CGIAR 33139 N E WS CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AUGUST 2002 BUILDING ALLIANCES FOR THE FUTURE: IPGRI HOSTS CENTER DIRECTORS COMMITTEE Reviewing opportunities and building carese. The committee is comprised of stronger research-for-development al- 16 CEO's who lead the Future Harvest liances were key themes of a business Centers, mobilizing the best of science meeting and workshop of the CGIAR in the service of the poor. Director Center Directors Committee (CDC) General-designate Masa Iwanaga of held at IPGRI headquarters in Mac- CIMMYT attended the meeting for the The Philippine Department of Agriculture (Kagawaran ng first time. Pagsasaka) designed this special logo for AGM02. The sun, blades, crop sheaf, fish and waves are symbols of land and In opening remarks, Meryl water resources that are abundant in an archipelago of more Williams, chair of the CDC, outlined than 7,000 islands. Overall, the logo symbolizes the essence the challenges faced by the Future Har- of the Philippines-CGIAR partnership and its focus on agri- culture, natural resources and the environment. vest Centers. "The challenges are tem- pered by opportunities" said Williams. "We need to forge new alliances, mobi- MANILA CALLING lize additional resources, and enhance The Government of Philippines is hosting knowledge-sharing--these are essen- the CGIAR 2002 Annual General Meeting CGIARtial for increasing the pace and effec- (AGM02) in Manila, October 30-November The CGIAR Center Directors Committee 1, 2002. More than 500 scientists, policy (Peter Hartmann of IITA and Frank Rijs- tiveness with which we deliver results." makers, development practitioners, and berman of IWMI not in picture) Noting that people are key to institu- representatives of the private sector and Continued on page 7 civil society are expected to attend. High- light of the meeting include: · October 28--Philippine Day, including SIR JOHN CRAWFORD MEMORIAL LECTURE visits to national agricultural and forestry research sites In a year when so much attention has the President and Director of the En- · October 29--IRRI Day, including a visit to focused on sustainable development vironment Department (1991-94) at IRRI's Los Baños research station · October 30 & 31--CGIAR Stakeholder and the critical links between envi- the World Bank, and served as Chair- Meeting at Shangri-La Hotel, Makati ronment and agriculture, we are de- man of the Global Environmental Fa- City, Metro Manila lighted to announce that the 2002 Sir cility (GEF) during its Pilot Phase · November 1--CGIAR Business Meeting, to John Crawford Memorial Lecturer (1991-94). fine tune and accelerate the reform program will be Mohamed El-Ashry, Chairman Prior to joining the World Bank, he Following the AGM, ICLARM--The World and CEO of the Global Environment held senior positions at World Re- Fish Center will host a "Fish for All" Facility (GEF). sources Institute (WRI) and Environ- Summit on November 3, 2002 in Penang, Mr. El-Ashry is a world leader on mental Defense Fund, among others. Malaysia. Please mark your calendars. For a global environment issues. He was He served as Senior Environmental detailed program, click on www.cgiar.org the Chief Environmental Adviser to Continued on page 2 CGIAR NEWS PAGE 1 SEEDS OF HOPE FOR AFGHANISTAN Nearly 70,000 Afghan farmers are fac- ICARDA is the lead center of the from U.S. scientists in the National ing severe food and seed shortages. Consortium, and an office was recently Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- Thanks to the collaborative efforts of established in Kabul. ICRISAT, in part- tion, NASA, Geographic Survey, and the Future Harvest Consortium to Re- nership with the U.K. Overseas Devel- the Foreign Agriculture Service" said build Agriculture in Afghanistan and opment Institute organized a "Code-of- Dr. Nasarat Wassimi, Executive Man- the interim Afghan Government, farm- Conduct Workshop" to develop guid- ager of the Consortium. "After four ers have received emergency relief sup- ing principles for seed regulatory and years of severe drought and extensive plies and more than 3,500 tons of im- seed system support interventions for damage to Afghanistan's irrigation sys- proved, high-quality wheat seed in Afghanistan. The workshop was tems, we need to have the latest infor- eleven provinces. The seeds are help- opened by H.E. Mohammed Sharif, mation to ensure these critical seeds ing lay the foundations of recovery and First Deputy Minister of Afghanistan's survive." growth in Afghanistan, allowing farm- Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The wheat seeds distributed in ers to commence spring plantings es- More than 80 participants representing Afghanistan--Inqilab 91 and MH 97-- sential for achieving food security. CIMMYT, CIP, IWMI, the International are carefully selected varieties, specifi- Fertilizer Development Center, and cally adapted to the harsh growing con- civil society attended the meeting. ditions of this drought-ridden country. I N T H I S I S S U E ICRISAT's presentation focused on the The wheat seed distribution is a first of urgent need for a demand-driven seed its type. The Consortium is also con- 1 Building Alliances for the Future: supply system. ducting need assessments and diagnos- IPGRI Hosts CDC The Consortium is using emote tic studies to better identify critical ac- 1 