Governance in International Livestock Research : The Case of ILRI & CGIAR, 1974-2020: The Case of ILRI & CGIAR, 1974-2020

By FALVEY, LINDSAY, Ph.D.

Book Id: WPLBN0100303799
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Reproduction Date: 8/31/2021

Title:	Governance in International Livestock Research : The Case of ILRI & CGIAR, 1974-2020: The Case of ILRI & CGIAR, 1974-2020
Author:	FALVEY, LINDSAY, Ph.D.
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Non Fiction, Agriculture, international livestock research
Collections:	Authors Community, History
Historic Publication Date:	2021
Publisher:	International Livestock Research Institute

Member Page:	Lindsay Falvey
Citation APA MLA Chicago Lindsay Falvey, B. P. (2021). Governance in International Livestock Research : The Case of ILRI & CGIAR, 1974-2020. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
Patron’s Foreword As Patron of ILRI, I am pleased to introduce this examination of governance in the international livestock research centres. Governance is a neglected subject and those of us who know the research field from our particular specialties tend to assume that the right people for the task will somehow arise from within our ranks. Fortunately this has often occurred, and when it works well it is most easily overlooked. In the international arena that is reliant on government and philanthropic donations in a system somewhat like the United Nations, continuity of funds for long term research projects requires skilled management. The interaction between management and governance of legally constituted bodies such as ILRI must be productive. Again, this interaction can be easily overlooked. From my own experience on the Board of one of ILRI’s earlier iterations, ILRAD, I know that it is tempting for a board member to follow interesting research detail, especially in one’s own field. Keeping a board focussed on its governance tasks is thus a consistent theme across the world’s most impactful research institutes. This publication brings an unusual glimpse of the challenges that arise in the international research sector, and in particular ILRI and the ever changing group called CGIAR. Most of us are experienced in national institutions such as autonomous universities or government research organisations where international research is simply Governance in International Livestock Research, ILRI ix assumed to be the routine collaboration we have with our colleagues around the world. That assumption is incomplete for organisations such as ILRI that are legal entities and as such may well be increasingly scrutinized under corporate law, especially as they source more funds from and join with private bodies. For these and other reasons, I commend this work to those who may not have understood this part of the jigsaw that allows institutes such as ILRI to produce extremely high rates of return, to alleviate nutritional and disease suffering for millions and to reduce the environmental impacts of essential agricultural production. Peter C. Doherty AC, FAA, FRS Nobel Laureate, 1996 Patron, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

Summary
Governance of organizations is less studied than management, yet is a key determinant of strategic vision and direction, oversight and values. An organization’s Board selects, appoints and monitors Management with which it must maintain a productive interaction with both parties understanding their different roles. International research institutions funded by variable contributions from wealthy national governments and philanthropic bodies have specific governance requirements. Neither governmental nor UN-style bodies offer prescriptions for the expertise and complexity of such legally constituted specialist organizations. In the case of such organizations as the International Livestock Research Institute within the CGIAR association, governance has been shared across different persons, bodies and forces. The sharing of such critical responsibilities worked productively when trust was high and funding was approximately aligned to the influence of the sharing parties, but otherwise it risked anomalies of imbalance between authority and responsibilities that prejudiced impact. The book traces the governance systems of ILRI across five decades of international livestock research as a case study of historical interest that can inform future structures in the international research arena.

Excerpt
Successful businesses rely on competent staff, management and governance. The last factor is often overlooked or even confused with management. This applies to commercial enterprises, non- profit organisations and government enterprises, which are usually required to be legally constituted entities (persons) in most advanced nations. Overseas development assistance from wealthy to poor nations, a significant proportion of which has been invested in agricultural development, is implemented by such registered entities as consulting companies, NGOs and contractual bodies of international organisations such as the UN. Agricultural research that discovers long-term benefits while minimizing unwanted contingencies is implemented through the legal personas of the international agricultural research Centres. One of these Centres which has produced outstanding benefits is today known as ILRI; it is clearly successful, and as such has relied on competent albeit convoluted governance, as is examined in this work. Before considering governance arrangements over ILRI’s five decades in the succeeding chapters, this chapter introduces the context and origin of the International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents Acknowledgements v Acronyms viii Patron’s Foreword ix Introduction 1 Chapter 1 International Livestock Research: Origins & Context 5 International Livestock Research 5 CGIAR 9 Conceiving the Livestock Centres 11 The Birth of ILRAD 13 The Birth of ILCA 15 Chapter 2 The Formative Years: 1974-1980 19 Livestock Research Centres: 1974-1980 20 ILRAD: 1974-1980 21 ILCA: 1974-1980 28 Chapter 3 From Establishment to Consolidation: 1981-1986 35 ILRAD: 1981-1986 35 ILCA: 1981-1986 42 Chapter 4 Marking Time: 1987-1992 49 ILRAD: 1987-1992 50 ILCA: 1987-1992 54 Merger Mooted 60 Governance in International Livestock Research, ILRI iii Page Chapter 5 Towards Merger: 1992-1994 63 Chapter 6 A Single Livestock Centre – ILRI: 1994-1996 71 Chapter 7 The First Five Years of ILRI: 1995-2000 81 Chapter 8 Entering the Millennium, ILRI: 2000-2006 91 Chapter 9 ILRI and the CGIAR Consortium: 2006-2013 103 Chapter 10 Towards One CGIAR – ILRI: 2014-2020 115 Chapter 11 Whither ILRI & Governance? 127 Appendix A Global Context 137 Board Chairs and Directors-General 145 ILRAD 146 ILCA 147 ILRI 148 Endnotes & References 149