Agenda Item 5a Document: SC16-05a.iii Evaluation Management Response Evaluation title: Evaluation of CGIAR Excellence in Breeding Platform Date of Management Response: 20 May 2022 Overall response to the evaluation: We strongly welcome the recommendations and we have provided carefully considered responses to each, balancing our ambitions to improve performance and results with the realities of our financial and staff resources. We fully accept seven of the nine recommendations, and partially accept the remaining two – the only deviation for these two is that we propose that science oversight of GI will be more effective at the Action Area level than at the level of individual Initiatives, in order to promote coherence and cohesion, both conceptually and operationally. In terms of process, the management response has been prepared through a three-week structured participatory exercise with relevant leadership and staff across CGIAR’s Divisions and Centers, under the overall leadership of the Global Director for Genetic Innovation and applying the following principles: 1. We fully accept the validity of the Evaluation and we thank the Advisory Services and the Evaluation teams for their work. 2. CGIAR is a learning organization and we respond in a spirit of openness, engagement, self-reflection, and respect for each other. 3. We focus on the recommendations and our shared future, rather than spending time re-examining or querying the findings. 4. We are producing a collective Management Response, as it’s not only specific Initiatives or teams that need to carry forward the actions and changes – it is all of us in C[GI]AR. 5. We keep this process fully internal to CGIAR until we co-deliver the Management Response alongside the Evaluation to the System Board & Council. 6. We are agile not heavy handed, and deliver the Management Response in under a month. 7. We are committed to delivering the Management Response going forward – and our Portfolio Performance Unit will keep track of how we are doing. Person-in-charge for Follow-up to Management Response: Global Director Genetic Innovation; currently Sonja Vermeulen (a.i.) 1 Contents Recommendation 1 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Recommendation 2 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Recommendation 3 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Recommendation 4 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Recommendation 5 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Recommendation 6 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Recommendation 7 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Recommendation 8 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Recommendation 9 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 2 RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: Recommendation 1 (copied from the Evaluation Report): At the system level, One CGIAR must address issues of “end-to-end” thinking and ensure that the career development of all staff is well managed. a) Units should establish mechanisms for bringing teams and individuals together to ensure trans-disciplinary teamwork, a sense of belonging, and awareness of the big picture and to encourage new ideas, collaboration, and synergies between groups. The risk of a silo mentality is high, particularly for units with wide geographical spread. b) Make available a professional, strategic, and well-resourced HR function to all staff to facilitate mitigating the problems associated with a highly diverse multinational organization. c) Maximize the value of its human resources through the developing career streams that separately identify science and management roles, competencies, and skill level(s), and in particular recognize and reward those with excellence in skills such as breeding as highly as excellence in research outputs. Management Response Fully accepted☒ Partially accepted☐ Not accepted☐ Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Enabling trans-disciplinary teamwork: GI Senior Continuous – with Yes☐ No☒ Activate and maintain mechanisms for Management team annual reporting trans-disciplinary teamwork within and (Global Director through internal GI and with other Science Groups, and 4 Senior mgmt. systems including: (i) annual GI forum (ii) Directors) transdisciplinary webinar series (iii) deliberately shared functions (across GI Initiatives) including partner engagement, communications and MELIA (iv) co-management i.e. common reporting and coordination meetings for GI Initiatives (v) progressively more deliberate strategy-making and coordination across Science Groups, so that GI becomes part of a larger food 3 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? system transformation strategy. b. People and Culture: Establish a Global Director, 2021 through Yes☐ No☒ unified professional, strategic, and well- People and Culture 2024 resourced HR function to all staff across CGIAR. c. Career pathways: This will be a multi- GI staff member or September 2022 Yes☒ No☐ Will require year endeavor. An early step will be to consultant, under for the initial additional (not yet identify our current spread of skills and guidance of Global analysis; 2022-24 budgeted) time / skills needs, figure out how these are Directors GI and for building the funding to map associated career pathways, and P&C, with input wider strategy for undertake the analyze gaps in GI capacities and career from TPMU multiple career analysis. 0.2 FTE pathways / reward systems. pathways for one month. 