External Evaluation of the CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems Volume 1: Main Report

Abstract

During 2010-2011, the CGIAR re-organized most of its research around fifteen global research programs in addition to a separate initiative on gene banks. Each CGIAR Research Program (CRP) is managed by a Lead Centre, and includes as partners other Centres as well as non-CGIAR institutions in some cases. Each CRP is focused on a major global agricultural, food security or natural resource management challenge. During 2014-2015, all of these CRPs are being evaluated, some externally through the CGIAR Independent Evaluation Arrangement (IEA), others through teams commissioned by the CRP management. This report is a CRP-Commissioned External Evaluation (CCEE) of the Dryland Systems CRP implemented by ICARDA as Lead Centre, with ICRISAT, ICRAF, ILRI, CIAT, CIP, IWMI and Bioversity as its main partners. Although commissioned by the CRP, the evaluation is governed by guidelines prepared by the IEA, and the Inception Report and first draft Final Report were reviewed by the IEA to provide advice for quality control. The first and second draft final report were reviewed by the CRP’s CCEE Oversight Committee as well as by its Program Management Unit (PMU).