Technical Advisory Committee Second Meeting, 19-22 October 1971: Report

Draft report of the second meeting of TAC, held in Rome from 19 to 22 October 1971, TAC Chairman Sir John Crawford presiding. Crawford interpreted TAC's terms of reference, stressing its advisory role. TAC discussed the reports of the missions it sent to observe the program activities and budgetary requirements of CIAT, CIMMYT, IRRI, and IITA. Requirements for 1972 were supported. There was a consensus on the desirability of a long term framework for funding of the four IARCs. TAC decided to include a session with the center directors in its fall meeting each year. It endorsed the recommendation of the Task Force on Animal Health and Production in Tropical Africa to establish a center concerned with animal disease in Kenya as proposed by the Rockefeller Foundation, and asked for further study of possible action concerning animal production in Africa.TAC strongly endorsed the proposal of a task force on upland crops to establish an International Crop Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics probably in India. Faced with conflicting advice on food legumes, TAC accepted the Chair's proposal to establish a subcommittee on this topic. It decided to recommend support for a nine months trial of CARIS. Finding the conservation of plant genetic resources an urgent matter, TAC recommended that the CGIAR establish a committee to propose a specific plan of action. It suggested bridging support for the new potato research center in Peru, pending completion of a long term proposal. Items discussed that remained on TAC's future agenda included: pasture and fodder research in Latin America; water use and management; the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center; Near East regional research; rice research in West Africa at WARDA; livestock in Southeast Asia; aquaculture; and a proposed expansion of IRRI operations into upland crops. The Chairman sought and received a mandate to prepare a strategy paper for TAC.