External Program Review of IFPRI, 1984

Report of the 1984 external program review (EPR) mission to IFPRI. The document contains the summary of the CGIAR's discussion of the EPR at its meeting in November 1984, a transmittal letter from the TAC Chairman to the CGIAR Chairman, IFPRI's response to both the EPR and the concurrent EMR, TAC's commentary, and the transmittal to TAC from the panel Chairman, Lloyd Evans.Important EPR recommendations included defining trade research as central to IFPRI's mandate, and the suggestion that the program on trends in global food production and consumption should move away from research toward designing methodologies to help developing countries improve their food data systems. The panel recommended a broader program on development strategy issues as they arose from food policies. It urged strengthening research on fertilizer policy.The panel noted a high proportion of special project funding and urged greater core support. On a previously contentious point, the panel recommended that IFPRI headquarters remain in Washington, D.C. It also urged broadening the professional background of staff within economics, and adding skill in other social sciences. The EPR and the EMR of IFPRI were discussed by TAC at its 34th meeting in June 1984