Crawford Memorial Lecture sensing data and Geographic Informa- tions needed to rebuild agriculture in 1 Manila Calling: Hosts AGM02 tion Systems (GIS) to identify areas this war-torn country. Afghanistan and 2 Seeds of Hope for Afghanistan that have enough soil moisture to en- its resilient people are truly unique and 3 Sanchez Wins World Food Prize sure seed growth without recourse to the CGIAR is proud to be a partner in 3 Thailand Expands Partnership irrigation. "The key information came this effort. with IRRI 4 New Leaders in Partner Institutions CRAWFORD MEMORIAL LECTURE Continued from page 1 4 InfoFinder Launched Adviser to UNDP, as Special Adviser to GEF operations 5 IFPRI Research Points Way Out the Secretary General of the 1992 U.N. for the next four of Famine in Southern Africa Conference on Environment and De- years--the 6 ICARDA Celebrates 25 Years velopment (UNCED), and as a member largest replen- 8 Illegal Logging in Indonesia of the World Water Commission. ishment in GEF 9 Golden Millet, Naturally! Launched in 1991, the Global Envi- history. 10 Maize Resists Storage Pests ronment Facility forges international The lecture 11 ICRISAT's New Partnership to cooperation and finances actions to ad- is sponsored by Combat Soil Degradation dress four critical threats to the global the Australian 11 Honor Roll / In Memoriam environment: biodiversity loss, climate Government CGIAR change, degradation of international and the event is waters, and ozone depletion. It is a a highlight of the Editor: Sarwat Hussain Mr. Mohamed El-Ashry principal partner of countries taking CGIAR Annual Issued by the CGIAR Secretariat Tel: (1-202) 473-8951 real action to achieve sustainable devel- General Meeting. Sir John Crawford Fax: (1-202) 473-8110 opment. In August 2002, 32 govern- was a distinguished civil servant, edu- E-mail: cgiar@cgiar.org ments from developed and developing cator, and agriculturist and a founder of Design: Iseman Creative, Inc. countries gave $US 2.92 billion to fund the CGIAR. PAGE 2 CGIAR NEWS BREAKING NEWS: PEDRO SANCHEZ WINS 2002 WORLD FOOD PRIZE Pedro Sanchez, former Director General, arable agricultural land in the last half- Tropics, a classic ICRAF has been named the 2002 World century. reference book Food Prize Laureate. He was chosen for his Most recently, Dr. Sanchez has led the that is still con- groundbreaking contributions to reducing charge toward providing smallholder farm- sidered among hunger and malnutrition throughout the ers in Africa and Southeast Asia with the the 10 best- developing world by transforming depleted means to replenish crucial nutrients in ex- sellers on soil tropical soils into productive agricultural hausted soils, through the development science world- lands. The World Food Prize carries a cash and promotion of agroforestry. The prac- wide. It has prize of $US 250,000 and he is the first tice of planting trees on farms has pro- been translated Cuban to receive this prestigious award. vided nearly 150,000 farmers in Africa with into many lan- Pedro Sanchez' leadership over the a way to fertilize their soils inexpensively guages, includ- CGIAR past 25 years has been vital to the great and naturally, without relying on costly ing Spanish, Dr. Pedro Sanchez strides made toward improving food secu- chemical fertilizers. Japanese and rity in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast "Pedro Sanchez is being honored for Bahasa Indonesian. A seminal contribution, Asia. As the leader of the North Carolina having played a critical role in establishing the book sets the scientific basis for the State University Rice Research Program in real alternatives to slash-and-burn farm- proper management of the chemistry, biol- the 1970's, he helped guide Peru to dra- ing which has destroyed millions of acres ogy, and physics of soils in relation to food matically improve its national food secu- of rainforest, as well as his work in driving production, poverty alleviation and envi- rity, achieving self-sufficiency in rice pro- the international effort to establish agro- ronmental conservation in the tropics. duction within three years and attaining forestry as a means of mitigating global The formal award ceremony is slated some of the highest rice yields in the warming" said Ambassador Kenneth M. for October 24, 2002, at the World Food world. In addition, he developed a com- Quinn, President of the World Food Prize Prize International Symposium to be held prehensive approach to soil management Foundation. The announcement was made in Ames, Iowa, USA. The CGIAR has won which enabled 30 million hectares (75 mil- at the XXVI International Horticultural this coveted prize for the past three years, lion acres) of marginal Brazilian land, Congress. demonstrating the quality of its science. known as the Cerrado, to be brought into In 1976, Pedro Sanchez published production--the single largest increase in Properties and Management of Soils in the THAILAND EXPANDS PARTNERSHIP WITH IRRI A high-level trade delegation led by research agenda, the rice Mr. Prachuab Chaiyasan, former For- genome, implications for eign Minister of the Kingdom of Thai- intellectual property rights, land visited IRRI to expand collabora- the new plant type, and tion in rice research. progress on biotechnology. Thailand is collaborating with IRRI Further discussions cen- in major ongoing