ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
EMERGING ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENTS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL: SOCIO-ECONOMIC MEASURES TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS
(Item 6 (c) of the provisional agenda)
REPORT ON THE REGIONAL COORDINATION CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF COARSE GRAINS, PULSES, ROOTS AND TUBER CROPS IN THE HUMID TROPICS OF ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Note by the secretariat
1. The major developments that have occurred in the operation of the Regional Coordination Centre for Research and Development of Coarse Grains, Pulses, Roots and Tuber Crops in the Humid Tropics of Asia and the Pacific (CGPRT Centre) since the fifty-fourth session of the Commission, held from 16 to 22 April 1998, are detailed in the present report. The activities planned for 1999 and beyond, as endorsed by the Governing Board at its seventeenth session in December 1998, are presented, together with a review of the financial resources status of the Centre.
2. During 1998, the Centre carried out its activities in the framework of two programmes: research and development (R and D), and human resources development and information services (HRD/IS). Under these two programmes, the Centre implemented or conducted the following: (a) three R and D projects; (b) two two-week in-country training courses, one two-week regional working seminar, one one-week regional training course and one three-day regional seminar; and (c) provision of other information (see annex IV). These activities were carried out in collaboration with national agricultural research institutes, national policy planning agencies, and other agencies and organizations involved in the Centre's crop development. The information and recommendations generated by, and disseminated through, these activities were widely utilized. The involvement of countries in the activities of the Centre is shown in annex I.
3. The programme support resources were maintained at an appreciable level as in previous years. Specific programme support came from the Governments of France, Japan, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea. Institutional support was also given by the Governments of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
4. The Government of Indonesia, as the host, continued to provide premises and facilities for the Centre, together with financial and in-kind support. In particular, its appreciable contribution to the institutional resources has enabled the Centre to stabilize its basic operation and management.
5. The Centre carried out its operations with a total of eight Professional staff, comprising a director, one programme leader, one programme officer and five researchers (as of 1 December 1998), who were provided by the member governments and institutions. In addition, collaborative research was undertaken by the Centre in cooperation with experts at the partner institutes in member countries, amounting to a total of 180 work-months in 1998. Support staff of the Centre numbered 11 as of the end of 1998. The staffing status in 1998 and the staffing plan for 1999 are shown in annex II, while the planned functional organization scheme for 1999 is shown in annex III.
6. The Centre strengthened ongoing cooperation with its partners in developing member countries of the region. It also maintained cooperative relations with United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, and other international and regional institutions, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Potato Centre (CIP), as well as national institutions such as the International Cooperation Centre of Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD) of France, the Agrotechnological Research Institute (ATO/DLO) of the Netherlands, the Central Research Institute for Food Crops (CRIFC) and the Centre for Agricultural Socio-Economic Research (CASER) of Indonesia.
7. The Centre's Strategic plan was revised and the following five themes were grouped under the new title "Strategic plan for the CGPRT Centre towards the twenty-first century":
8. The Centre conducted an external impact evaluation in 1998 in cooperation with the ESCAP secretariat. The review was done by 43 reviewers nominated by 14 member countries out of 18 requested and the World Bank. Review materials were provided by the Centre along with the questionnaire. Twenty-eight reviewers returned the questionnaire (65.1%), of which the majority gave a high level of evaluation to the Centre's past activities and achievements. The Centre's R and D and HRD/IS programmes and their outcomes were found useful as, among others, authentic references specifically for defining relevant research and administrative projects and assessing ongoing projects and policies in the countries.
9. The reviewers also gave valuable advice and suggestions for the Centre's future programmes and management. The salient points may be summarized as follows: (a) further strengthening of leading and coordination functions in both R and D and HRD/IS programmes; (b) widening of topic coverage - more attention on country-commodity specific topics, sustainable and environment-friendly agriculture, the post-harvest system and marketing, small-scale farmers' economy and rural development; (c) widening of region/country coverage and balancing of participation opportunity among member countries; (d) continuation and strengthening of training activities - dissemination of updated and upgraded information and methodologies in database management and socio-economic policy analysis and planning; (e) expansion of distribution capacity of publications and information -more use of the Internet and the Web site; and (f) strengthening and effective use of the cooperation/ collaboration network with the partner countries and institutes.
