5th External Program and Management Review of ICARDA

SC Comments on ICARDA MTP 2005-07
September 2004

Introduction
The ICARDA Strategic Plan was completed in 1998 and was the basis for the earlier MTP, which had 19 research projects. The project structure described in the current MTP has changed, nesting the 19 former projects into six themes, or integrated Mega-projects (MPs), and an ecoregional programme Collaborative Research Programme for Sustainable Agricultural Development in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC). Drivers of this change have been the response to the recommendation of a CCER of ICARDA's "outreach" in 2003; inputs and updates from the CAC NARS forum, and regional stakeholder meetings, beginning of a new strategic planning process (embarked upon in 2004) and a focus on the goal of poverty alleviation.

The ICARDA MTP 2005-2007 thus represents an interim MTP leading to ICARDA's next strategic plan. Although there is no substantial change in direction in the new MTP and the reduction in project number (as advised by the earlier CCER) is commendable, it is not clear what activities have been deferred, transferred or finalised as a result of the focus from the former 19 projects to 6 MPs.

While the MTP MPs contribute to CGIAR goals, the international public goods nature of some of the research in Projects MP 4 (Diversification and Rural livelihoods) and MP 5 is not clear. ICARDA is also a key member of the Future Harvests activities to rebuild Afghanistan (and possibly Iraq). The EPMR conducted in 1999/2000 raised many recommendations about the direction of the research programmes at ICARDA. It may be opportune for ICARDA to commission an external review on its current programmatic direction, as an input into the next EPMR tentatively scheduled for 2006.

The overall budget estimate is for US$ 26.7 million of which around two thirds is from restricted funds. There are large changes in the financial plan between actuals for 2003 and the proposal for 2005. Germplasm improvement and Sustainable production are expected to go up by 5 % points and 9.3 % points respectively. Germplasm collection and Enhancing NARS are projected to go down by about 6 % points and 9 % points respectively. It would be essential to know the reasons for changes in the budget in order to better understand the shifts in direction apparently made by the Centre.

Project portfolio
The first four MPs address specific themes: Management of scarce water resources; Integrated Gene Management/ Conservation of Agrobiodiversity; Combating Desertification; and the Diversification of Rural Livelihoods. MPs 5 and 6 are cross-cutting: MP5 supports the research agenda by providing knowledge and feedback required to refine the targeting of research to alleviate poverty. MP6 focuses on the management and dissemination to end users of the research knowledge generated by the other projects.

Much of the earlier germplasm enhancement and integrated pest management research is now collected under MP 2 (Integrated Gene Management) and MP 4 (Diversification and Rural Livelihoods). The latter encompasses a large number of outputs across different disciplines. In consequence, these MPs are large (around 8 million dollars each) and have a large number of activities (as indicated by milestones numbers); they need more focus on activities that will produce regional/international public goods.

Logframe analysis
The overall goals and outputs are defined. In some projects the milestones for the scientific research outputs are described in a way that they can be measured (e.g. MP 2), a tendency enhanced by the inclusion of the different CP outputs and milestones. Other MP milestones are not described in a means for easy verification and remain vague. A consequence of the adoption of the MP format is that there would appear to be far too many milestones for each output / project for sensible monitoring, suggesting a need for more focus (as was recommended in the EPMR).

The MP output indicators have been revised, but the activities under the six MPs include the intermediary targets (project milestones) of the former 19 MTP projects.

Systemwide linkages
ICARDA convenes the Eco-regional Collaborative Programme for Sustainable Agriculture Development in Central Asia and Caucasus (CAC). The CAC has nine collaborating CGIAR centres and addresses work relevant to the five countries of Central Asia; and three in the Caucasus. The overall impression is of an active and productive research-for-development programme, particularly in Central Asia.

ICARDA also contributes to:

•	The HarvestPlus CP (aiming as part of a focused activity on beta carotene, iron, and zinc to improve the nutritional quality of durum wheat (phase I) and barley and lentil (Phase II) - included under MP4.
•	The Generation CP with activities included in MP2 (Integrated gene management).
•	The Water and Food CP (three projects - which contribute to MP1: Management of scarce water resources). It is not clear if these are entirely new activities and how the interaction through the CP increases outcomes.

ICARDA participates in joint staff appointments with ILRI on small ruminant health (in the NENA region), with IFPRI on community approaches to integrated feed/livestock management strategies, with IWMI on marginal water quality.

ICARDA is the CGIAR focal point for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and although a pre-proposal for a CP was not successful, planning for a regional consortium on Desertification, Drought, Poverty and Agriculture (DDPA) is continuing.

ICARDA participates in the SWPs: SGRP, SLP, SP-IPM, CAPRi; PRGA, and the Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture.

At the time of the last EPMR, ICARDA was the convening Centre for a system wide programme for "On-farm Water Husbandry in WANA", but this initiative is not reported as such in this MTP.

There would seem to be much scope for the sharing between ICARDA and ICRISAT of methods and tools for research on natural resources management in dry areas and its impacts as well as the development of best bet, pro-poor options (e.g. MP 5) and for the dissemination of this information (MP 6).

ICARDA is a key member of the Future Harvests activities to rebuild Afghanistan, but the role and time frame for engagement of ICARDA is not clearly defined. In 2002/3 under the Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan, ICARDA received funding from USAID to establish quality seed systems and needs assessments of various agricultural sectors. This country-specific development programme to assist the re-establishment of aspects of the agricultural system rendered timely assistance, and emphasised the utility of the CGIAR gene bank holdings for such purposes. This involvement has attracted other country-specific projects from bilateral donors. This produces a conundrum for the Centre. Another consortium is being prepared to play a similar role in Iraq. However, apart from the germplasm replenishment role, it is likely that other providers could provide the needed assistance in the future. A long-term national development role for CGIAR Centres, whose raison d'être is to conduct research for international public goods, is not favoured by the SC. It is appropriate to ask if this development activity is regarded as a one off short-term engagement and how has it has affected the main programme of ICARDA.

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