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CGIAR: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
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More on the Alliance

 

From Alliance to Consortium
The reform proposal unanimously endorsed by the CGIAR in Maputo explicitly asked that the Alliance of CGIAR Centers take the lead in creating a new Consortium of CGIAR Centers that, working with partners and independent science and partnership advice, will be responsible for developing the strategic research agenda and programs, and for implementation for results.

Click here to see current reports on different aspects of Consortium design

As a first step the Alliance recognized the need for a smaller group of their membership to make decisions on the processes needed to needed to bring about the new Consortium and the design of the Strategy and Results Framework and associated research agenda (the Mega Programs). In December 2008, the Alliance created a Consortium Planning Team (CPT)** to do just this.

Progress since Maputo:

Consortium Design

  • In January 2009 following a thorough and transparent search and selection process, the Alliance engaged the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to advise on the architecture of the Consortium. Phase I of the Consortium design resulted in an Alliance approved working model for a draft constitution (still subject to Center Board approval).
  • At the CGIAR Executive Council Meeting in June, the Alliance was given the ‘green light’ to continue with the design of the Consortium and the Strategy and Results Framework (SRF). 
  • Phase 2 (June to November 2009) sees the work on the constitution continue, incorporating comments from the ExCo meeting in June. Additional work being carried out in Phase 2:
    • search and selection of a Consortium Board
    • conducting a ‘net cost assessment’ of the Consortium Board and Office relative to the current system and to propose design options for the Consortium Office, including an analysis of possible locations for the Office
    • design of a performance management process between the Consortium and the Fund and the Consortium and Lead Centers.
    • identifying opportunities for more effective and efficient delivery of shared administrative and research support services (being done with Accenture Development Partnership).

The next milestone is the Alliance meeting in Rome (October 29 - 31, 2009) where the reports and recommendations from the Phase 2 activities as well as the penultimate draft constitution will be discussed. These deliverables will also be discussed with donors during a face-to-face meeting on November 2, 2009 (Rome) and at ExCo17 (November 3 - 4, 2009, Rome).

To find the date of an event you are interested in – or simply to be updated about what is going on – please have a look at our Calendar

Strategy and Results Framework and Mega Programs

  • In February 2009 a workshop was held in Rome to clarify concepts around the Strategy and Results Framework and the Mega Programs that were not sufficiently defined. The results of this workshop led to the work of two teams to further develop the Strategy and Results Framework and to develop three ‘mock ups’ of Mega Programs. This work has fed into the development of the Strategy and Results Framework being led by the Strategy Team
  • The Strategy Team shared their first report outlining the process and progress to date with the Alliance (for review). This report was further refined and presented to the June Executive Council meeting (ExCo 16). The draft was endorsed and the team given the ‘green light’ to continue, with the emphasis that thorough and high quality consultations with partners must be part of the development process.
  • The past few months have seen further development of the analytical part of the SRF. On 22-23 July, 2009 a technical design and implementation meeting for the Strategy and Results Framework was held with over 50 participants from all the Centers as well as GFAR and other key actors in agricultural research. In August a survey for front-line scientists on scientific opportunities and potential impacts in agricultural and natural resource management research was distributed.
  • This work has led the development of Strategy Report No 4. The Strategy Team welcomes your feedback on Strategy Report #4 as part of the preparation for the final draft report that will be prepared for late October. A comments page has been set up to capture your feedback at: http://alliance.cgxchange.org/strategy-and-results-framework-and-mega-programs

 

** The Consortium Planning Team (CPT) is comprised of Steve Hall (World Fish and Chair of the Alliance Executive), Pamela Anderson (CIP), Robert Zeigler (IRRI), Julio Berdegué (Board Chair, CIMMYT), Andrew Bennett (Board Chair, CIFOR) Guido Gryseels (Board Chair ICARDA and Chair of the Alliance Board) and Anne-Marie Izac (ex officio, Chief Alliance Officer)

 

Governance of the Alliance
The Alliance of CGIAR Centers considers that the success of its governance, management and operations resides on the oversight given by the Alliance Board (AB), and the decisions taken by the Alliance Executive (AE) that are implemented by all Centers and facilitated by the Chief Alliance Officer (CAO).

 

The Alliance Board is made up of the Board Chairs of each Center member of the Alliance. The Alliance Board provides overall governance and strategic oversight for the Alliance's activities. It is the Alliance body that has specific conflict resolution responsibilities in the event of conflict within the Alliance. A conflict resolution mechanism has been put in place by the Alliance Board to facilitate this task.

The Chair of the Alliance Board is elected by his/her peers for a two–year term.

The Alliance Board organizes and implements an orientation program primarily for new Board members of CGIAR Centers. In 2005, the Alliance Board, in partnership with the CGIAR Secretariat, commissioned a stripe review of corporate governance of CGIAR Centers and is monitoring the Centers’ implementation of the Stripe Review’s key recommendations.  

The Alliance Executive is made up of the Directors-General of each of the Centers that are members of the Alliance. It is the body which makes the decisions necessary to the smooth functioning of the Alliance. These decisions concern both programmatic and administrative issues. Click here for the biographies of the Directors-General.

The Chair of the Alliance Executive is one of the Directors General of the 15 Centers, elected for a one-year term by his/her peers. The AE Chair may serve no more than two one year terms.

The Alliance Deputy Executive (ADE) is a support and implementation organ of the Alliance. It is composed by 2 standing-committees: an ADE-Science dealing with common cross-center issues on research strategy, implementation and quality, and an ADE-Finance dealing with financial, audit and administrative compliance with the CGIAR system demands. The ADE-Science and the ADE-Finance work with Center scientists and administrative staff to implement relevant decisions of the Alliance Executive. The chairs of ADE-Science and ADE-Finance are elected yearly among committee members (one vote per center if required). The Chair of the ADE-Science is the ADE Chair.

The mission of the Alliance Office (AO) is to enable the Centers to contribute more effectively and efficiently to the mission of the CGIAR by cooperating and implementing collective activities whenever and wherever possible. The Alliance Office provides strategic advice and supports and facilitates collective activities undertaken by the Alliance. The Alliance Office works to define and enable the emergence of a clear Alliance position (speaking with one voice) on strategic issues for the CGIAR and facilitating the communication of this position to relevant stakeholders. It facilitates the implementation of Alliance decisions and facilitates links between the Alliance and other parts of the System. The Alliance Office is headed by the Chief Alliance Officer.

Summaries of Meetings

Resources

Newsletters 2005-2006