2006 System Office Annual Report

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) virtual System Office (SO) is composed of nine units, the

• Alliance Office (AO),
• Central Advisory Service on Intellectual Property (CAS-IP),
• CGIAR Secretariat,
• Chief Information Office (CIO),
• Gender and Diversity Program (G&D),
• Internal Audit Unit (IAU),
• Media Unit (established in mid-2006),
• Science Council (SC) Secretariat, and
• Strategic Advisory Service on Human Resources (SAS-HR).

All units work together to provide a variety of services to CGIAR Members and the international agricultural research Centers supported by the CGIAR, as well as to other stakeholders in the following areas:

• strategic planning and development,
• monitoring and evaluation,
• communication and resource mobilization, and
• management services.

Collaborative Highlights in 2006

SO units have worked closely together on several initiatives launched in 2006:

• A meta-review of the 17 Systemwide and ecoregional programs (SWEPs) has been initiated. The review, organized by the CGIAR Secretariat, Science Council Secretariat and Alliance Office, focuses on the overall success of SWEPs; their contributions to implementing CGIAR priorities and knowledge on research management; and institutional factors, governance structures and incentives. The review assesses whether adequate mechanisms are in place for monitoring and evaluation.
• The CIO and the IAU have actively advised and supported the CGIAR Enterprise Security and Business Continuity Project, which aims to develop minimum standards for information technology network security and disaster recovery across the CGIAR Centers and to review vulnerabilities in these areas. This project continues in 2007.
• The Media Unit worked with the CGIAR Secretariat on the media launch of the landmark Comprehensive Assessment on Water Management in Agriculture. The media specialist also helped G&D promote a fellowship program in national media in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
• In collaboration with the Science Council and CAS-IP, the CGIAR Secretariat organized a multi-stakeholder dialogue on hybrid intellectual property regimes in Agriculture. Participants attending the workshop included representatives of the private sector, civil society, World Bank, CGIAR Centers and System Office.
• To support the implementation of the CGIAR's strategy of engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs), the CGIAR Secretariat collaborated with other SO units (e.g., the CIO, SC Secretariat and AO) to organize various events in connection with the CGIAR Annual General Meeting 2006 (AGM06). These events included a virtual discussion with CSOs before AGM06 and, at the December meeting, the Innovation Marketplace and the Civil Society-CGIAR Forum. More than 100 CSO representatives attended the forum.

Additional examples of activities jointly undertaken by SO units appear in the individual unit reports linked on the left-hand side of this page.

2006 Activities, Finance and Key Achievements

This report details services delivered to the CGIAR and Centers (including financial inputs) and the SO summary financial report. In addition, each SO unit reports briefly on three of its major achievements during the year to illustrate the range of activities in which each it is engaged.