4 RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: Recommendation 2 (copied from the Evaluation Report): One CGIAR units must set and meet high standards of governance and project management, with clear roles, responsibilities, decision-making, and accountability systems. This should include their independent steering committees, mechanisms to ensure collaboration and teamwork, deliberate change management, and transparency regarding grant-awarding processes. a) Ensure that a strong and independent steering committee are in place from the start of the program, composed of fully independent members with recognized management and scientific expertise. The agreed committee ToR should stipulate providing support to, and oversight of, management. Its ToR should include the review of progress toward and quality of planned results, and assistance with strategic shifts in programs. b) CGIAR units should develop and implement best practice change management approaches, including by ensuring that staff has access to basic training, with deep immersion for those directly involved in designing and managing change. The unit should consider the merits of a separate program management team with specialists in change and program management, focusing on the delivery of larger-scale projects and supporting those working on smaller- scale projects. It should be recognized that those who are excellent in research and breeding may not also have the skills and temperament to lead change management. Ensure that grant-awarding processes are transparent and follow clear guidelines while keeping administrative burdens to a minimum. Management Response Fully accepted☐ Partially Not accepted☐ accepted☒ Management Response (commentary): Management strongly welcomes the recommendations on program oversight and change management, while noting that the oversight of science and management needs to be harmonized with arrangements across CGIAR (hence partially accepted). In June 2022 GI anticipates the launch of an oversight group to provide an advisory function for the whole Action Area, rather than for independent Initiatives (subject to support from the recommendations of the current system-wide review of science oversight). GI anticipates that this group will be very active, meeting monthly and advising widely. Membership tbc. GI fully embraces the need for major investments in change management and organizational development, and commits to actively building new ways of working between GI units, CGIAR breeding programs and NARES colleagues. A strategy will be drawn up and implemented that will include objectives and 5 principles, and actions at the levels of individuals (e.g. mentoring, training), teams and at the whole-system level (culture change). We will consider dedicated staffing and operational structure changes (e.g. dedicated sub- units). In the short term, transparency in funding allocations is a priority for the 2023 FINPLAN, and in the longer term, priority-setting will be progressively more sophisticated and responsive to the needs of poor producers and consumers via the Market Intelligence Initiative. Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Advisory function: Establish GI Global Director June 2022 and Yes☐ No☒ oversight group. GI onwards b. Change management: Prepare and GI Senior Mgmt December 2022 for Yes☒ No☐ We anticipate that implement strategy on change Team (Global full strategy and change management and organizational Director and 4 initial demonstrable management and development, aligned with wider CGIAR Senior progress organizational processes. Directors), development will working closely require substantial with EMT, SLT, investment of Global Director money, time and P&C, and GI expertise. GI leadership in leadership will Centers and strongly advocate lnitiatives for system-wide change management investments to EMT and SLT. 6 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? c. Transparency in funding allocations: Task Team FINPLAN 2023 Yes☐ No☒ Propose a transparent process for convened by (January 2023) and allocation of pooled funding to Center Global Director FINPLANS in breeding programs for the 2023 year. In GI subsequent years the longer-term Market Intelligence will lead prioritization of market segments and breeding pipelines. 7 RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: Recommendation 3 (copied from the Evaluation Report): Successful project planning and management depends on clarity of goals and purpose, a comprehensive results framework based on a theory of change, and integrated monitoring, evaluation, with learning (MEL) mechanisms. The more complex the program, the more important it is to ensure that CGIAR units: a. Clearly define the goal of the unit and its subunits in the chain from science delivery and coordination through to end users and consumers (mainly around decision support services). Develop a corresponding strategy with clear timelines and priorities and ensure strong engagement of downstream stakeholders in the process. b. Develop a clear results framework aligned with the 2022–2030 CGIAR Results Framework. Operationalize by incorporating all levels of results and milestones, from outputs through to impact, based on agreement with CGIAR, donors, and other stakeholders such as NARS. Results frameworks for CGIAR Initiatives should serve as a common reporting framework for all partners, significantly reducing transaction costs. c. Ensure that SMART interlocking objectives with deliverables, covering both science and non-science aspects, are in place for each team and individual, and ensure effective feedback loops for performance management, reporting internally and externally. d. Develop a theory of change and identify assumptions underpinning the proposed levels of change and corresponding milestones and indicators, based on lessons learnt. Donors and other stakeholders should participate in this process to ensure that the ToC covers all evidence-based assumptions and risks considering distinct lessons learnt. All funding sources should be linked to the ToC, and well-integrated into planning and reporting. e. Put in place an integrated monitoring and evaluation system that enables continuous learning, reflection, validation of the ToC, feedback loops among program components, and adaptation of activities based on the learnings. Management Response Fully accepted☒ Partially Not accepted☐ accepted☐ Management Response (commentary): We fully accept this recommendation. Based on a common vision, each unit of the GI Science Group will develop a unit strategy defining goals, priorities, and timelines aligned with the 2022-2030 CGIAR Results Framework. The theory of change will guide the delivery of GI teams along expected results with clear indicators. Annual reflections will be organized to support adaptive management. Key load-bearing assumptions will be tested to provide continuous learning and adjustments for planned interventions. Monitoring systems will support reporting against the CGIAR results framework, with aligned performance metrics for leaders and teams. 