Technical Advisory Committee Third Meeting, 10-13 April 1972: Report

Report of the third meeting of TAC, held in Rome from 10-13 April 1972, TAC Chairman Sir John Crawford presiding. Crawford reported on CGIAR responses to TAC recommendations to date.TAC member Dr. Sauger proposed creation of a network of ICRISAT relay stations in West Africa, and TAC decided to send a consultant mission chaired by Hugh Doggett to study the matter. After hearing a report by Richard Sawyer, TAC asked for still further information at its next meeting concerning the international character of CIP, its outreach programs and its plans for work in Latin America.Discussing a written report on AVRDC, TAC members were divided over the priority of vegetable research, and the appropriateness of broadening AVRDC's mandate internationally. Some members proposed a relay station somewhere in Southeast Asia. Support to AVRDC was deferred to the next meeting when Dr. Chandler would be present.Following a presentation by Sir Otto Frankel of the report of the TAC expert group, a TAC vote showed strong support in principle for action on conservation of plant genetic resources. M. S. Swaminathan was asked to revise the paper, with emphasis on the role of the existing centers. TAC established a sub-committee to review a proposal from IICA for a protein production program in Central America (TOR attached). A discussion of issues related to food legumes led to a decision to convene a state of the art review of research in this field. TAC agreed to form a mission to evaluate the research requirements of the Near East and Mediterranean Region. The Chairman reported progress on preparation of a paper on priorities in international agricultural research. and proposed a closed meeting of TAC to develop and outline the agenda for priority setting. TAC made a number of decisions about its procedures after considering a letter by J. Pagot. Other topics discussed included progress at ICRISAT, aquaculture, water use and management, and WARDA