Technical Advisory Committee Fifty-Seventh Meeting, 15-21 March 1992: Report of the Meeting

Report of TAC 57 held at ICARDA in Aleppo, Syria, March 15-21, 1992, Alex McCalla presiding. TAC completed its report on CGIAR priorities and strategies for consideration at the CGIAR MTM in May 1992. It made recommendations on priorities by activity, region, agroecological zone, commodity, and production sector. TAC approved new chapters on the implications of revised priorities for CGIAR strategies and structure, and the implications of revised priorities and strategies for resource allocation. It also recommended indicative 1998 core resource envelopes for each of the CGIAR centers, as a basis for the development of medium-term plans.TAC considered an external program and management review of ICLARM, and a draft strategic plan for the center. It recommended acceptance of ICLARM for support by the CGIAR. Given uncertainties about new programs and management weakness, a monitoring review was recommended to take place after three years.The Committee discussed a draft on Intellectual Property Rights, Plant Genetic Resources, and Biosafety prepared at a meeting held at IBPGR in late January 1992. A revised draft would be broadly circulated, with comments considered at TAC 58. Meanwhile, the center directors would issue a joint statement based on the ICW91 statement of principles. An IBPGR draft on strategy for plant genetic resources would be considered further at a joint meeting with center directors at TAC 59. TAC suggested changes in the draft strategic plan for IPGRI which would shortly replace IBPGR as an independent center.Among future reviews, consideration was given to the status of an inter-center review of rice research and a proposed study of ecoregional research. Other matters discussed included progress on establishing CIFOR, the need for more attention to information services, and preparations for UNCED.