8 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Common vision: In the 2022 GI GI Senior Mgmt Once the Senior Yes☒ No☐ Operational funds annual forum, co-develop a common Team (Global Directors are in (e.g. travel, vision and goal for the GI Action Area, Director and 4 post and by facilitation, etc) to that speaks to the CGIAR mission and Senior Directors), December 2022 organize the forum strategy, and is shared across all working with and document participating Centers and Initiative leadership across results need to be leads. Agree KPIs around the vision. GI Centers and found. Initiatives b. Unit strategies: Develop strategy for 4 Senior Directors In tandem with Yes☐ No☒ each GI Unit, with clear forward link to activity above and the CGIAR 2030 research & innovation by December 2022 strategy, that specifies priorities, stakeholder engagement, structures and resources needed to deliver, and success metrics. c. Theory of change: Iteratively develop GI M&E lead and Development Yes☒ No☐ 0.2 FTE/year to and actively use the GI theory of finance staff, December 2022; further develop the change to frame initiative agendas; working with use 2023 through TOC, review progressively align bilateral grants. counterparts 2024 AA/Initiative across GI Centers activities and and Initiatives bilateral portfolio. Time allocated by initiatives team is considered within their current management responsibilities. 9 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? d. Monitoring: Establish and actively GI M&E lead and Development Yes☒ No☐ 0.3 FTE/year and implement integrated monitoring and M&E focal points December 2022; annual meeting evaluation of GI Action Area and use 2023 through operational Initiatives’ theories of change and 2024 expenses to indicators (results framework). establish GI M&E systems and conduct annual review of GI Theory of Change. Time allocated by initiatives team is considered within their current management responsibilities. e. Results framework: Report against GI Senior Development Yes☒ No☐ 0.1 FTE/year to results framework (nested at CGIAR, Management January-June follow up Action Area and Initiative levels) and Team, Initiative 2022; Reporting reporting, iteratively update this framework Leads and M&E 2022 through harmonize data through year-on-year learning on the focal points 2024 and update result theory of change. framework. f. Annual performance metrics: GI Senior Development Yes☐ No☒ Establish annual performance objectives Management Team December 2022; and metrics for leaders and teams in GI, and HR function, Reporting 2023 that are fully linked to the common goal supported by M&E through 2024 of the Science Group and the results focal points framework of the Action Area. 10 RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: The other recommendations below cover the technical/scientific issues with respect to individual CG or NARS breeding programs, and should guide all Initiatives under Genetic Innovations portfolio, including: • Accelerated Breeding, formerly known as Accelerated Breeding: Meeting Farmers' Needs with Nutritious, Climate-Resilient Crops • Genome Editing, formerly known as Accelerated Crop Improvement through Precision Genetic Technologies • Breeding Resources, formerly known as Enabling Tools, Technology, and Services for Genetic Gains • Seed Equal, formerly known as SeEdQUAL: Delivering Genetic Gains in Farmers’ Fields Recommendation 4 (copied from the Evaluation Report): Ensure the new One CGIAR structure encourages and enables strong links between initiatives to ensure that programs and goals reflect all the needs of the pathway from gene discovery to sustainable production systems and food consumption. a. Any initiative-level theory of change should link to ToC of Genetic Innovation Action Area, and be based on lessons learnt, with evidence-based assumptions and risks about spheres of control and influence. b. GI Action area and initiative-level results frameworks should ensure continuity and consistency to facilitate learning, planning and reporting, and, subsequently, evaluability. c. Listen to all CG breeders and implementing partners and ask what they need. Change is built on equal and equitable partnerships built on trust, which takes time and proximity. d. Ensure that breeding programs recognize the need to breed for likely future needs, including the need for climate change tolerance/resilience and better nutritional quality. e. Establish formal mechanisms to monitor that the end-users and most vulnerable and poor are not left behind, in line with an SDG principle. f. Put GI staff on the ground: significant change will be achieved only if GI staff are sufficiently numerous and close to breeders and other stakeholders. Leading and managing such profound changes is rarely successful if conducted from a distance (not necessarily physical, but in terms of mindset). Management Response Fully accepted☒ Partially Not accepted☐ accepted☐ 11 Management Response (commentary): We strongly agree that cultivation of a shared mindset across CGIAR breeding teams is a priority, and needs to be accompanied by joined-up management across breeding programs, geographies and levels in the operational structure, with subsidiarity of decision-making to staff on the ground. For each of the Initiatives, all changes being implemented will be planned by CGIAR staff and implementing partners. Implementers will implement their own ambitions for change and support functions are clear of the changes they’re there to support. Management will offer oversight where necessary (for example where changes being implemented seem not to match the needs and expected outcomes). We agree too that CGIAR breeding priorities must be based on a clear assessment of the diverse future needs of poor producers and consumers – their nutrition and health, livelihoods and incomes, gender equality, and exposure to environmental and climatic risks. Given the long timeframe between product profiling and release/adoption, breeding must, by definition, address future not current conditions. Future-readiness will be a key feature built into our market intelligence work. A very deliberate focus on vulnerable people will be a central part of our approach to distinguishing ourselves from the private sector and delivering on CGIAR’s 2030 strategy. Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Active use of theory of change (ToC): GI Initiative Leads, December 2022 Yes☐ No☒ GI’s ToC framework will be iteratively supported by initially, and then reviewed and refined to further MELIA specialist continuously strengthen links between Initiatives and identify clear handover points between 12 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? successive stages in the pathway from gene discovery to consumption. GI will report against the nested Results Framework on an annual basis. b. Shared mindset: GI plans to put in GI Senior Yes☒ No☐ Operational funds place more spaces for exchange, Management Team (e.g. travel, learning and building of a common (Global Director facilitation, etc) to vision. An annual forum will be held to and 4 Senior organize the forum allow CG breeders and implementing Directors), and and document partners to share their experiences and Initiative leads results need to be change management processes while found. also providing a learning space for continuous improvement. Facilitation and communication specialists will be hired to ensure strategic goals are co-developed and well understood by stakeholders (becoming closer together in terms of mindset). Partners, not just CGIAR staff will be included. Specifically, both CGIAR and (often NARES) implementing partner staff will be involved in visioning and planning, eligible for capacity development and mentorship programs, and co-responsible for internal learning and reporting. 13 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? c. Joined-up management: Strengthen Initiative Leads 2022-2024 Yes☒ No☐ Funding required program management and project under oversight of for strengthening management capacity (through job Senior Directors program mgmt. allocation, training and buying-in of and Global capacity and wider expertise where needed) to ensure that Director GI, with capacity high standards of organizational and support from GI development. If operational effectiveness are in place, Program Manager not available then including processes to ensure clarity of and Project prioritization will objectives, goals, responsibilities and Coordination Unit be required to accountabilities, so that CGIAR staff, (PCU) make greatest partners and stakeholders are close in impact with mindset. Unless there are strong funding available. technical reasons for not doing so, breeding management and operations will be located in the highest impact sub-region, preferably alongside partner NARES. GI will hire a Program Manager to facilitate across-initiative coordination and synergy, and will be supported by the systems of the new Project Coordination Unit. d. Future-readiness: Collect Crop Leads Continuous – with Yes☐ No☒ evidence on future scenarios (major coordinated by annual reporting external factors that shape future needs Accelerated through internal for varieties) to identify future market Breeding WP1 management segments and co-develop Target (Refocus) lead systems. Product Profiles for “game changers” (June 2022). 14 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? that can address underserved Impact Development of Areas such as climate change next versions of tolerance/resilience, better nutritional Target Product quality and gender equality/social Profiles – regional inclusion. Breeding programs will have transdisciplinary all breeding decisions, including teams led by candidate selection decisions, guided by Market Intelligence the Target Product Profile which will be WP1 and WP2 co-developed by breeders and Market Leads. Intelligence. Breeders will have timely market intelligence data specifying the traits that will become important in the future and will be supported to initiate pre-emptive trait discovery and breeding activities. e. Focus on vulnerable people: Market Intelligence Continuous – with Yes☐ No☒ Collect empirical data and develop WP1, WP2 and annual reporting future projections to identify specific WP4 Leads and through internal market segments with highly vulnerable Accelerated management populations and high poverty levels. breeding WP1 systems. Target Product Profiles will be developed (Refocus) Lead for these market segments, which can Breeding according address some of these challenges, and to Target Product pipeline investment cases will be built to Profiles and direct genetic innovation investment targeting breeding towards these market segments. to market segments that will 15 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? Seed Equal will focus on delivery to result in maximum vulnerable groups, undertaking socio- impact across the economic research to test assumptions portfolio – Global on reach to vulnerable and underserved Crop Leads communities, and conducting actions to increase their participation and the Delivery of benefits they derive. WP6 of Seed Equal varieties to (working closely with Market farmers and Intelligence) will develop metrics to demand creation track inclusive (women and youth) leading to adoption access to seed of improved varieties. – Seed Equal Lead. We will explore how seed providers could report against these new metrics, through bench-marking initiatives such Metrics to track as the Access to Seeds Index, to drive access - WP6 Seed positive change. Equal Lead RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: Recommendation 5 (copied from the Evaluation Report): ABI should play a crucial role in further modernizing CGIAR and NARS breeding programs by being the link between upstream disciplines and breeding programs and knowing both in detail. In particular, the ABI must consider the following: a. Target breeding programs that have not yet ‘modernized’ and on consolidating gains from others. The work of EiB is changing the mindset of CGIAR Breeding Programs, requiring follow-up activities. b. Use breeding program assessments to develop modernization strategies, improvement plans, and investment