INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND THE CGIAR SYSTEM—PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

Abstract

Although much bilaterally supported international agricultural research was conducted prior to 1972, only with the formation of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) did a co-ordinated research programme funded by a number of agencies (national, development banks, UN and charitable) become a reality. Four existing institutes (IRRI, CIMMYT, IITA and CIAT) were initially accepted for funding, and in the course of the next seven years ICRISAT, CIP, ILRAD, IBPGR (now IPGRI), WARDA, ILCA, ICARDA, ISNAR and IFPRI were added. A brief period of consolidation occurred between 1979 and 1991, but in 1991±92 ®ve more institutes (ICRAF, IIMI, INIBAP, ICLARM and CIFOR) became part of the system, quickly reduced by two by absorbing INIBAP into IPGRI, and merging ILCA and ILRAD to become ILRI. There are also several internationally funded institutes not of the CGIAR but associated with it, and strangely referred to as the non-associated centres, including AVRDC, IBSRAM, ICIMOD, ICIPE and IFDC. The CGIAR programme has become increasingly large and diverse. Plant breeding and crop and animal production still form the major components, together accounting for 40 per cent of the budget. Studies of economic policy and the strengthening of national agricultural research systems (NARS) through training and in other ways, have always been an important component of the CGIAR programme, although receiving little publicity. They have grown in importance as the system has developed. More recently increasing attention has been given to the environment, sustainability and biodiversity, and to the difficulties that an international system encounters in dealing with the `location speci®city' of many of the problems studied. `Ecoregional' and `systemwide' initiatives have become part of the research agenda. Perhaps most importantly a serious attempt is now being made to come to grips with the location speci®city problem through the ecoregional initiatives. This requires greater collaboration between the CGIAR centres, and the many other partners in national and international agricultural research.