10. The overall size of resources for institutional support and programme activities is being maintained at an appreciable level for the current years. In spite of this trend, the general financial situation of the Centre has still remained unstable and the funds available for the activities are insufficient. The Commission may wish to urge its members and associate members to provide contributions either at a minimum threshold level or at a higher level, according to the capacity of individual countries.
11. The objective and responsive capacity of the Centre to serve the needs of its developing country members by providing technical services and assistance can be achieved by implementing collaborative projects and activities. The expansion of programme activities would be required in responding to the increasing needs of developing country members. In addition, the diversification of funding sources should ensure a stable and sustained increase in the resources of the Centre and would avoid wide annual variations. The Commission may wish to express appreciation for the support of the governments of the members and associate members and of donor agencies for the programme resources of the Centre. The Commission may also wish to request the members and associate members and donor agencies to consider increasing their support and its timely allocation for programmes and projects of the Centre.
12. The staff of the Centre have been, and will continue to be, provided by member governments and institutions through funds-in-trust, non-reimbursable loans and other means. Competent and experienced senior experts with knowledge and skills which match the programmes and projects of the Centre are essential to ensure its successful operation. The Commission may further wish to express its appreciation to those governments and agencies which have provided experts to the Centre, and to urge the continuation and strengthening of support through the provision of experts, preferably in the form of non-reimbursable loans.
13. The Centre's research and development programme has been structured in the direction indicated in the strategic plan for the CGPRT Centre towards the twenty-first century.
14. The Centre's research projects are undertaken in collaboration with partner institutes of member countries. Under this arrangement, the Centre's staff work together with national researchers, policy planners, other officials and universities. In view of the catalytic role played by the Centre in the collaborative process, an increasing number of projects have been implemented by national teams of experts, while the staff of the Centre assume planning and coordination roles, including the development and exploratory application of methods and approaches. Equally, the Centre takes the leading role in identifying and formulating projects in consultation with participating partners, and in placing proposals with potential funding sources.
15. During 1998, the Centre implemented three projects in the framework of its R and D programme. One of the projects was completed in 1998, while the remaining two will continue during 1999. The projects are as follows:
(a) Economic assessment of selected resource management techniques in marginal upland agriculture;
(b) Effects of trade liberalization on agriculture in selected Asian countries with special focus on CGPRT crops;
(c) Economic and policy analysis for the ecoregional approach in South-East Asia.
16. Project (a), funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea, started in 1996. The project addressed issues of sustainable management of natural resources faced by upland agriculture, particularly in marginal areas in China and India, focusing on the long-term aspects of economic viability. The country studies provided economic evaluation on selected traditional land and soil management methodologies like terracing and shifting cultivation. The regional seminar entitled Resource Management and Sustainable Agriculture in Marginal Upland Area, co-sponsored by the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), was held in Seoul in May 1998 to discuss the results of the project. The project was completed in 1998 and the country reports and an integrated report/ proceedings are being published.
17. Project (b), funded by the Government of Japan, started in April 1997. The project is to be implemented over three years in collaboration with 10 countries, namely, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam. The aims of the project are the following: (a) to identify the changes in international trade of agricultural products with special focus on CGPRT crops in the region under further liberalized market conditions; (b) to characterize the situation and prospect of agriculture in selected Asian countries with special attention to the effects of trade liberalization; (c) to specify policy options for improving farmers' income in the process of trade liberalization; and (d) to provide concerned policy makers and researchers with discussions and suggestions on the above findings. The first phase of the project has been completed and the country reports for this phase are being published. The country studies for the second phase have been implemented in the participating countries.
18. One new project, project (c) entitled "Economic and policy analysis for the ecoregional approach in South-East Asia", granted by the Government of France, started in April 1998. The project consists of a combination of quantitative and qualitative tools for helping institutional and economic policy definition and decision-making processes in agriculture and related sectors. Case studies and training sessions will cover the Red River Delta of Viet Nam and West Java of Indonesia in the first phase.
19. The human resources development activities of the Centre address the following areas:
(a) Dissemination of information on approaches and methods of research and policy planning in the field of CGPRT crop development;
(b) Dissemination of the results of the research projects carried out by the Centre.