plans. Investment plans should be embedded in tailored, transformative, and integrated improvement plans with 16 clear milestones and results linked to the PRMF and common results framework. Assessments and plans should be followed up and renewed at regular intervals. c. In simulation studies, establish a fine balance between many factors. Theoretical and operational issues typically make a lot of assumptions that do not always hold. While simulation studies can create a lot of value toward the improvement of breeding schemes and approaches, this may not happen without a detailed understanding of each target breeding program. EiB was able to achieve this, and there will be continued need for improved capabilities and capacity to conduct this type of work within CGIAR-NARS partnerships. d. Support the development of trait-specific markers relevant to specific breeding programs (high-priority trait objectives from product profiles) to help increase the adoption of molecular breeding for faster development of market-ready varieties. e. Widen scope in terms of disciplines, add phenotyping technologies and methodologies in addition to breeding operations. Equip breeding programs with highly efficient phenotyping for improved decision-making and higher selection gains. Management Response Fully accepted☒ Partially Not accepted☐ accepted☐ Management Response (commentary): Fully agreed. These recommendations align fully with the plan for the Accelerated Breeding Initiative. We have covered the issues related to common mindsets under Recommendation 4, and here focus on the more technical aspects. Regarding responsibilities, some of the crop-agnostic aspects of capacity development (e.g. crop-agnostic components of phenotyping technologies) will be the responsibility of the Breeding Resources Initiative. This will be done in close collaboration with Accelerated Breeding. 17 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Priority-setting: Development and Development of Yes☒ No☐ Pooled funding is, Each CGIAR breeding program receiving implementation of work plans – July in the 2023 year, Accelerated Breeding funding will Accelerated 2022. inadequate to develop and execute against a plan for Breeding work support both modernization of breeding and for plans – Global breeding and consolidating progress made to date. Crop Leads Implementation of breeding program These will be the “Accelerated Breeding work plans - modernization. work plans”. They will prioritize the Monitoring ongoing, with Modernization and priority actions identified in the breeding progress and distinct time- breeding are program assessments. providing support bound milestones reliant on funding for implementation as described in the aligned with and feedback to Accelerated prioritized product plans – Breeding profiles, for Accelerated workplan. breeding, and Breeding Work modernization Package Leads plans. b. Indicators and reporting: Development of December 2022. Yes☐ No☒ For each output in the Results completion and Framework, criteria will be developed quality criteria and for objectively assessing completion methods for (and quality) of delivery. This will establishing a similarly be developed for milestones “baseline” – toward outputs as written into the Accelerated Accelerated Breeding workplan. Crop Breeding Work teams will report against each output on Package Leads at least an annual basis. 18 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? For each team/workplan, output Establishing a December 2022. assessments will be made in baseline for each collaboration among breeding teams, Accelerated Global Crop Leads and Accelerated Breeding output – Breeding Work Package Leads to Global Crop Leads establish a baseline. These assessments will be used to identify the most Reporting progress Annually. impactful changes to be implemented against each and plans will be tailored and Accelerated transformative and described by the Breeding output – workplan which will incorporate all plans Global Crop Leads for modernization, improvement and investment. Development and Development of implementation of work plans – July crop level 2022. Accelerated Breeding work Implementation of plans – Global work plans - Crop Leads ongoing, with distinct time- bound milestones as described in the Accelerated Breeding workplan. 19 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? c. Trait specific markers: Identification of Ongoing, with Yes☐ No☒ Pooled funding is Highest priority traits guided by market traits to prioritize distinct time- inadequate to intelligence will be targeted by the for development of bound milestones support both the Discover Work Package using associated as described in the development and comprehensive and standardized criteria markers – Crop Accelerated routine use of for identifying priorities and will include teams working Breeding prioritized trait- insights from product profiles and with Discover workplan. specific markers in Market Intelligence. Work Package breeding Lead and market programs. Marker development as a shared service intelligence teams. Currently only has been established by EiB and will be about 25% of the continued by Breeding Resources. resources come Highest priority trait-specific markers Development of from pooled guided by market intelligence will be markers as a Ongoing 2022 - funding. The developed by Breeding Resources. shared service – 2024 development and Breeding use of high priority Resources Lead in markers requires collaboration additional funding Discover Work aligned with trait Package Lead and priorities. CGIAR focal points has a staffing gap in bioinformatics. d. Broadening inter-disciplinary Improved Ongoing, with Yes☒ No☐ capacity: phenotyping – distinct time- Breeding Resources will provide crop- Senior Director bound deliverables agnostic tools and services to support Breeding and Pre- as described in the improved phenotyping. For example, a breeding and Accelerated platform for processing data collected Senior Director 20 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? by drones to develop estimates for high Integrated Breeding work priority target traits. All disciplines Breeding Research plan. required for germplasm development Services. (including trait discovery and deployment and variety development) are in scope for Accelerated Breeding. Development and One of the outputs in the Accelerated provision of crop Ongoing, with Breeding workplan is to improve agnostic tools and distinct time- phenotyping. Including, increasing services for bound deliverables accuracy, increasing relevance of data improved as described in the with respect to the product profile, the phenotyping – Breeding target population of environments and Senior Director Resources work performance under farmers’ conditions. Integrated plan. Breeding Research Services. 