An Update on Implementation of CGIAR Reform

Steady progress continues in implementing CGIAR reform. In recent months the Consortium of the CGIAR Centers was formally established, the first Funders' Forum accepted the Strategy and Results Framework, and the Consortium Board and the Fund Council each held their second meeting to advance their consideration of Mega Program proposals. Inger Andersen was appointed the new Fund Council chair, and the recruitment of the Independent Science and Partnership Council continued. Soon, all the elements of the new CGIAR will be in place, and new research programs will be under way.

Consortium Established
The Consortium Board met for the second time on 24-26 May in Rome, Italy, to consider, in preparation for the upcoming meetings of the Funders' Forum and the Fund Council, the Strategy and Results Framework, Mega Program concept notes, and proposals for fast-tracked Mega Programs. The Consortium Board submitted one Mega Program, the Global Rice Science Partnership, to the Fund Council for its consideration, approved the development of an additional 11 Mega Program proposals, and commissioned two scoping studies on gender and crosscutting issues regarding genetic resources.

By June 2010, all 15 CGIAR Centers had signed the Constitution of the Consortium of the CGIAR Centers, officially establishing this new body. In May, with the Consortium soon to be established, its predecessor, the Alliance of the CGIAR Centers, held its final meeting and officially disbanded. The personnel of the former Alliance Office now act as the interim Consortium Office.

The search and selection process for the Consortium chief executive officer (CEO) is under way, with the announcement of the CEO anticipated in early September. Prospective host countries have all submitted bids to host the Consortium Office, and a decision on its location - in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Montpellier, France; New Delhi, India; Rome, Italy; or Nairobi, Kenya - is expected in late August or early September. The Consortium is seeking the status of an international organization with its own legal standing under international law and hopes that this status can be secured in 3-6 months.

Inaugural Funders' Forum and Second Fund Council Meeting Held
The inaugural CGIAR Funders' Forum took place on 15 July 2010 in Rome, Italy, in conjunction with the second CGIAR Fund Council meeting on 14 and 16 July. The Funders' Forum brings together all CGIAR donors biennially with the Board of the Consortium of the CGIAR Centers, the leadership of individual Centers and other stakeholders to discuss strategy and common issues. The Fund Council, the decision-making body of the CGIAR Fund, meets twice annually to decide on issues related to the research portfolio and fund allocation and to monitor research and system performance.

A key item on the Funders' Forum agenda was to consider the new Strategy and Results Framework for the CGIAR submitted by the Consortium Board. The forum accepted the framework as a work in progress, but Forum participants agreed on the need for a stronger, more visionary strategy that better articulates what the new CGIAR can achieve, positions the CGIAR within the broader agricultural research community, and provides a solid foundation for developing the Mega Program portfolio. The Consortium Board is leading the revision of the strategy, which will be resubmitted to donors for final endorsement by January 2011. While the strategy is being revised, the development of the Mega Program portfolio will continue, with the approval of Mega Program proposals contingent on the Forum's final endorsement of the Strategy and Results Framework. Click here for meeting documents from the Funders' Forum.

The Fund Council considered the first of four fast-tracked Mega Program proposals, the Global Rice Science Partnership, but was unable to complete a thorough review or decide on the proposal, as members did not receive the proposal sufficiently in advance of the meeting. The Consortium is developing three more fast-tracked Mega Program proposals - on climate change, maize and wheat - for submission to the Fund Council, which anticipates reviewing them for final decision when it next meets in November 2010. Click here for meeting documents from the Fund Council.

New CGIAR Fund Council Chair Appointed
Chairing the Funders' Forum and Fund Council meetings in July 2010 were Katherine Sierra's final acts as CGIAR Fund Council chair. The Fund Council unanimously approved Inger Andersen, World Bank vice president for sustainable development, as the new CGIAR Fund Council chair. In the video interview linked immediately below, Andersen describes her work experience in Africa and the Middle East, as well as her perspective on the importance of strengthening the links between research and delivery to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farm families. Link to video.

CGIAR Fund Establishment Advanced
Progress continues toward establishing the legal framework for the CGIAR Fund through the development of two documents: The CGIAR Fund Governance Framework addresses a number of accountability and operational points, and the contribution agreement between each donor and the World Bank, in its role as trustee, is a template that sets forth the specific modalities of donor contributions and trustee services for the CGIAR Fund as they affect the signatories. An overarching legal document linking the various elements of the new CGIAR system will be explored in the coming weeks. Funding for the CGIAR in 2011 is anticipated to build on the historical upward trajectory of contributions, with total funding to the CGIAR in 2010 and 2011 increasing steadily beyond the 2009 level of US$606 million. In 2011, an estimated US$360 million will be channeled through the new CGIAR Fund.

Independent Science and Partnership Council Being Recruited
The Independent Science and Partnership Council is currently being recruited. The council will consist of a chair, four regular members, and the chair of the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment as an additional ex-officio member. The council will provide independent scientific advice and expertise to the Fund Council and the Funders' Forum. More broadly, it will play a vital role in strengthening the productivity and quality of science in the new CGIAR, catalyzing scientific partnerships with other agricultural research institutions, and supporting the CGIAR's important role as an honest broker in global debates.

To learn more about CGIAR reform, visit http://www.cgiar.org/changemanagement/index.html.