Strategy Progress Reports, Draft Report and Report to CGIAR Business Meeting 2009

This page contains the reports prepared by the Strategy and Results Framework 'Committee' (chaired by Joachim von Braun).

Over 2009, the Strategy Team has been informing you about its work with four Progress reports. In pursuit of developing an evidence-based and results-oriented strategy for the CGIAR system as a whole and related “Mega-Programs” the Strategy Team have been engaged in various background research activities and consultations. A number of updated and new documents have provided important information for the Team in support of the attempt to develop an evidence-based strategy.

Report No. 1 is on the process and progress of the Strategy Committee and was released for information on 28 April 2009. The Alliance reviewed this report at the Alliance meeting (11-13 May 2009). Based on the discussions and comments arising from the Alliance meeting, the document was further refined (Strategy Progress Report 2) and then presented to the CGIAR June Executive Council meeting (Strategy Progress 3). This meeting endorsed the draft and gave the Alliance a 'green light' to proceed with the Strategy and Results Framework and the Mega Programs.

The Strategy Progress No 3 report was commented upon by the Alliance of Deputy Executive (Research) in early June and since then work has continued in the modelling and analysis. In July (22-23) a technical workshop was held in Washington DC to review the initiated prototype work; to review the conceptual approach and methods, as well as responsibilities and timelines and to agree on the scope, methods and processes required to undertake a survey of scientific opportunities and potential impacts (Draft Summary Report from the Technical Design and Implementation Meeting).

Summary report has now been revised with with several comments.

The survey, developed in consultation with partners, including the Global Forum for Agricultural Research, was launched in early August to over 1000 people. This questionnaire was directed to frontline researchers (including those in universities, NARES, farmer organizations, private sector and NGOs), focusing on key opportunities for agricultural research. The input received from the survey was analyzed and fed into the Strategy Team and GFAR processes.

Strategy Progress Report No 4 was released for wider comment on 17 September 2009. The Strategy Team emphasized that this is a 'work in progress'. The team had its next face-to-face meeting at the end of September and developed a final draft report in October.

The draft report by the Strategy Team "Towards a Strategy and Results Framework for the CGIAR" was released for wider comment on 21 October 2009. Feedback and comments on this draft were actively sought and taken into consideration by the Strategy Team.

In this draft final report the Chair of the Strategy Team highlighted what was, in general, novel about this Strategy:

What is presented is a strategy of the whole CGIAR System
It is results-oriented
It focuses explicitly on poor people
The strategy addresses current and emerging threats of the global food system at scale through global public goods research
A concept for partnership is presented at the system level, to be further developed with partners
A concept for inclusion of gender in research at system level is presented
The strategy incudes important new research programs to achieve the defined results, while de-emphasizing some ongoing activities
The strategy integrates traditional approaches (such as commodity programs) in a systems framework
The portfolio of Mega Programs promises to produce untapped synergies across the system
A rationale for a large scaling-up of the overall funding of the System is provided

For the CGIAR Business Meeting a lightly edited version of the Strategy was made available (see attachment below). The Alliance agreed on the next steps for further developing the Strategy and Results Framework (SRF) and the portfolio of Mega Programs derived from it. A face to face meeting of the Alliance, Consortium Board, GCARD global consultants, GFAR representatives and Science Council members was held in early February 2010.