Dear Colleagues,

As many of you may already know, Robert McNamara, who served as president of the World Bank from 1968 to 1981, died at his home in Washington, D.C., early Monday, July 6, 2009 at the age of 93. I bring this news to your attention because of the central role McNamara played, starting immediately after his appointment as Bank president, in creating the CGIAR to provide adequate financial support for international agricultural research. In a complementary move, McNamara also succeeded in expanding World Bank lending to agriculture in developing countries.

McNamara pursued a vigorous campaign to convince the World Bank's Board and others of the need to promote "the agricultural research of today that will be the foundation of greater agricultural growth tomorrow." He did so at a time of high and unstable prices for staple foods, the result of agricultural stagnation across the developing world.

In confronting a similar crisis today - one greatly magnified by the challenge of climate change - we would do well to reflect on McNamara's vision and determination to bring the CGIAR into being. Our role and relevance live on. But we must renew our commitment to agricultural research, if our efforts to defeat hunger, poverty and environmental degradation are finally to succeed.

The CGIAR celebrates McNamara's legacy of making a real difference in the lives of the poor. May He Rest in Peace.

Sincerely,

Katherine Sierra
Chair, CGIAR