21 RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: Recommendation 6 (copied from the Evaluation Report): One CGIAR should support breeders with information and tools to allow them to determine priorities and traits. Breeding programs should incorporate the following considerations into decision-making: a. Formalize agreement with stakeholders, including donors, on how to balance priorities between major and minor crops and on prioritization and funding allocation to Center or external programs (e.g., NARS). Recognize that progress is likely to be slower with some activities than others, reflect in evidence-based planning and build that into the results framework to track and measure. b. Develop and regularly validate complete and useful product profiles as needed, at least for a number of breeding programs, possibly those involving the most interested or willing CGIAR or NARS breeders. c. Simultaneously, ensure that the market segmentation developed by crop breeding is used to define priority levels and that practices and resources are adequate for high-priority markets. Markets, as currently identified and described, should be validated with actors on the ground, including NARS and local private companies. Based on informative product profiles and market segmentation information, help partners—both people and organizations (One CG, donors, crop breeding leads, etc.)—develop action plans to use this information to make strategic decisions about which markets to serve and which products to develop. d. Complement the private sector in a meaningful way instead of merely copying it. e. Continue to fully enable specific breeding programs rather than attempting to cover all programs and spreading resources too thinly for impact. Management Response Fully accepted☒ Partially Not accepted☐ accepted☐ Management Response (commentary): Fully accepted. These recommendations align fully with the Genetic Innovation Theory of Change (ToC) and the workplans of the Initiatives, including Market Intelligence, which is designed to become the primary priority setting hub of the Genetic Innovation Action Area. Pipeline Investment Cases for major and minor crops, based on forward-looking market intelligence will guide GI management decisions on prioritization and funding allocation to Center or external programs (e.g., NARS). 22 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Inclusive product profiling: Market Market Intelligence December 2022 Yes☐ No☒ Intelligence WP2 on Product Profile Initiative, WP1, Design will use market intelligence from WP2 and WP4 WP1 to develop Target Product Profiles leads for clearly defined Regional Market Segments identified in WP1 and ensure that NARES partners are involved in product profile design from the start. WP4 will integrate all this information into Pipeline Investment Cases, which will be published on an Investor Dashboard, which will enable donors, partners and decision makers in making impactful investment decisions in breeding pipelines. b. Complementarity with private sector: CGIAR Initiative on December 2022 Yes☐ No☒ The CGIAR Initiative on Market Market Intelligence’s WP1 will identify Intelligence, WP1, opportunities across the five impact WP3 and WP4 areas in market segments where leads CGIAR-NARES-SME breeding networks can deliver products. Special attention will be devoted to complementing the private sector in market segments that are underserved by the latter or Impact Areas that received little attention (e.g., gender equality, social inclusion, climate change, environmental health and 23 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? biodiversity). Market and behavioral intelligence from WP1 and WP3 will be communicated to the private sector (e.g., seed and food companies) to help them finetune their strategies towards the five Impact Areas. c. Priority-setting: Market Intelligence’s CGIAR Initiative on Second half of Yes☐ No☒ WP4 on Pipeline Investment Cases will Market 2023 support GI management with evidence Intelligence, WP4 on returns to investment under several lead and GI Senior scenarios, which will enable Management Team prioritization and optimization of breeding pipelines for maximum impact across the five Impact Areas. 24 RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: Recommendation 7 (copied from the Evaluation Report): Highly technical facilities with resources and skilled staff are required for many modern breeding operations and services. ABI should learn from previous experience in relation to these services: a. Maximize efforts to increase the reliability of genotyping services, from tissue sampling all the way to data or information delivery. Reflect on developing a different operational and business model to address logistical and operational issues that limit the potential of shared services and result in sending plant material overseas. b. Systematically engage service providers and CGIAR or NARS stakeholders in considering setting up regional external service centers. c. Include a holistic financial approach in the planning of service externalization in a proactive way. Setting up external services to replace internal capabilities without properly handling these internal capabilities is inefficient and may impact and potentially disrupt internal capabilities and structures. d. Engage with multiple internal and external providers as the demand for services increases to mitigate risks associated with dependence on a single external provider. Management Response Fully accepted☒ Partially Not accepted☐ accepted☐ Management Response (commentary): Fully accepted and in agreement that these actions are exactly what are needed. We do note that in order to fully address this recommendation requires a unified and effective administrative framework, for example to negotiate new shared service with external vendors, develop regional support teams, maintain service demand (tied to service affordability) which is still under development at One CGIAR level. 