This is the Report of an External Review Panel appointed to evaluate the programme and management of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The membership of the Panel and their backgrounds are given in Appendix I.
The Terms of Reference for this Fifth External Programme and Management Review (EPMR) of IRRI are shown in Appendix II. In conducting the Review, the Panel was requested to interpret the Terms of Reference and the general guidelines for the CGIAR review process in the light of the new approach to EPMRs. The new approach comprises a single integrated system with two components: (i) a set of Centre Commissioned External Reviews (CCERs); and (ii) the CGIAR external review of the Centre. The CCERs are expected to generate information which would serve as inputs to the EPMRs, thus allowing the latter panel to concentrate on the most important strategic issues facing the Centre. However, because of the change and turbulence at IRRI over the past 18 months or so, the Institute was not able to provide the CCERs that are now regarded as a normal part of the external review process. Consequently, after the initial visit to the Centre, the Panel was strengthened by adding two consultants, and in the period between the initial and main phase of the Review, IRRI was requested to prepare special papers on key topics.
The Panel's approach to the Review has been open, participatory and forward-looking. The information on which the Panel based its assessments and conclusions was gathered in a number of ways. These included visiting the Institute and interacting with the Board, management and staff; meeting and discussing with national programme representatives and government officials; undertaking examination of specific aspects of the Institute through Panel consultants; interviewing Board members; and obtaining information through a survey letter sent to all CGIAR institutions collaborating with IRRI, and to all CGIAR Members and Regional Representatives. The itinerary of the Panel is shown in Appendix III.
Finally, the Panel had access to a large array of documents and data made available by IRRI. Additional documents were provided by the TAC and CGIAR Secretariats. A complete list of documents provided to the Panel is shown in Appendix IV. One of the documents furnished by the Centre was the response of the Institute to the recommendations of the 1992 External Review, which is reproduced with the Panel's comments as Appendix V.
