Update from the Director General CIAT Board Meeting #63
Nairobi, Kenya, 12 May 2011
Ruben G. Echeverría
Research Achievements
• Latin America and the Caribbean: o Technical collaborative agreement signed by the Colombian
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Colombian Corporation of Agricultural Research (Corpoica), and CIAT to work in Colombia’s Eastern Plains region, known as the Llanos Orientales
Research Achievements• Sub-Saharan Africa:
o The ongoing research effort to develop multiple disease resistant breeding parents utilising Molecular Markers as a selection tool (Marker Assisted Selection) of combined resistance has resulted in 62 progenies possessing the prr and phg resistance genes for Pythium root rot and Angular leaf spot respectively and 10 progenies possessing four resistance genes, Co4, Co5, I, and bc3 genes for Anthracnose and Bean Common Mosaic Virus disease (BCMV). These parents will either be used directly or a source of multiple disease resistance by NARS partners
o The collaborative efforts to develop high iron rich beans has led to identification of germplasm the have assembled to for a Regional Nutrition Bean Nursery consisting of 46 bush and climbing bean lines (having iron content ranging 75-123ppm Fe). Seed is being currently being multiplied at Kawanda for distribution to CIAT-PABRA member countries for adaptability tests and possible adoption
Research Achievements• Southeast Asia:
o European Union funding (1 million Euros over the next three years) to address cassava pests and diseases in the region
o Key Developments in China: Collaboration on Cassava breeding and general R&D, with stronger
links to CIAT Cali and to the region, especially to enhanced R&D in Vietnam and to other potential suppliers
Forage germplasm evaluation and breeding, and forage utilization. Starting with a forage breeding and utilization course and exchanges between CATAS and CIAT
Sustainable and eco-efficient cropping and farming systems. Initially on soybean/cassava intercropping, but expanding to other systems, and to broader land management and climate change issues
Research Achievements• Agrobiodiversity
o Bean. Advanced lines have been identified to tolerate the critical conditions of drought and low soil fertility prevalent in Central America and East Africa
o Cassava. New genetic variations have been discovered in cassava starch granule size and molecular structure, which expands its market applications and increases its income-generation potential for farmers
o Tropical forages. The use of Canavalia improves animal feed availability and quality, increasing milk production by 5 kg day-1 ha-1; in addition, its deep rooting ability keeps the crop green throughout the dry season
o Rice. The agronomic revolution spearheaded by FLAR is underway in 10 countries, including the construction of water catching facilities or dams in Mexico (3), Nicaragua (9), and Costa Rica (5)
Research Achievements
• Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility
o African Soil Information Service (AfSIS): Use of protocols developed by CIAT to assess limited soil nutrients as standard protocols in diagnostic trials carried out in five African countries
o Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA): establishment of a Knowledge Resource Center that will serve as critical focal point for sharing research results more widely
Research Achievements• Climate Change and Capacity Strengthening
o Publication of two policy briefs on Climate Change and agriculture for Colombia and Meso-america
o REDD+ training manual published with WorldBank and high profile training workshop scheduled for May 2011 in CIAT campus
o Terra-I monitoring platform used to generate LAC-wide deforestation statistics and provide detailed reports for eight countries
o Workshop held in March to plan the capacity strengthening platform on seed systems for LAC
Recent Initiatives
• CIAT flagship publication on eco-efficiency in the tropics
• Strengthening of corporate communications• Active participation in the preparation of the
new CGIAR portfolio and in several key Consortium and Fund Council meetings
CIAT’s Participation in the CGIAR Research Portfolio (2011-2013) US$208m
36.14
35.18
27.35
25.6
20.319.6
Roots, tubers and bananas
GRiSP
Grain legumes
Climate change, agriculture and food security
Policies Water, land and ecosystems
15.9
12.09
7.11
4.27 2.51.77
Agriculture for improved nutrition and health
Integrated systems for the humid tropics
Meat, milk and fish
Aquatic agricultural systems
Forests, trees and agroforestry
Integrated production systems in dry areas
CIAT’s Participation in the CGIAR Research Portfolio (2011-2013) US$208m
Corporate Communications• Institutional website also available in Spanish (March 2011)
