ICARDA News

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS
P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria
Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012
Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG
20 February 2003
For more information contact:S.Varma@cgiar.org
Plans Set for Center-Commissioned External Review of
ICARDA's Outreach Programs
A Center-Commissioned External Review (CCER) Panel of three distinguished scientists met with ICARDA senior management and regional coordinators at the Center's headquarters in Aleppo on 31 January 2003, in preparation for a springtime review of ICARDA's outreach programs. The Panel is chaired by Dr Lukas Brader, former Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, with Dr Mohammed Roozitalab, President, Global Forum on Agricultural Research, and Deputy Head, Agricultural Research and Education Organization, Iran; and Dr Abderrazak Daaloul, Director General, Agricultural Production, Ministry of Agriculture, Tunisia, as members. The CCER was commissioned by ICARDA's Board of Trustees in partial fulfilment of a recommendation made by the 1999 External Program
Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy (left) meets with Center-Commissioned External Review Panel member Dr Abderrazak Daaloul, Director General, Agricultural Production, Ministry of Agriculture, Tunisia, who was at headquarters with his panel colleagues for a meeting with Center management and staff.
and Management Review Panel (EPMR).
    "ICARDA is a center without walls. It maintains a research continuum through close partnerships with both developing-country and advanced national agricultural research systems [NARS]," said ICARDA Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy in welcoming the CCER Panel, regional/country coordinators and headquarters senior staff to the preparatory meeting.
    The Director General described the mechanisms that ICARDA uses to ensure ‘critical mass’ for various research activities, to make the most of the limited number of scientists on the Center's staff. This involves the appointment of NARS researchers as ICARDA affiliates, devolution/outsourcing of certain tasks to NARS, and the use of world-renowned experts as mentors. He emphasized the importance that ICARDA attaches to priority setting, and cited the example of the priority setting exercise undertaken in 2002 by the Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa and the Central Asia and the Caucasus Forum, in collaboration with ICARDA and other member centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research involved in Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA). He said that NARS views are critical in shaping the research strategy and agenda of ICARDA.
    Dr Brader introduced the topic of the meeting by (a) reminding the participants of the role of the regional programs, and (b) presenting the 1999 EPMR Panel assessment of ICARDA's outreach activities and its recommendation for ICARDA to "undertake a strategic review of its outreach activities." A brief discussion took place, particularly on the involvement of policy makers in shaping ICARDA's outreach activities. Mechanisms used by ICARDA to reach the policy makers were summarized.
    Dr Brader then initiated discussion on a series of topics that covered the terms of reference of the CCER and several points implicit in the report of the 1999 EPMR.
These included:
• Regional coverage of ICARDA's outreach considering the diversity of CWANA, the region's agro-ecologies, and cultural and geographic features, vis-à-vis the Center's global mandate
• Strategic planning of research in outreach with adequate input from a range of partners
• Devolution/outsourcing of research —opportunities for new initiatives
• Adequacy of the annual research planning exercise
• Mechanisms linking the Center's research priorities in outreach to resource allocation
• Coordination mechanisms vis-à-vis NARS, with a view to identifying mechanisms to supplement the annual planning meetings
• Research continuum—relationship between research at headquarters and collaborative research with NARS
• Out-posting of technical staff versus technical affiliation with national institutions and outsourcing of research to NARS scientists
• Quality of science in both joint research with NARS and out-sourced research
• Role of regional coordinators
• Information management in outreach
• Linkages between outreach programs and headquarters—technical/research, administrative and information technology/exchange
• ICARDA's relations with national policy makers
    Brief presentations addressing these topics were made by Dr William Erskine, Assistant Director General for Research; Dr S. Varma, Head of the Communication, Documentation and Information Services Unit; and Dr Samir El-Sebae Ahmed, Head of the Human Resources Development Unit. The regional/country coordinators and others present contributed to discussion on each topic identified by the CCER Panel. The objective of the presentations and discussions was to present relevant information to the Panel to facilitate the review process.
    Based on the day-long deliberations, the CCER Panel developed separate questionnaires for NARS and ICARDA scientists. Feedback will be compiled and analyzed by the Panel to guide the review process. The Panel also developed a tentative schedule to visit some key NARS in the region.
ICARDA Receives Distinguished Visitors
- Head of EC Delegation Visits ICARDA