projects such as the tered on IRRI's research Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Envi- agenda and its relationship ronments, Asian Rice Biotechnology with national agricultural Network, International Network for research systems, a dy- the Genetic Evaluation of Rice, and ef- namic partnership that forts to develop aerobic rice suited for seeks to boost production IRRI water-scarce tropical environments or in rice farming and im- A high-level trade delegation led by Mr. Prachuab northeastern Thailand. proving the livelihoods of Chaiyasan, former Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of The delegation was briefed by rice farmers in Thailand Thailand visited IRRI to expand collaboration in rice research. Ronald Cantrell, Director General, and other rice-growing IRRI and senior scientists about IRRI's areas. CGIAR NEWS PAGE 3 NEW LEADERS IN PARTNER INSTITUTIONS both to global development priorities International Foundation and to the interests of Australian farm- for Science (IFS), ers and researchers. Mr. Core succeeds Stockholm, Sweden Dr. Robert Clements who served as Director since 1995. Michael Ståhl was appointed Director of IFS on July 1, 2002 for a 5-year ACIARAsian Vegetable Research term. Dr. Ståhl comes from the from Mr. Peter Core and Development Center the Swedish International Develop- Australian Centre for (AVRDC), Shanhua Tainan, ment Cooperation Agency (Sida), International Agricultural Taiwan where he was Research (ACIAR), Head of the Di- Thomas Lumpkin has been appointed vision for The- Canberra, Australia Director General of AVRDC starting matic Research from January 1, 2003. Dr. Lumpkin is Programmes at Peter Core has been appointed Direc- presently Chairman of the Department the Department tor of ACIAR for a 5-year term com- of Crop and Soil Sciences and Professor for Research mencing July 31, 2002. The appoint- of Agronomy at Washington State Uni- Co-operation ment was announced by the Minister versity (WSU). He also serves as Profes- (SAREC). IFS for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Alexan- sor in Asian Studies. From WSU, where works for IFS der Downer. Mr. Core is currently he has worked since 1983, Dr. Lumpkin strengthening Dr. Michael Ståhl Managing Director of the Rural Indus- managed cooperative research and out- the capacity of tries Research and Development Cor- reach programs linking laboratories and developing countries to conduct rele- poration (RIRDC). His previous posi- field sites around the world, including vant and high quality research on the tions include Secretary (CEO) of two Africa and Latin America. He enjoys an sustainable management of biological Federal Departments: Transport and international reputation as an expert on resources, and has supported over Industrial Relations. ACIAR plays an East Asian vegetable production sys- 3400 scientists in over 100 developing important role in the effective delivery tems and on the biology of a range of countries. of Australia's aid program, responding Asian vegetables. INFO FINDER LAUNCHED A new online research tool--Info Finder--is revolutionizing the search and retrieval of specialized agricultural and development informa- tion. Launched by the Center Director Committee (CDC), Info Finder is the result of a partnership between FAO's World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT), Future Harvest Centers and CGIAR Secretariat, the online tool links information to a single network allowing users to intelligently search the rich reserves of online material produced by the Future Harvest Centers and WAICENT. The Info Finder is receiving an average of 2,340 hits per day. During June 2002, the most active countries to access the Info Finder were the USA, UK, Saudi Arabia and Kenya. For more information, please go to http://infofinder.cgiar.org PAGE 4 CGIAR NEWS IFPRI RESEARCH POINTS THE WAY OUT OF FAMINE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA Recent news reports place the affiliation. Finally, governments must providing jobs for poor people and by number of people currently suffer- invest in health services during working with the government to make ing from famine or the threat of famine relief and recovery. Many of food available. famine in Southern Africa at 10 the deaths that occur during famine To initiate development that will million. In Lesotho, Malawi, are due not to starvation but to dis- reduce the chances of future famine, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, ease. Poor nutrition makes people governments in Southern Africa and Zimbabwe, these millions of more susceptible to disease, and exist- should work to raise farmers' produc- people are facing food shortages that ing health services often cannot take tivity by distributing basic agricul- put their food security, their health, on the added burden. tural inputs like seeds and fertilizer. and their lives at risk. IFPRI They should encourage farmers to researchers have conducted exten- grow staple food crops with better, 10 million people in Lesotho, sive research on the causes of, and more appropriate technologies. They solutions to, famine in Africa and Malawi, Mozambique, Swazi- should establish credit programs for their findings are summarized in a rural poor people to allow them to new brief "Fighting Famine in land, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, buy