Technical Advisory Committee Forty-Fourth Meeting, 19-24 October 1987: Report of the Meeting

Report of TAC 44 held in Washington DC, October 19-24, 1987, Professor Guy Camus presiding. TAC heard a progress report from the new board chair and new director general of WARDA concerning the status of WARDA's strategy, and plans to move to Côte d'Ivoire. TAC commended IITA on its strategic plan, and suggested some further sharpening of the discussion of commodity programs. TAC provided advice arising from the IFAD sponsored review of IITA's biological control program. There was a preliminary review of the medium term plans of CIP and IBPGR.Under the heading of new initiatives, TAC discussed proposals for vegetable research, which it hoped to make final at TAC 45. TAC agreed on species priorities for aquaculture research and decided to take a closer look at alternative organizational arrangements at TAC 45.Three draft papers from the continuing sub-committee on the roles of centers, in relation to each other, to national institutions, and to the private sector were discussed. TAC also considered CSC papers on the use of quantitative models for setting research priorities and sustainable agricultural production. A joint session with center directors discussed a draft policy about plant genetic resources for the CGIAR. Dr. McCalla presented an in depth review of the CIAT-led study of demand for cassava, to be background for CIAT's medium term plan