20. In 1998, one two-week regional working seminar was conducted at the Centre in April on agricultural planning in Asia. The seminar was attended by 14 participants from 11 countries and was funded by the Government of the Netherlands. The seminar focused on advanced database management and spatial analysis.
21. Two one-week in-country training courses on database management were held, one each in Sri Lanka and the Philippines in March and September-October, respectively. The courses were found to be efficient and effective, and were well received in those countries. The courses were funded by the Government of Japan.
22. One one-week training course on database management at a general level was held at the Centre in November. The course was funded by the Government of the Netherlands and attended by 15 participants from 12 countries.
23. The Centre has continued to publish monographs, working papers and project reports, together with its quarterly newsletter, Palawija News. In 1998, the Centre published nine working papers, two monographs and other items.
24. The estimated expenditure from institutional support resources in 1998 was approximately US$ 288,000 and Rp 292,000,000 (see annexes V and VI). Contributions to these resources were made by Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The evolution in contributions to the institutional support resources from member Governments from 1991 to 1998 is shown in annex VII.
25. The cash expenditure from programme support resources for specific projects and activities amounted to US$ 659,000. In addition, other forms of support were received, mostly expert services, which totalled 180 work-months. Contributions of these resources were made by France, Japan, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea and by some developing countries.
26. The estimated expenditure from institutional support resources for 1999 amounts to approximately US$ 315,000 and Rp 290,000,000 (see annexes V and VI).
27. Based on planned projects and activities for 1999, and subject to the availability of funds for several of those projects, the programme expenditure for 1999 is estimated to be US$ 461,000. The bulk of in-kind contributions would be expert services from governments and agencies, which are estimated at a total of 182 work-months.
28. The general resource situation of the Centre remains unstable and the availability of funds insufficient. The programme support resources are to be expanded so as to respond to the increasing needs for CGPRT crop development in developing countries. Since the Centre relies on Governments and other institutions for the provision of its expert services, an increase in as well as continuation of such services to match programmes and projects are essential to ensure the success of the operation of the Centre.
29. The seventeenth session of the Governing Board of the CGPRT Centre was held at Bogor, Indonesia, on 2 and 3 December 1998.
30. The session was attended by representatives of Bangladesh, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand as members of the Board. Representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank attended as observers.
31. The Governing Board was informed of the Centre's activities in 1998, which were included in the research and development programme, and in the human resources development and information services programme. The proposed programme of work for 1999, within the framework of the medium-term plan covering 1998-2000, was considered and discussed. The Governing Board approved the medium-term programme and the proposed programme for 1999. It also expressed deep appreciation to the Director and staff of the Centre for their hard work on the Centre's programme. The Governing Board requested the Director to take into account its observations and remarks in the implementation of programme activities.
32. The Governing Board was informed of the expenditure from institutional and programme support resources in 1998, and the estimated expenditure and the subsequent financial situation for 1999. It expressed appreciation to the Government of Indonesia and other members for their continued support. The Governing Board strongly emphasized that its institutional and programme support resources needed to be stabilized, in view of the continuing fragile financial situation and insufficient availability of such resources. In that regard, the Governing Board reaffirmed the need to strengthen efforts at fund-raising and staffing for efficient and effective implementation of the programme activities.
33. The Governing Board approved the report on expenditure in 1998 and planned expenditure for 1999.
34. Under agenda item 8 (Other matters), the Governing Board endorsed the revised strategic plan and acknowledged the report on the results of the impact evaluation of the Centre. The Governing Board put high priority on the past achievements and future role of the Centre in the region.
* Staff in the General Service category.
a Based on the programme of work for 1999.
Research and development
Human resources development and information services
(United States dollars)
Balance: US$ 310,377 - 287,710 = 22,667 ---- to be pooled in the reserve.
a Based on the pledge for 1998.
b Proposed to ESCAP.
c Including PSC for the Indonesian rupiah budget.
(Thousands of Indonesian rupiahs)
Balance: Rp 289,718 - 291,720 = -2,002 ---- to be cleared by the reserve.
a Proposed to the Government of Indonesia.