25 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Genotyping services: Senior Director, Jan 2022 to Dec Yes☐ No☒ We will improve genotyping submission Integrated 2024 workflow and enterprise analytical Breeding Research solutions and support breeding Services programs in adoption of improved workflows and enterprise solutions. Breeding Resources Development of regional genotyping Initiative WP5 shared services support teams Global Crop Leads b. Costing and cost recovery: Demand and Jan 2022 to Dec Yes☐ No☒ Demand analysis and costing exercise costing analysis: 2023 for internal capabilities. Breeding Resources Develop new full cost recovery business Initiative WP1 and WP2 Leads plan for genotyping services. Cost Recovery Jan 2022 to Dec business planning: 2023 Breeding Resources Initiative WP2 c. Reviews of large long-term Breeding Continuous Yes☐ No☒ contracts: Resources Initiative WP2 Periodic review of shared services contract. Develop new service contracts or finetune existing contracts if needed. 26 RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: Recommendation 8 (copied from the Evaluation Report): Seed Equal and ABI initiatives should continue to build long-term relationships with NARS and other partners through the following enhancements: a. Increase the breeding capacities in NARES and SMEs for improved genetic gain in farmer-preferred varieties (ABI). b. Increase awareness of the value of molecular breeding at NARS through trainings and capacity building. Ask for and listen to feedback from participants to facilitate increasing adoption of the approach and the use of shared services (ABI). c. Ensure that seed multipliers provide quality seed of new improved varieties, from CGIAR and NARS networks, at greater scale, tailored to the needs of the beneficiaries and thereby increasing varietal turnover and contributing to achieving genetic gains in farmers’ fields (SeEdQUAL). Management Response Fully accepted☒ Partially Not accepted☐ accepted☐ Management Response (commentary): Fully accepted. Breeding capacity of NARES and SMEs will be increased by working closely with partner NARES and SMEs to implement optimized breeding schemes focused on targeted product profiles. Molecular breeding will be a key component of capacity development services. CGIAR will work to ensure that seed multipliers (both formal and farmer-based) provide quality seed of new improved varieties at greater scale, through a series of activities in the Seed Equal Initiative that have been planned in considerable detail – see actions below. 27 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Breeding capacity: Accelerated Ongoing, with Yes☒ No☐ If the Initiatives Systematic and customized support to Breeding distinct time- receive the increase breeding capacity at NARES, Transform Work bound deliverables substantial uplift in SMEs and Universities will be Package Lead and as described in the 2023 and 2024 implemented through ABI in alignment GI Global Crop Accelerated that is indicated in with partner ambitions and their Leads. Breeding work the FINPLAN, then breeding modernization plans. Specific plan. First the resources will NARES breeding programs will be deliverable in June be available to supported to take on greater 2022. support the responsibility to breed for specific significant plans market segments and product profiles that are already in where they have a comparative the CGIAR advantage over regional CGIAR efforts. initiative proposals A mechanism for open access support (Accelerated will be developed by 2023 to enable Breeding and NARES that are not formal members of Breeding CGIAR-NARES breeding networks to Resources) for access technology, germplasm and capacity building training from the network. across the CGIAR- NARES network. If not, this work will depend on bilateral fundraising. b. Molecular breeding: Implementation of Ongoing, with Yes☐ No☒ All NARES breeding modernization plans NARES-CG-SME distinct time- that are being developed in breeding networks bound deliverables collaboration with EiB, ABI and bilateral using current best as described in the projects will include adoption of practice including Accelerated 28 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? genotyping tools for routine breeding use of molecular Breeding work operations: Hybridity confirmation (F1 breeding – GI plan. First QA/QC), line purity and reference finger Global Crop Leads. deliverable in June printing and marker assisted selection 2022. for key traits aligned to the product profile. Training of NARES partners on Training to support sampling and data interpretation will NARES to access continue with support from the Breeding genotyping shared Resources initiative of CGIAR. service supporting molecular breeding Members of CGIAR-NARES breeding – Senior Director, networks will benefit from discounted Integrated genotyping costs as negotiated with the Breeding Research vendor whilst non-members of CGIAR- Services NARES breeding networks will still be able to access QTL and marker data on a public online database maintained by the Breeding Resources initiative. c. Seed multipliers: Seed Equal Work Ongoing with time Yes☒ No☐ Adequate funding The three crop-archetype based Work Packages 1 bound deliverables is available within Packages of Seed Equal (WP1-3) will (cereals), 2 in work packages the initiative work alongside Accelerated Breeding (legumes) and 3 1-6 of Seed Equal funding to both and partner breeders to ensure product (vegetatively implement the profile-driven varietal selection and propagated crops) recommendations replacement strategies are in place for and capacity and to achieve the key markets/end users. Assessment building through time-bound and innovation around collaborative training and tools deliverables of the 29 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? mechanisms