGIAR   ”Change can help us capture the synergy and collective power of the CGIAR.” The world needs an organization such as the CGIAR, devoted to the core business of developing global public goods and strengthening national agricultural research and delivery systems.
	Stephen Hall, Director General of WorldFish and Chair of the Alliance of the 15 CGIAR Centers   "The whole business of doing science becomes easier and simpler when you’ve got clarity around roles ...and how different parts fit together. For me that’s the payoff." What we’re striving for here is to develop the right framework for investing in science, which will include a much simpler and clearer set of reporting lines and frameworks. That’s a huge payoff for scientists. In the same way, we hope to develop within the Consortium the right set of shared services, the right set of platforms to deliver more efficiently and effectively the services everybody working in the CGIAR needs. The key to reducing bureaucracy isn’t just cutting three or four units doing a job down to just two – it is answering three questions. Is it clear what the roles are?  How do they fit together? And how does that deliver value? I think this new model has a much greater chance of getting that right than the current one.
	Mark Holderness   “The new CGIAR is a catalyst for wider change in the global agricultural-research-for-development system.” If we can reposition the CGIAR to be more effective as a partner in development, in working with others to deliver against development objectives, then it can really bring out the value of research in achieving agricultural and rural development, in reducing poverty and hunger. This process is a catalyst for a wider change in the whole global agricultural-research-for-development system.

Question 3: Where are we in the change process?

Ren Wang

“I think we are on track in developing the major building blocks for the new CGIAR.”

We passed a milestone with the unanimous endorsement by all members of the CGIAR, in principle, of the reform plan at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the CGIAR in Maputo, Mozambique last December. Then we set off to implement the change. I think we are on track in developing the major building blocks for the new CGIAR, including establishment of a legally constructed Consortium of the Centers, a new CGIAR trust fund and, to achieve the new vision and strategic objectives of the CGIAR Centers, a Strategic Results Framework linking CGIAR research to big development targets. We are also developing programs to implement the Strategic Results Framework.

Mark Holderness

“We thought last year we'd done the hard part; I think we actually did the easy part last year. Now we have the job of putting the plan into practice.”

Last year we achieved a tremendous amount of coherence. People accepted that there were compromises to be made all round towards reshaping our agendas and institutions. We got common agreement among all the members of the CGIAR, and the CGIAR’s partners broadly agreed on the sort of body that they wanted to work with. Now we have the job of putting that into practice. That means individual scientists, individual departments and individual Centers looking at how they can work differently towards creating a more focused and more development-focused CGIAR.

Jonathan Wadsworth

“We are in the process of making things happen. By the end of 2009, we will have tangible results that people can see.”

The reform process has reached a tipping point. During 2008 we worked hard with a lot of stakeholders through various working groups putting together a proposal for reform, which was approved at the AGM in December 2008. After December we got going quickly with a small TMT to work on ensuring that “the trains are on time,” making sure that this transition really has got the impetus, the momentum and the stamina to keep going for probably what will be a 12-month period to reach clear and observable milestones by the end of 2009. From the value proposition developed by many people around many tables in many parts of the world in 2008, we are now in the process of making things happen. By the end of 2009 we will have tangible results that people can see a changed CGIAR.

Stephen Hall

“Making it work: filling in the detail and then (maybe) drawing breath (for a couple of hours).”

Some key decisions have been made. The broad outlines of how the change needed to look have been defined. But the detail under that’s missing. Where we are right now is setting in motion all the processes that are needed to get that detail. We’ve started to talk about how this new Consortium will work with the people who need to be consulted right now—the directors general and the board chairs of the CGIAR. We’ve started to talk about how this Fund is going to work and to get a sense of the real levels of commitment from donors to align their investments to really make this happen. And we’ve started to assemble teams to think about development of these Mega Programs and the consultations that we need to have with the GFAR community and the rest of our partners to ensure that the strategy we develop and the results we’re trying to deliver really are what’s needed.

Click here to learn the TMT’s responses to two additional questions - What are the challenges of this change process? What is your vision for the CGIAR?
Is there another question you would like to ask the TMT? Please send it to TMT@cgiar.org

Implementing the New CGIAR - Movement on Several Fronts

Over the course of 2009, the key elements or building blocks of the new CGIAR are being developed to bring about the agreed reform. Steady progress is being made on several fronts, and the coming months promise much more activity as the elements begin to take shape. The development of the Consortium is advancing with a draft Consortium framework document, Terms of Reference for the Consortium Board and CEO being prepared by the Consortium Planning Team** through interviews and consultations with Center leadership.  These materials will be vetted by the Alliance at their May 11-13 meeting in Rome and then presented to CGIAR Members at the upcoming 16th Executive Council Meeting (ExCo16) in Cali, Colombia, in early June.

