TMT Journal Update #6 from CGIAR Director Ren Wang

Dear Colleagues,

As our Chair Katherine Sierra noted in the last TMT journal update, the Executive Council (ExCo) gave a green light at its June meeting for implementation of the CGIAR Change Initiative to continue.  I was very pleased with this signal, which came with an acknowledgement that much work remains to be done. The Transition Management Team met immediately after the ExCo meeting in Cali and via a subsequent teleconference to synthesize key conclusions and plan the way forward.

We have begun to weave together the different elements of the new CGIAR — the Consortium, Fund, Strategy and Results Framework, Accountability Framework and Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development — into a coherent and cohesive entity (scheme). ExCo members had flagged integration of these various work streams as a high priority.  Since ExCo 16, we have made good progress with all of the workstreams through the following activities:

• Ongoing establishment of the Consortium Board selection panel, to be composed of Center representatives, partners and donors
• Ongoing revision of the draft Consortium constitution, taking into account feedback from the ExCo
• Launch of the assessment and design of common services and the future Consortium Office
• Preparation for a face-to-face workshop of the Alliance Strategy Team at IFPRI in mid-July and publication of Progress Report No. 4 in August 2009 on development of the Strategic Results Framework and Mega-Programs
• Revision of the Fund Framework Document (draft version 4), incorporating feedback from the ExCo, and further consultations with potential Fund donors and the Trustee (the World Bank), focusing on key issues identified by the ExCo
• Establishment of an Editorial Panel for the accountability workstream and revision of the Accountability Framework (draft version 3), which will be available by mid-July
• Design of electronic and regional face-to-face consultations in preparation for the Global Conference for Agricultural Research and Development (GCARD), with the aim of linking this event to development of the Strategy and Results Framework and Mega-Programs
• Development of detailed financial transition plans for 2010 for the Alliance and CGIAR Secretariat

We are also planning critical meetings between now and the end of the year that are needed to determine what must be completed by when if we are to meet our goals and commitments in the reform process.  As part of this planning, we are carefully assessing what CGIAR stakeholders — especially the donors and Centers — need in order to bring about our shared vision of a revitalized CGIAR through a collective leap of faith. 

Last week, I attended the Science Forum in Wageningen, as did my fellow Transition Management Team member, Mark Holderness.  I was impressed by the organization of the meeting and by the high quality of the small-group discussions on such topics as resilient natural resource systems, breaking the yield barrier and agriculture beyond food. The team will draw lessons from this successful event, as we prepare for the inaugural Global Conference next March in Montpellier.  

As always, the other TMT members and I are interested in receiving your feedback — both on these communications and on the reform process in general.  Please feel free to contact me directly if you have some thoughts you’d like to share.

Warm regards,
Ren Wang
(on behalf of the Transition Management Team)