agricultural inputs, food, and as- Southern Africa: Steps out of the currently suffer from famine sets such as livestock. In the long run Crisis." A follow-up brief this fall it is particularly important for govern- will focus on the steps necessary for or the threat of famine. These ments to invest in rural infrastructure preventing future famines. millions of people are facing such as roads and to facilitate the The immediate causes of the cur- growth of more effective markets. rent crisis in Southern Africa are food shortages that put their As policymakers consider which drought, flooding, and low levels of food security, their health, interventions to adopt, they must de- crop planting. These conditions have cide which actions will be most effec- led to such a severe crisis, however, and their lives at risk. tive and when, in tune with local because of chronic poverty, poor gov- specificities. IFPRI's research shows ernance, market failures, and lack of that by taking appropriate steps and capacity to monitor and respond to To begin to recover from famine, drawing on the help of aid agencies, the crisis as it unfolds. authorities should assess famine vul- the governments of Southern Africa Famine mitigation policies lie on a nerability, by studying households' in- can prevent the suffering and death of continuum ranging from immediate come and assets, food intake, and ac- millions once famine has struck. relief, to recovery, to initiating devel- cess to water, to help determine what opment. When famine strikes, the kinds of relief and recovery interven- first task is to get food to the hungry. tions would be most effective. One im- Governments and relief agencies portant intervention might be labor- must rush food supplies to the worst- intensive public works projects that affected regions and people. The re- offer three main benefits: provide poor port argues that food should be dis- people with short-term income, serve tributed not just to food camps but to as risk insurance, and create assets areas where hungry people live. There like infrastructure that can help assure is also a need to adopt standardized future food security. Other safety net guidelines for distributing food aid programs will also be necessary to that prevent discrimination by gen- help destitute households. And the der, age, status, ethnicity, and political private sector must play a role by CGIAR NEWS PAGE 5 ICARDA CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY Syria (and the Fertile Crescent) is said Dr. Peter Cooper, Director, Nat- to be the cradle of agriculture, where ural Resources and Environment, plant domestication first took place IDRC, flagged water and climate some 10,000 years ago. In May, Syria change as dominant issues. "Water is marked a more modern milestone-- becoming increasingly scarce and in- the 25th anniversary of ICARDA's creasingly a matter of international founding. concern, while climate change is al- To commemorate this important ready occurring, making dry areas of occasion, ICARDA hosted a well-at- West Asia and North Africa hotter and tended symposium and field day at its drier. Given these changes, ICARDA's Tel Hadya headquarters for scientists, mandate is increasingly relevant and research partners, and representatives deserving of increasing support from of member governments. Host country donors." Syria was represented by H.E. Dr. ICARDA Director General Prof. Noureddin Mona, Minister of Agricul- Dr. Adel El-Beltagy gave a presentation ture and Agrarian Reform, who on the challenges facing the world's pledged Syria's continuing "full sup- drylands, noting that ICARDA's strat- port" to ICARDA for achieving its mis- egy would give priority to helping rural sion of poverty reduction and im- communities living in arid areas to add proved nutrition, working for poor value to their agricultural products. farmers both in Syria and the rest of ICARDA plans to make best use of new ICARDA the world. technologies such as biotechnology, This special commemorative volume Applauding ICARDA's achieve- geographic information systems, re- "ICARDA 25: The Promise of Hope," was ments, the Minister noted that "Syria is written by Dr. Mohamed A. Nour, former mote sensing and computer expert sys- now an exporter of wheat, barley, Director General of ICARDA. tems to help boost agricultural produc- lentils, and chickpea" thanks to the tivity in the mandate area. foresight of the late President Hafez Al- The symposium attracted a stellar Assad upon whose invitation ICARDA "ICARDA has achieved great suc- cast of speakers, including Per Pin- was established in Aleppo province. cesses," he said adding that "much re- strup-Andersen, 2001 World Food The commitment to "partnership" mains to be done" a theme echoed by Prize Laureate and Professor Marc van based on "common interest" for the other speakers. Reminding the audi- Montagu of Ghent University, among good of the poor which was so impor- ence about the continuing relevance of others. The list of participants demon- tant to the late president continues ICARDA's mandate, Dr. Mervat Bedawi strated the international community's with H.E. Bashir Al-Assad, President of of the Arab Fund for Economic and widespread support for ICARDA. Syria. Social Development (AFESD), Kuwait A special commemorative volume Robert Havener, Chairman, said "Hunger