Cgiar Research and Poverty Reduction

It is my pleasure to transmit to you the report of the TAC commissioned study on CGIAR Research and Poverty Reduction. The study was conducted by IFPRI in consultation with TAC with the aim of describing the processes and conditions under which agricultural technology can be an effective instrument for poverty reduction. The attached report was considered by TAC at its 81st meeting held in Bogor, Indonesia in September 2001. Please find attached the study report and TAC's commentary on the report. In the new CGIAR Vision and Strategy, the poverty reduction focus of the CGIAR research assumes a central place. The CGIAR has many years of accumulated experiences in using agricultural technology to seek an impact on poverty reduction. In order to take advantage of this accumulated knowledge in providing guidelines for future research investments, TAC requested IFPRI at MTM2000 to prepare a report on the links between CGIAR agricultural research and poverty reduction. The result is an important document that will serve as a benchmark in pursuing further studies of the technology-poverty nexus for sometime to come. TAC considers that it is important to rigorously establish causal linkages before firm conclusions can be offered about the understanding of the technology-poverty linkage. In this regard, TAC has requested IFPRI to develop case studies on the technology-poverty relation which, when completed, will enrich our current knowledge and be made available to the CGIAR stakeholders. iv Further, in the context of the CGIAR's interests in a regional approach to priority setting and implementation as envisioned in Plank 4 of the new Vision and Strategy, TAC has initiated region-specific synthesis studies on the technology-poverty linkage as a contribution to the regional research planning processes that are underway. The TAC commissioned poverty study for Meso-America served as an input into the formulation of the pilot proposal for the Central America sub-region for which a partial contribution from donors is now being sought. To further assist this process, TAC has prepared, in collaboration with ISNAR, a document giving general guidelines for implementing the regional approach to research. TAC will be reporting on the progress with regional priority setting at the AGM'2001 Stakeholders Meeting. Finally, TAC considers that it is of vital importance that support and guidance be given to the multi-institutional global poverty mapping initiative in which CGIAR/TAC is a participant along with FAO and UNDP-GRID-ARENDAL in Norway. TAC believes that the CGIAR needs …