with private and public in WP4, Seed Equal partners for accelerating varietal development of initiative. An turnover will be key along with scaling appropriate seed additional 18 MM of on-farm testing for selection and policies in WP5 USD (over 5 demonstration purposes (leveraging and also gender years) W3 funding other bilateral investments such as the data collection for is being sought to 1000 Farm initiative). evidence and further innovate in tailoring of and further WP4 will work with NARS networks to solutions in WP 6 develop vegetative develop and test tools in support of propagated crops scaling, including for product seeds systems advancement and product placement, (advances in seed variety licensing, and M&E of adoption. multiplication and WP5 (working closely with WP3 of new business Market Intelligence) will develop models and evidence-based, context-specific policy institutional recommendations to encourage arrangements) inclusive seed sector growth particularly aligned to the in relation to: EGS production, varietal initiative. release, quality assurance, smart input Discussions with provision schemes, credit-linked MNC seed extension, and other instruments to companies are accelerate varietal turnover and deepen ongoing to provide demand for quality seeds. WP6 will additional technical develop evidence-based gender- assistance to transformative business and capacity improve the development models and strategies to quality of enhance synergies between formal and foundation seed 30 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? informal seed systems. Lastly WP6 will for key target develop new metrics to track inclusive crops through (women and youth) access to seed of specific quality improved varieties. management processes for both public and private seed multipliers 31 RECOMMENDATIONS and ACTIONS: Recommendation 9 (copied from the Evaluation Report): Commit to developing informatics systems for a diverse range of breeding programs, even though the effort is complex, expensive, and long-term. ABI (and CGIAR as a whole) must include the following in its decision-making process: a. Develop clear and strong objectives and strategies for breeding informatics activities, validated by an independent steering panel. Such objectives and strategies, with the proper governance model in place, should be able to withstand any isolated attempts to significantly change them, thereby avoiding radical and unproductive changes in direction and maximizing the chance of delivery of value to end users. b. Monitor the progress of enterprise breeding system (EBS) development and its likely uptake by breeders. Maintain a dialogue with users, donors, and platform maintainers to ensure that decisive steps to cut support for legacy systems are taken at the right time to maximize resource allocation efficiency. c. Continue to support other platforms and linkages when EBS is not universally available or accepted. d. Fill in skills gaps within CGIAR and in partners with training (e.g., in the use of digital breeding tools, change management), matching breeding experts in various locations (e.g., Africa and Asia) with the needs of field support teams (BMS support teams). e. Keep the administrative burden of database use to a minimum. Management Response Fully accepted☐ Partially Not accepted☐ accepted☒ Management Response (commentary): We accept these recommendations in the most part. While we do not accept that every Initiative needs an independent steering panel, experience with the EBS Program has shown the value of a strong advisory function that includes end-users in particular. 32 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? a. Integrated and responsive Senior Director, Steering team and Yes☐ No☒ breeding informatics: Integrated Integrated processes will be Breeding and Research Services will Breeding Research established house breeding informatics activities. Services between Q2 2022 Software development and deployment – Q2 2023 activities will be guided and supported by an advisory group that includes leads of end user breeding programs. Established processes for prioritization, change control, and risk management will govern decision making. b. EBS monitoring and decision Senior Director, Q1 2022 – Q4 Yes☒ No☐ IBP estimates making: Integrated 2024 about 1.6 M per Continue to monitor KPIs for user Breeding Research year for adoption; stakeholders including users, Services maintaining and donors, and platform maintainers will developing BMS as take part in jointly deciding appropriate well as supporting cutover points from legacy systems to users. Lukas EBS. Where EBS is not available or Mueller’s lab at BTI where a transition is not desired, BMS estimates about or Breedbase will be supported. 2M a year is needed to support Breedbase for the same. c. Targeted capacity development: Accelerated Q1 2022 – Q4 Yes☒ No☐ We have a small Focus capacity development on Breeding WP3 2024 budget in Breeding digitization and use of data Lead Resources for management tools for CGIAR and change 33 Management Follow-up Actions to be implemented Responsible Timeframe Is additional If further funding funding required required – how to implement much and what is recommendation to be done if no funds available? NARES partners, leveraging existing Breeding management that connections with local field teams such Resources WP3, 4, could support as the IBP support network. A core 5 Leads development of digitization user support function will be change leaders, formed under the Data Management Senior Director, but more and Breeding Analytics unit to Integrated comprehensive coordinate a globally distributed help Breeding Research change desk, harmonise documentation and Services management training materials and support local training for the teams in their training efforts. Change breeding networks delivery training will be offered to both as a whole is not CGIAR and NARES partners. currently budgeted for. d. Reducing administrative burden: Breeding Q1 2022 – W4 Yes☐ No☒ Support cloud implementations of data Resources WP4 2023 management software, maintained and Lead deployed by a single core team. Senior Director, Integrated Breeding Research Services 34