Thoughts from Inside the Secretariat: Our ISDC Year in Review

An exciting year comes to an end—our first year working for the Independent Science for Development Council (ISDC) Secretariat. It has been a year marked with ISDC’s review of the CGIAR Research Portfolio and the publication of a special issue on inclusive innovation in Agricultural Systems, launched during the ISDC Science Forum. A busy year, but also a perfect one for newcomers to immerse ourselves in the important work of the Council and its contributions to CGIAR.

The year began with ISDC’s first in-person meeting in Kenya. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet the ISDC members in person and interact with CGIAR scientists in the field. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting Kapiti, ILRI’s research center, where we were able to not just learn about all the science but also spot some of the amazing wildlife of Kenya.

The ISDC meeting in Nairobi served as preparation for the independent review of CGIAR’s 2025-30 Portfolio with its 13 Science Programs, Accelerators, and Asset. The review process kicked off in June with interviews to enhance the Subject Matter Expert roster maintained by IAES. By that time, we were determined to find the best expertise to match them to the requirements of the Portfolio. We identified and contracted 39 independent reviewers (long but rewarding summer) that worked with ISDC to prepare the advice to System Council. And we were ready to kick start when we received the proposals in late September.