Message from the Chairman and Director

Dear Colleague:

We are pleased to present you with "CGIAR News," the fall/winter edition. For your convenience, an e-version is also available at www.cgiar.org

This issue provides an overview of the various events and significant outcomes of Annual General Meeting 2003 (AGM03), hosted by the Government of Kenya at the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON).

The meeting was a landmark event, the first Annual General Meeting held in Africa. We believe it will not be the last.

Innovation is a maxim that best describes AGM03. In consultation with CGIAR Centers, Members, and Partners, the format of the meetings were designed to maximize interaction and cross-fertilization of ideas while making sure that the business of the CGIAR progressed. We pay tribute to our colleagues at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), ILRI and World Agroforestry Centre for ensuring the smooth conduct of the meetings. A revamped program of field visits allowed stakeholders to view first-hand the beneficial impacts of research efforts by CGIAR and partners. A new Science Council has been appointed. The reform program is on track. An Innovation Marketplace was launched, and a CGIAR Ministerial Roundtable was held. In a growing signal of confidence in the CGIAR, we welcomed the Gulf Cooperation Council as the 63rd Member. And, for the first time ever, the CGIAR financing plan topped $400 million.

Through these pages, we are delighted to share these good tidings with you. We hope these are of interest and would welcome comments which may be sent to cgiar@cgiar.org.

With best wishes for the upcoming holiday season.

Cordially,

Ian Johnson CGIAR Chairman

Francisco Reifschneider CGIAR Director