• New series of CIAT briefso Project Initiativeso Strategies in Actiono Donor Briefs
• CIAT Agricultural Forum
o 14 October 2011: Climate Change, Food Prices, and Nutrition
o 30 May 2011: Colombian Ministry of Agriculture, Corpoica, and CIAT – A Renewed Alliance
o 22 May 2010: Biodiversity, Biotrade, and Sustainable Development
o 15 October 2010: World Food Day and World Rural Women's Day
CIAT Flagship PublicationAn Eco-Efficiency Revolution in Tropical Agriculture
To be approved by BOT at its meeting in November 2011
Foreword Concepts
and principles
Eco-efficiency
at the Agro-
ecosystem Level–Perspectives across Continent
s
Case Studies
on Crop-based Eco-
efficient Research
An Enabling Environm
entOutlook
Contents
Foreword• Carlos P. del Castillo• Brian Keating • Claudia Martinez• Rodomiro Ortiz • Andy Jarvis• Nicolas Mateo • Derek Byerlee• Abilio Rodrigues P.• Eduardo Somarriba• Muhammad Ibrahim • Fergus Sinclair• Alpha Kamara• David Chikoye• Steffen Schulz• Bernard Vanlauwe• Nteranya Sanginga• Jagdish. K. Ladha• M Lal Jat • Kenneth Sayre
Case Studies on Crop-based Eco-efficient Research
Improving resource use efficiency and reducing risk of common bean production in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean
Cassava as a multipurpose crop for food, feed and fuel needs in the tropics
Intensive rice production systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
Mitigating climate change through tropical forages
A consumer safety approach for producing fruits and vegetables
• Rod Lefroy• Reinhardt Howeler• Steve Beebe• Robin Buruchara • Clair Hershey• Hernan Ceballos• Gonzalo Zorrilla • Cesar Martinez• Michael Peters
• Idupulapati Rao • Glenn Hyman • Dyno Keatinge• Alonso Gonzalez• Leslie Lipper• Claudia Martinez• Julio Berdegue • Jules Pretty• Ruben G. Echeverría
Incoming CIAT International Staff (January-May 2011)
Guy Henry Agrobiodiversity
Osana Bonilla Decision and
Policy Analysis
Clair HersheyCassava
Antoine LuboboHarvestPlus
Lister KatsvairoHarvestPlus
Significant New Projects (January-May 2011)
Project Title Donor US$ 000
Identifying CWR gaps for 80 genepools conserved ex situ within the “Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change: Collecting, Protecting and Preparing Crop Wild Relatives” Project
Global Crop Diversity Trust 758
Applying scientific methods to implement, generate, streamline, and validate methodologies and technologies for documenting indicators of recovery and conservation of the productive capacity of soils under alternative systems in the area of influence of the Fúquene lagoon
Autonomous Regional Corporation of Cundinamarca
211
Leadership of biofortification activities in Latin America and the Caribbean HarvestPlus 225
Access of poor rural farmers to markets to generate specialized documents and accompany the design, preparation, and supervision of projects with market access components in Latin America and the Caribbean
International Fund for Agricultural Development 200
Resource Mobilization(as of 31 March 2011)
Quantity CIAT Budget % of Total Budget
Proposals 34 13,728 96Concept notes 32 15,090 31Total 66 28,818 45
• Effective coordination of the “Proposal Development Process”
o All proposals include full cost recovery
o Proposals are approved by the Management Team before submission
• Fund-raising plan
o Strategic plan underway to explore philanthropic donors in LAC
o Recycling of good initiatives from the Pipeline & Bank
o Launching of “Donor Briefs” with great acceptance
o Traditional donors contacted for re-engagement
o In 2011 more than 20 calls for proposals have been circulated for potential funding opportunities
Improved Coordination of Resource Mobilization Process
Corporate Developments
• Center-wide survey, including regional offices, about the level and quality of services offered by Corporate Services; results proved quite useful and several observations have been carried forward
• Number of days of reserves reached 84 days—the CGIAR target• Implementation of a systematized performance
evaluation system via web for all staff, which is based on the competency model
• Agreement with the Labor Union renegotiated for a 2-year period
Financial Improvement (Total CIAT budget execution)
20042005
20062007
20082009
20102011
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
36.97641.464
38.017
45.952 47.059 48.864
62.158
59.2
U$M
(LE)
Reserves comply with CGIAR targets
1839 39
56
8495
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 BU
Current CGIAR Target
105
90
75
Days
New CGIAR Target
Challenges
• Honor the great expectations in LAC, although this region is much less mentioned in development circles
• Implement the Corpoica & CIAT agreement
• Adjust research to the new CGIAR portfolio
• Reposition CIAT in Asia
• TSBF new management and alliances
• Strengthen overall research teams