and poverty still loom in "ICARDA 25: The Promise of Hope," ICARDA Board of Trustees presented many parts of the developing world, written by Dr Mohamed A. Nour, for- an overview of ICARDA's history, ac- threatening past achievements" adding mer Director General of ICARDA, was knowledging the facilitating role that "the food gap cannot be closed by released to mark the anniversary cele- played by late President Hafez Al- expanding [production] area, but must brations. Assad, along with the International come through increases in productiv- Development Research Centre ity achieved through science." Dr. (IDRC), The Rockefeller Foundation, Bedawi paid tribute to the AFESD- Ford Foundation, and others. ICARDA partnership. PAGE 6 CGIAR NEWS BUILDING ALLIANCES Continued from page 1 tional success, she stressed the need for Discussions centered on the challenges Challenge Programs, System-wide and a new vision in the area of human re- facing the CGIAR and opportunities Ecoregional Programs. A draft guide for sources management. presented by the reforms and the re- establishing Challenge Programs was The workshop was partially funded newed emphasis on agriculture and developed. CDC expressed strong sup- by Ford Foundation's Organization rural development in the discussions port for strengthening of System-wide Change Program and facilitated by the leading up to the World Summit on Programs (SWPs) and developed crite- Training Resources Group (TRG). Par- Sustainable Development (WSSD) to ria to assist in the setting of priorities ticipants also took the opportunity to be held in Johannesburg, August 26- for SWPs. A paper on lessons learned is meet senior staff at FAO and IFAD. September 4, 2002. The CDC also held planned at the completion of the 2002 Both organizations cosponsor the discussions with special invited guests, cycle. CGIAR. including Francisco Reifschneider, Mobilizing resources--financial, CGIAR Director and Emil Javier, Chair- International Treaties and, Intellectual human and technical--is at the core of man of the CGIAR interim Science Property Rights. Geoff Hawtin, IPGRI CGIAR's strategy to increase effective- Council. Important conclusions of the briefed CDC on developments relating ness. Meryl Williams outlined the im- CDC workshop include: to the Global Conservation Trust and portant role of traditional donors, and the International Treaty on Plant Ge- the need for strategic marketing to link Budget 2002: Full or partial support to netic Resources for Food and Agricul- research with development strategies five key programs--Future Harvest, ture (PGRFA) which recognizes the and impact. Judith Symonds, newly- Public Awareness and Resource Mobi- CGIAR's work in plant genetic re- appointed Executive Director pre- lization Committee (PARC), Central sources as a pillar of the global conser- sented an overview of Future Harvest Advisory Services, Gender and Diver- vation effort. Ronald Cantrell, IRRI and and emphasized the need to harness sity Program, and the Chief Informa- chairman of the CDC Task Force on In- strengths and synergies in science and tion Officer position--amounting to tellectual Property Rights discussed agriculture to meet the needs of the $US 1.1 million. CDC have developed next steps for revisiting the policies and global aid and development agenda. streamlined business processes to man- statements on biotechnology. Kanayo Ruth Raymond, IPGRI, gave an age and direct funding for all CDC- Nwanze, WARDA and chairman of the overview of a strategic framework for sponsored initiatives. The number of CGIAR Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Com- the newly-formed Future Harvest Mar- pooled Center services and support ini- mittee led a discussion on the relevance keting Group and planned collabora- tiatives are growing, indicating a of Challenge Programs to Africa, and tive efforts between the Centers, healthy trend of increasing collabora- other African-led initiatives. CGIAR Secretariat, and Future Harvest. tion among Centers. CDC are estab- The CDC discussed plans for the estab- lishing strong accountability mecha- Farewells and Welcomes. The work- lishment of the CGIAR System Office nisms to ensure value and sound pro- shop closed with CDC formally honor- and reviewed ideas for its draft busi- gram oversight. ing outgoing directors general Per Pin- ness plan. Jim Bamford of McKinsey strup-Andersen who led IFPRI for a briefed the CDC on the work and plan- Resource Mobilization, Future Harvest decade and Timothy Reeves who led ning accomplished to date for the and the System Office: A working CIMMYT for seven years. The CDC CGIAR System Office. group was formed to explore the CDC's welcomed Masa Iwanaga as the next A program highlight was a Berlin- relationship with an expanded Future director general of CIMMYT, and ap- Rome videoconference that linked Ian Harvest; the CDC chair will continue pointed Kerri Wright Platais as CDC Johnson, CGIAR Chairman and Kevin to play an active role in discussion of Executive Secretary on a part-time Cleaver, newly-appointed Director of governance issues of the CGIAR basis. the World Bank's Agriculture and Rural System Office. Development Department with CDC. CGIAR NEWS PAGE 7 ILLEGAL LOGGING IN INDONESIA Bribes are cheap, the likelihood of get- complex forces driving illegal logging manipulated, diverting rents to the ting caught