With regard to the new Fund, the CGIAR Secretariat is working with the World Bank to establish a framework for establishing the Fund with the World Bank as the trustee.  Work to date has centered on the internal World Bank mechanics and trusteeship requirements.  The key expectations of the trustee, trusteeship scenarios, the roles and responsibilities of the Fund, the accountabilities of the governing bodies of the Fund, and the responsibilities of the Fund Office are being considered and developed into a draft Fund framework document.  CGIAR Members will gather for an informal consultation workshop in London on April 29-30, 2009, to provide input into the Fund framework document, which will be presented at ExCo16.

The Strategic Results Framework and Mega Programs are being developed. Joachim von Braun, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), is leading a team of six people from the Centers, Science Council and external organizations to prepare a draft of the Strategic Results Framework.   John McDermott, Deputy Director General for Research at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), is leading a team composed of Center staff to create three examples or “mock ups” of Mega Programs. The Alliance will present the draft Strategic Results Framework and Mega Program mock ups at ExCo-16.  From May to October, the Alliance will carry out consultations with Members, Center management and staff, partners and stakeholders to seek input for further development of these elements.  The final draft of the Strategic Results Framework, a description of the portfolio of Mega Programs, and a sketch of the substance proposed for Mega Programs will be presented to the CGIAR at its December 2009 Business Meeting.

A one-day accountability workshop took place in Washington, DC, in early March. The workshop helped develop a shared view on what an accountability framework should mean in the CGIAR context, provided insights into good practices and provided the TMT new insights on how to move forward in designing the accountability framework for the new CGIAR. The accountability framework will describe the relationship between the Consortium and the Fund, and identify key agreements, arrangements, and accountabilities. 

The roadmap to the March 2010 Global Consultation on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD) is being developed by a task force with partner, Member and Center representation to ensure that regional consultations in lead up to the GCARD provide bottom-up input to the reform implementation and that the GCARD process is linked to the CGIAR Strategic Results Framework and Mega Program efforts.  

** The Consortium Planning Team (CPT) comprises Steve Hall (World Fish and Chair of the Alliance Executive), Pamela Anderson (CIP), Robert Zeigler (IRRI), Julio Berdegué (Board Chair, CIMMYT), Andrew Bennett (Board Chair, CIFOR) Guido Gryseels (Board Chair ICARDA and Chair of the Alliance Board) and Anne-Marie Izac (ex officio, Chief Alliance Officer).

Survey Confirms Member Commitment to New CGIAR

In March 2009, the TMT sent a survey to Members to learn their views about the proposed new CGIAR Fund. Of the top 15 contributing Members, who account for 74% of total CGIAR funding, 11 indicated that they will participate in the Fund, and four said they were undecided.  Their participation hinged mainly on Fund design. Thirteen of these Members will be able to make multi-year contributions, ranging from 2 to 5 years and six indicated that increased funding was possible.  Other Members indicated that they were not able to commit to multi-year contributions or to increased contributions to the CGIAR at this time.

Key Events

Being a Part of the Change – Information Flow, Perspectives and Ideas

What are your views on the Change Initiative? The vision for the New CGIAR? Are we on the right track? Now is the time to share your perspective and get involved in shaping the future of the CGIAR. Let your voice be heard!

The Change Blog
The Change blog is a forum for views and news on the CGIAR Change: http://cgiarchangemanagement.wordpress.com/

In March, communications experts from Centers gathered in Penang for a Strategic Communications Workshop to strengthen collaborative communications across the CGIAR. Change communications was on the agenda, and the event coincided with the TMT meeting and provided an opportunity for engagement between the two groups. Visit the ICT-KM blog to get a taste of the lively exchange: http://ictkm.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/finally-a-cgiar-reform-initiative-with-legs/

Contribute to Embracing Change
Embracing Change is an open platform of information exchange on the transformation of the CGIAR. Your contributions are welcome and encouraged. Please send any submissions to change@cgiar.org with Embracing Change in the subject line.

Getting and staying up to speed on the reforms
Are you just tuning in to the Change Management Initiative? Still trying to get a clear picture of what the revitalized CGIAR will look like? There’s more than one way to come up to speed – visit the Change Management website to download the full reform proposal, or read a 2-page summary in the Change Update, or watch A Revitalized CGIAR: The Video, a five-minute video explaining the key features of the reform model. Also, the proceedings of the CGIAR Business Meeting including decisions on the CGIAR reform are available from the CGIAR website: http://www.cgiar.org/meetings/agm08/agm08_business.html

Subscribe to TMT Journal Updates
On April 14 the TMT launched a new way to share information about the transition – the TMT Journal Update. Written by different members of the TMT, the Journal Updates are issued every week or so. If you are interested in receiving these updates, please send an email with the subject line “Subscribe to TMT Journal Update” to TMT@cgiar.org

Change Quote Challenge
Change is “the only thing you can count on”, as the saying goes, and the world is seeing no shortage of change these days. In fact, change is in style. People are talking about change everywhere. Here are a few quotes that ring true on the topic:

What’s the best kernel of wisdom you’ve heard about change? How to thrive in change? Embrace change? If you come across a good change quote, send it to change@cgiar.org and we will feature it in the next edition of Embracing Change.