CGIAR Meeting, Washington, D.C., October 30-31, 1974: Summary of Proceedings

Summary of proceedings of CGIAR Meeting held at the World Bank in Washington, DC, October 30-31, 1974, chaired by Warren C. Baum. UNEP's first meeting as a member. The TAC Chairman said TAC had approved 1975 funding for IBPGR and would approve the findings of a TAC/CG Secretariat mission to WARDA, which received general support. The Group endorsed terms of reference for a subcommittee that would plan ICARDA on a modular basis to be implemented depending on the availability of funds. The task of negotiating with countries of the Middle East region for financial support was confided to the cosponsors. The Group agreed to provide bridging funds for the CARIS-AGRIS system in anticipation of FAO taking over full support from 1977. It decided to take no further action for the present concerning the proposed IFPRI. The TAC Chairman reported on TAC's study of plant nutrition research and the US representative on his country's establishment of a fertilizer research institute in Alabama. The CGIAR approved adding groundnuts to ICRISAT's mandate;. The CGIAR Executive Secretary discussed the revised draft on Budget and Accounting Practices of the International Centers. Discussion of a draft Integrative Paper focused on variations between centers' planned and actual expenditures and on the structure and finance of off-campus activities. The paper would be revised; and the CGIAR Secretariat would draft guidelines on core, restricted core, and outreach activities. The Group considered how to improve the exchange of information between donors and centers on bilateral projects related to center activities. Donors gave indications of financial support in 1975. The Group discussed a UK comment on investment in agricultural research and the presentation of CGIAR activities at the upcoming World Food Conference. Annexes: list of participants; the agenda; TOR for a subcommittee on ICARDA; and a table showing CGIAR allocations by donor and by center for 1975.