At the System level of CGIAR the overarching concern is whether all Programs and Platforms have well-functioning and transparent management and governance systems in place that carry out high quality results based management (RBM). This assurance is vital in order for System Funders to contribute pooled funding with confidence that will be used well in any part of the System. This is the rationale behind the introduction of new Program Management Performance Standards for CGIAR in 2018.

The standards are innovative in that they focus program efforts in each business cycle on a limited number of well-defined high-priority areas identified jointly by key stakeholders. These standards complement the more complex analysis carried out in independent appraisals and evaluations. They highlight key aspects of management, and provide a strong incentive for managers to fix any problems within the business cycle because these must be addressed before Programs can be considered for funding for the next business cycle.

Following a consultative process across CGIAR and its Funders, an initial six standards, and draft assessment criteria were approved in December 2018 for the current business cycle (2019-21). These include standards for the approval of grants and allocation of funding; financial management; transparent documentation; quality of results reporting; and the identification of gender relevance of research. The criteria for the standards are to be piloted in 2019, with an official assessment in 2020, which will feed into decisions on the next business cycle.

This performance report, and the data collection and assessment undertaken as part of the reporting process respond to two standards in particular:

Performance standard 2: correct reporting of gender within the research portfolio.

• This standard aims to ensure that CGIAR is recognized as a global leader for the science of gender in agriculture, and the integration of high-quality gender research throughout the CGIAR research portfolio.
• In this report there is a dedicated section to reporting on integrating gender and equity into CGIAR research for development.

Performance standard 5: Program reporting to CGIAR (annual reports, Common Results Reporting Indicators, Outcome Impact Case Reports) is of adequate quality and the evidence presented is properly archived, linked and accessible.

• This standard aims to provide assurance to Funders and other stakeholders that CGIAR results reporting is of high quality and credible and supported throughout by high quality evidence.

The data presented in this report were assessed at several levels to assure quality: by Flagship leaders, by CGIAR Research Program Management Units, by Management Information System (MIS) managers and by a quality assurance team. See Appendix A for more information on data collection and methods.

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