ICARDA was privileged to receive H.E. Mr Frank Hesske, the recently appointed Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Syria, on 29 January 2003.
    On his first visit to the Center, Mr Hesske was welcomed by Dr Mohan Saxena, Assistant Director General, on behalf of ICARDA Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy. Dr Saxena briefed Mr Hesske on the Center's activities and mandate.
    Dr William Erskine, Assistant Director General for Research, and Dr Elizabeth Bailey, Project Officer, joined Dr Saxena in explaining how research efforts were organized at the Center and the way the Center

ICARDA was honored to receive on 29 January the recently appointed Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Syria, H.E. Frank Hesske (left), who was briefed by ICARDA Assistant Director General Dr Mohan Saxena, on behalf of Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy.
interacts with national agricultural research systems in the world's dry areas. Mr Hesske was also briefed on ICARDA's role as leader of the Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan.
    The European Commission's funding support for ICARDA's activities was reviewed, and a set of ICARDA publications, including the "Ties that Bind" series covering the Center's work with European partners, was presented to Mr Hesske.
    Mr Hesske expressed great appreciation for ICARDA's work and wished the Center success in its efforts to improve agriculture in the dry areas of the developing world. He thanked the Center for arranging the visit and assured his hosts of his plan to attend ICARDA Presentation Day this year.

- Norwegian Ambassador Visits ICARDA

H.E. Mr Svein Sevje, the Ambassador of Norway to Syria, made a courtesy call on ICARDA Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy on 3 February 2003 to get acquainted with the Center's activities.
    As a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, Norway has been a strong supporter of ICARDA since 1978.
    Welcoming the Ambassador, Prof Dr El-Beltagy recalled the relationship that has developed between Norway and the countries in the region, and ICARDA's collaboration with Norwegian researchers. He briefed the Ambassador on the mandate and mission of the Center, emphasizing that people-centered

Director General Prof. Dr Adel El-Beltagy (second from left) briefs H.E. the Ambassador from Norway, Mr Svein Sevje, who visited ICARDA headquarters on 3 February. Taking part in the briefing were Mr Firas Shuman (right) and Assistant Director General Dr Mohan Saxena.
development in the region is essential. ICARDA has adopted community-based approaches and farmer participatory research, while using cutting-edge technological tools wherever appropriate.
    ICARDA also houses one of the world's largest collections of genetic resources of important food and feed crops and their wild relatives. The material is a source of valuable genes for developing improved cultivars that help farmers meet the challenges of harsh dry environments.
    The Director General briefed Mr Sevje on ICARDA's research structure, its regional programs, and the Center's close partnerships with national agricultural research systems. He also briefed the Ambassador on ICARDA's role as leader of the Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan, and the Center's assistance to the Palestinian Authority in its efforts to develop sustainable agriculture and conserve biodiversity.
    Mr Sevje said he has been reading ICARDA publications with great interest and has also been getting feedback about the Center from scientific collaborators back home. He said he was aware that in the last couple of years Norway's contribution to ICARDA has declined, but expressed the hope that it would increase this year, thanks in part to the increased strength of the Norwegian currency. He demonstrated a keen understanding of challenges faced by the countries in the region, insight that he gained from his work in the region, including a stay in Gaza.
    The Ambassador showed great interest in ICARDA's work in Afghanistan, and indicated that Norway might consider assisting ICARDA in its efforts, particularly those related to establishing sustainable seed production systems and establishment of a genebank. The Norwegian representatives in Kabul could play an important role in these efforts, he said.
    After a quick working lunch, during which the Ambassador saw a video presentation about ICARDA and met with members of the management team, Mr Sevje thanked the Director General for arranging a "very useful visit" and promised to attend ICARDA Presentation Day in Spring 2003.

ICARDA's (www.icarda.org) mission is to improve the welfare of people and alleviate poverty through research and training in dry areas of the developing world by increasing production, productivity, and nutritional quality of food, while preserving and enhancing the natural resource base. ICARDA is a Future Harvest Center.
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