March 2004 CGIAR and Parliamentarians Over 40 Ugandan Members of Parliament, State Ministers, and farmers met CGIAR researchers from eight Centers to learn more about CGIAR's research-for-development activities and explore collaboration for improving nutrition, food, and income security to benefit Uganda's farmers. AGM 2004 in Mexico The 2004 Annual General Meeting (AGM2004) will be hosted by the Government of Mexico and CIMMYT and held in Mexico City. The AGM and associated meetings will take place October 25-29, 2004. New Center Directors Meet our two new Center Directors. CGIAR at ESSD Week ESSD Week is a premier learning event hosted annually by the World Bank's ESSD Vice Presidency, bringing together staff from three families: agriculture, environment, and social development. CGIAR featured prominently in the week's activities to showcase impacts of research by CGIAR Centers and contributions to the larger sustainable development agenda. Update on ISNAR Transition Key elements of the ISNAR mandate continue in the form of the new ISNAR Program, although all program work within ISNAR as a CGIAR Center will have ceased on March 31, 2004. Critical project work of ISNAR is continuing under IFPRI's new ISNAR program CGIAR Wins Development Marketplace Awards Two grassroots development innovations, from World Agroforestry Centre and Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Research (CIRNMA, a CIP collaborator), were among the finalists chosen in "Development Marketplace 2003," a global competition sponsored by the World Bank. Stagnating Rice Sector Speaking at the launch of the "International Year of Rice 2004," and making the case for increased investments in rice research, Ronald Cantrell, Director General, IRRI said: "Achieving at least two of the eight Millennium Development Goals heavily depends on continued and strengthened research efforts to help farmers grow rice more efficiently, profitably and sustainably." Convention on Biological Diversity (COP7) Diverse diets are good for human health and nutrition, and healthy people who value the diversity that surrounds them are more likely to preserve it. This was the overarching theme of a keynote speech delivered by Emile Frison, director general, IPGRI, on behalf of the CGIAR to the 7th Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Malaysia. New Science Council Established || Meet the Science Council Chair Following an extensive global search, a distinguished group of scientists have been appointed to the Science Council of CGIAR. New GRPC Established The new Genetic Resources Policy Committee (GRPC) met at IPGRI during February 16-18, 2004. Public-Private Partnerships Usha Barwale-Zehr, Chairman, CGIAR Private Sector Committee (PSC) briefed a group of CEO's and business leaders from the agricultural sector about the ongoing CGIAR reforms at a meeting held at the World Bank. ICT-KM at CGIAR CGIAR's Information and Communication Technology-Knowledge Management (ICT-KM) program received a major boost with a $5 million investment plan supported by the World Bank. Research in Aral Sea New IWMI research shows that if part of the saline, rice-producing areas in Central Asia's Syr Darya Basin were taken out of production, it would be possible to double the flow of water into the dying Aral Sea. CIFOR Helps Reduce Illegal Logging Illegal logging in Indonesia costs the Government up to $3 billion a year in lost tax revenues. Turtle-Friendly Fisheries Over the last decade nesting populations of critically endangered Pacific leatherback turtles have crashed, and the survival of this species is threatened by local and global impacts. The Triumph of Partnership - Legume Improvement in Bangladesh Lentil, usually served as dhal with rice, is considered "poor man's meat" in Bangladesh due to its high protein content. Global Meeting of Parliamentarians The CGIAR participated i the 5th annual meeting of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNOWB) held in Paris, France. New Rice for Africa A remarkable partnership between African food scientists and farmers working to improve the world's leading food crop - rice - is spelling hope for thousands of farmers south of the Sahara.