CGIAR International Centers Week, Washington, DC, October 28-November 1, 1991: Summary of Proceedings and Decisions

Abstract

Summary report of the annual meeting of the CGIAR held October 28-November 1, 1991, in Washington DC. Wilfried P. Thalwitz presided and was the principal speaker at a 20th anniversary symposium held in place of the usual Crawford lecture. The Group approved the nomination by World Bank President Preston of Visvanathan Rajagopalan to succeed Mr. Thalwitz. Alex McCalla was extended for two years as TAC chair.The Group discussed a TAC working draft on priorities, which considered proportions of CGIAR resources to be spent on various activities, regional priorities, and research needs by agroecological zone. TAC would present a final version at MTM 1992. A second round of five year programs and budgets would follow the Group's decisions on priorities.The Group heard reports from the chairs of the center directors and center board chairs committees, and a discussion paper from the CDC on communications among centers and donors. It approved the steps taken by ACIAR toward setting up a forestry research entity within the CGIAR, to be named, after a later canvas of members, the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). Presentations were made by ten centers. The Group approved programs and budgets for 17 centers for 1992. Donors pledged $6 million less core funding for 1992 than the estimate for 1991, $10 million less for the 13 existing centers, and an increase of $4 million for CIFOR and the three new centers. An oversight committee chaired by the World Bank would review the allocation of the reductions.The mandate of BIOTASK was extended for a year. The Executive Secretary reported on CGIAR participation in preparations for UNCED. Members received views from center directors on intellectual property. They decided to discuss these in their capitals, and respond to the CGIAR Secretariat. Annexes: agenda and list of participants.