very small, and the activities, the need to protect interests rich and powerful, leaving local com- chances of being found guilty and of the stakeholders, and determine munities with a lower share of timber prosecuted even smaller. This simple policy interventions that can help alle- value. reality lies at the heart of illegal forest viate the problem. A ban on exports of logs was intro- activities in Indonesia. Recent policy changes legalizing duced in October 2001. Recent field- "Illegal activities are one of the small-scale logging in production work in Kalimantan and Malaysia most pressing problems facing the In- forests have not had the desired effect shows it has been ineffective for reduc- donesian forest sector," says Luca Tac- of reducing illegal logging. In many ing illegal harvesting and exports. coni of CIFOR. "They "Economic forces reduce government are a fundamental revenues, cheat local driver of illegal communities of in- forest activities," come, foster a vicious says Tacconi. "The cycle of bad gover- incentives and dis- nance and destroy the incentives, includ- forest." ing the cost of Estimates of the being caught and extent of illegal log- being prosecuted, ging highlight the faced both by enormity of the prob- illegal and legal lem: between 55 and operators, need to 75 percent of indus- be researched to trial wood is produced CIFORbetter understand illegally resulting in a Curbing illegal logging in Indonesia is key to increasing the incomes of the poor and how policies loss of anywhere be- protecting Indonesia's forest resources. could be designed tween $US 1 billion to make legal and $US 1.9 billion in foregone cases these activities are not controlled markets more attractive than the tax revenues. by local communities, but by commer- illegal ones." In a significant partnership, cial interests that continue their illegal Law enforcement in itself is not suf- CIFOR and Indonesia's Forest Re- activities. "Illegal logging provides in- ficient to address the problem. Where search and Development Agency to- comes to people with few other alter- corruption is endemic, major improve- gether with Pionir Bulungan (East natives," says Krystof Obidzinski, a ments in surveillance, such as remote Kalimantan) and the Centre for Social CIFOR consultant. "Since manual sensing, log tracking, and monitoring and Economic Research on the Global small-scale extraction by rural people by third parties are likely to be more Environment have been researching is probably one of the least destructive effective than increasing penalties. the effects of illegal forest activities. forms of illegal logging, an argument The situation is complicated by the Support for this work is provided by could be made for legalizing such ac- range of actors involved in illegal ac- the U.K. Department for International tivities and in the process co-opting tivities. Development (DfID). rural people as forest guardians." "Unless the rewards from illegal ac- Recent surveys indicate illegal log- However, recent examples from In- tivities are reduced, it is unlikely that ging continues unabated despite state- donesia show that changes in regula- the complex chain of illegal activities ments to the contrary. CIFOR's re- tory frameworks that allow small-scale linking various actors can be broken" search is helping to understand the extraction by rural people have been concludes Tacconi. PAGE 8 CGIAR NEWS GOLDEN MILLET, NATURALLY! Recent research at ICRISAT reveals that some pearl millet "Golden millet demonstrates the value of global genotypes with yellow endosperm appear to have levels of research, development and extension partnerships that beta-carotene comparable to that of "Golden Rice." effectively link conventional plant breeding, participatory Beta-carotene, also known as provitamin A, is a sub- research methods, and tools of molecular biology," stance found in food that the human body needs to make concludes Dr. Dar. "It shows the way forward in using vitamin A. There are several such substances, called pre- naturally occurring crop genetic variation to address a cursors and beta-carotene is best because the human body major health issue affecting the world's makes two molecules of vitamin A (retinol) from each mol- poorest people." ecule of beta-carotene. Pearl millet is the most important "Golden millet is an exciting new alternative that de- staple food grain in the world's serves further development, keeping in mind that it would semi-arid tropics, home to a ma- reduce but not eliminate the need for vegetables and other jority of the world's poor people sources of pro-vitamin A," says William Dar, Director Gen- and where no other food crop eral, ICRISAT. "It will serve as an important substitute can contribute as reliably to to golden rice where rice production is not possible." achieving food security. "To have a staple food with a natural high content of People in the semi-arid beta-carotene would be an tropics have yet to benefit easy way to alleviate vita- from the revolutionary min A deficiency, one of advances that dramati- the most important cally increased food nutritional problems in grain production on developing countries," irrigated lands over explains Juergen Erhardt of a generation ago. the University of Hohenheim. He helped analyze the beta- carotene content of some of ICRISAT's millet genotypes. Vitamin A deficiency causes hun- dreds of thousands of cases of irreversible blindness every year, especially among chil- dren in developing countries. There have been many studies examining the possibility of using foods naturally rich in vitamin A to combat vita- min A deficiency in developing countries. These results proximate earlier findings at ICRISAT. More work is needed to optimize the extrac- tion procedure and more accurately analyze and calculate the potential intake of retino equivalents from pearl millet grain. "Millet grains containing a substantial amount of pro-vitamin A would be acceptable to farmers" says C.T. Hash, ICRISAT millet breeder. "The challenge is to deliver higher nutritional value in locally-adapted, pest- and disease-resistant cultivars that have reasonable yield potential." CGIAR NEWS PAGE 9 MAIZE THAT RESISTS STORAGE PESTS Pest attacks, on crops growing in the moted with farmers as part of an inte- developing elite lines for making field and on stored grain, are the bane grated pest management strategy. hybrids. CIMMYT scientists are also of poor farmers lives. In Eastern Based partly on studies by gradu- homing in rapidly on the areas in the Africa, two major pests--maize ate students concerning the inheri- maize genome associated with pest weevil and larger grain borers--cause tance of weevil resistance in maize, resistance. They hope eventually to ruinous losses, consuming as much as Kevin Pixley, a CIMMYT breeder combine DNA marker assisted selec- 15 percent of stored grain in a tion with conventional few months. To help farmers breeding to speed the tackle this problem, David development of high yield- Bergvinson, CIMMYT maize ing, pest resistant maize for entomologist, his associates, Africa. and partners at the University Meanwhile, CIMMYT of Ottawa have developed staff and partners in its experimental maize that regional programs in resists these damaging pests, eastern and southern Africa and new, practical methods to are routinely screening help screen for resistance in breeding materials for maize breeding materials. resistance to storage pests, "Maize with improved resis- placing grain samples in tance against storage pests is closed jars with pests and clearly in high demand measuring the damage at among small-scale farmers in regular intervals. Paddy tropical countries," says Likhayo, an entomologist Bergvinson who received the with the Kenya Agricultur- 1999 CGIAR Chairman's al Research Institute's Science Award for Promising Kiboko research station has Young Scientist. tested hundreds of Their research is leading to CIMMYT hybrids and open a better understanding of the pollinated varieties, and biochemical bases of pest identified a small but CIMMYT resistance, important for both useful portion that are Farmers in Kenya often store their maize in raised, slatted sheds food safety and determining that provide easy entry for pests. CIMMYT entomologists are devel- resistant to voracious pests. the potential limitations of oping maize lines that are resistant to voracious pests such as His research has also resistance factors. "Good cor- weevils and grain borers, research that is helping cut post-harvest documented a loss of sensi- relations between pest resis- losses in Africa. tivity in the larger grain tance and kernel hardness are borer to Actellic, a chemi- also correlated with elevated levels of based in Zimbabwe, and his associ- cal that is commonly used to control diphenolic acids in the pericarp of the ates have also identified maize lines this most damaging pest. This finding kernel," explains Bergvinson. "But it is that serve as sources of resistance not underlines the importance of contin- important to note that grain moisture only to weevils, but also to grey leaf uing the effort to develop maize that levels above 16 percent make normal- spot and maize streak virus, two dis- is resistant to storage pests and ly resistant genotypes susceptible to eases that seriously limit maize pro- promote integrated pest management pests." This finding emphasizes the ductivity in sub-Saharan Africa. practices. importance of drying grain before Among other things, breeders will storing it, a practice that must be pro- draw on these resistance sources in PAGE 10 CGIAR NEWS ICRISAT FORGES NEW PARTNERSHIP TO COMBAT LAND DEGRADATION Farming in the semi- is critical" said M.S. arid tropics (SAT) is a Swaminathan, former perilous enterprise, Director General of made riskier by fre- IRRI and World Food quent adverse climatic Prize laureate. The pro- events such as droughts, ject was launched by flood and searing tem- Mr. Digvijay Singh, peratures that nega- Chief Minister of Mad- tively impact the hya Pradesh state, who harvests and livelihoods lauded ICRISAT's efforts of millions of poor in conceptualizing the farmers. project. Following up on the "We take pride in our success of the New T partnership with the Sir Consortium Model for ICRISADorabji Tata Trust, a Managing Community Lighting the ceremonial lamp. Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Digvijay leading private founda- Watersheds in India, Singh (far right) is joined by Dr. William Dar, Director General, ICRISAT and tion" said William Dar, ICRISAT has teamed up Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation Director General, with the prestigious ICRISAT. "We are Mumbai-based Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (ICAR), National Remote Sensing breaking new ground in mobilizing to combat land degradation in Mad- Agency (NRSA), several NGOs, state science for poor farmers, benefiting hya Pradesh (Guna and Devas dis- governments, farmers organizations from private philanthropy and forging tricts) and eastern Rajasthan (Bundi and ICRISAT. The project uses a the alliances necessary to support the district). The Trust is supporting the holistic livelihood approach. important mission of the CGIAR." consortium formed by the Indian "In the harsh environments of the Council of Agricultural Research semi-arid tropics, conserving rainwater Honor Roll Sant Singh Virmani, Deputy Head of Plant Breeding, Genetics K.L. Heong, Senior Entomologist, IRRI won the Saint Andrews' and Biochemistry, IRRI won the International Service in Crop Environmental Prize (with M.M. Escalada of the Philippine's Science Award from the Crop Science Society of America. Leyte State University and Nguyen Huu Huan of Vietnam Plant Protection Department) for an innovative campaign protecting Vo-Tong Xuan, Member of the CGIAR Interim Science Council one million rice farmers from the harmful effects of dangerous and Rector, Angiang University, won the Nikkei Asia Prize for insecticides in the Red River Delta of Vietnam. The award transforming rice production in Vietnam and increasing rice carries a cash prize of $US 25,000. In addition, he was awarded production in the Mekong delta. a Doctor of Science degree by Imperial College, London. J.K. Ladha, Soil Nutritionist, IRRI has been named Fellow of the In Memoriam American Society of Agronomy. Arthur Hugh Bunting, CMG, Emeritus Professor, The University of Reading, and an active supporter of the CGIAR passed away Tom Mew, Head of Entomology and Plant Pathology, IRRI has on May 8, 2002. He was a founding trustee of IITA and IPGRI. In been named a Fellow of the American Phytopathological 1986, he chaired the CGIAR Technical Advisory Committee's Society. Training Study. CGIAR NEWS PAGE 11 C G I A R CGIAR Chairman CGIAR-SUPPORTED FUTURE HARVEST CENTERS Ian Johnson · International Center for Tropical · International Food Policy Research Agriculture (CIAT) Institute (IFPRI) CGIAR Director Cali, Colombia Washington, DC, United States Francisco Reifschneider Phone: (57-2) 4450000 Phone: (1-202) 862-5600 www.ciat.cgiar.org www.ifpri.org Cosponsors · Center for International Forestry · International Institute of Tropical Food and Agriculture Organization of Research (CIFOR) Agriculture (IITA) the United Nations Bogor, Indonesia Ibadan, Nigeria International Fund for Agricultural Development Phone: (62-251) 622 622 Phone: (234-2) 2412626 www.cifor.org www.iita.org United Nations Development Programme The World Bank · International Center for the Im- · International Livestock Research provement of Maize and Wheat Institute (ILRI) (CIMMYT) Nairobi, Kenya CGIAR Members Mexico City, Mexico Phone: (254-2) 630743 www.cgiar.org/ilri Countries Phone: (52-5) 804 2004 www.cimmyt.org Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, · International Plant Genetic Canada, China, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Denmark, · International Potato Center (CIP) Resources Institute (IPGRI) Maccarese (Fiumicino) Rome Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Lima, Peru Phone: (51-1) 349-6017 Phone: (39-06) 61181 Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Luxem- www.cipotato.org www.ipgri.org bourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, · International Center for Agricultural · International Rice Research Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Roma- Research In the Dry Areas Institute (IRRI) nia, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Swe- (ICARDA) Los Baños, Philippines den, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Uganda, United Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic Phone: (63-2) 8450563 Phone: (963-21) 2213433 www.irri.org Kingdom, United States of America www.icarda.org · International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) Foundations · The World Fish Center (ICLARM) Penang, Malaysia The Hague, The Netherlands Ford Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, Phone: (60-4) 626-1606 Phone: (31-70) 3496100 Rockefeller Foundation www.iclarm.org www.isnar.cgiar.org · World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) · International Water Management International and Regional Organizations Nairobi, Kenya Institute (IWMI) African Development Bank, Arab Fund for Eco- Phone: (254-2) 524000 Colombo, Sri Lanka Phone: (94-1) 867404 nomic and Social Development, Asian Development www.icraf.org www.cgiar.org/iwmi Bank, European Commission, Food and Agriculture · International Crops Research Organization of the United Nations, Inter-American · West Africa Rice Development Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics Association (WARDA) Development Bank, International Development Re- (ICRISAT) Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India search Centre, International Fund for Agricultural Phone: (225) 31634514 Phone: (91-40) 3296161 www.warda.org Development, OPEC Fund for International Develop- www.icrisat.org ment, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, The World Bank PAGE 12 CGIAR NEWS Printed on Recycled Paper