Source: http://www.cimmyt.org/english/docs/mtp/bp06_10.pdf

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Translating the Vision of Seeds of Innovation into a Vibrant Work Plan

This Business Plan shows how CIMMYT will deliver key products that improve the livelihoods of the poor through maize and wheat research and production in the developing world over the next five years—meeting needs that cannot or will not be met by other organizations. The plan is global in scope and client focused, setting achievable targets; meeting them will result in positive impact. Its purpose is to implement the vision presented in Seeds of Innovation, CIMMYT’s long-term strategy, through a clear, viable operational plan for 2006-2010.

Central pillars from Seeds of Innovation

The strategic plan Seeds of Innovation provides a strong vision for CIMMYT. The 2006-2010 Business Plan emphasizes the role of 11 impact–oriented Projects for creating maize and wheat technology that fosters both poverty reduction and food security while contributing to resource conservation and sustainable development. The central pillars of the vision that are embodied in the Business Plan are:

• A focus on people and their needs in maize and wheat.

• The conservation and use of the genetic wealth contained in CIMMYT’s maize and wheat germplasm bank.

• Work that builds on core competence in crop improvement in an integrated manner to ensure adoption and impact.

• Decentralized research for increased efficiency and an improved client orientation.

• Implementation of effective knowledge management systems.

• Strengthened partnerships to enhance impact.

CIMMYT: The developing world’s maize and wheat center

A detailed analysis of trends and needs in wheat and maize production across the developing world shows that CIMMYT can address the need for food security and develop products to improve the well-being of the marginalized who depend on maize or wheat. Our defining criteria in doing so are:

• Strategic products as global public goods.

• Partnership-based activities for product development and delivery.

• Linking scientific excellence for the benefit of target beneficiaries.

• Seeking solutions for global problems.

• Mobilizing science.

• Research for impact on the lives of the world’s marginalized.

• Building capacity so that national agricultural research systems (NARSs)1 can effectively apply knowledge in their work.

The document also defines the Center’s position as a global maize and wheat research organization for development in the developing world and describes a set of “flagship products” that CIMMYT and its partners will work to develop over 2006-2010.

Portfolio of flagship products

Flagship products we intend to produce during 2006-2010 include the following:

• Stress tolerant maize for enhanced food security and crop diversification.

• Wheat with enhanced water productivity and appropriate quality profiles.

• Rust resistant wheat.

• Biofortified maize and wheat for improved nutrition and health.

• New traits through allele and gene mining of global, crop genetic resources.

• Improved methodologies and tools for genetic improvement.

• Capacity building in national agricultural research systems and small- and medium-enterprise breeding programs (SMEs).

• Resource conservation technologies for maize and wheat cropping systems.

• Special trait maize that will lead to increased income generation options for the poor.

Streamlined research management

To produce and deliver flagship products effectively to its beneficiaries, CIMMYT will refine its management structure and streamline administrative procedures. Projects will be the primary budgeting and output entities of the organization, and these will be clustered into programs and units. To maximize efficiency within units and programs, Projects will be led by Program/Unit Directors. The Business Plan is intimately related to the Medium-term Plan (MTP) process and effective use will be made of MTPs to flesh out clear milestones, plausible impacts, and measurable performance indicators.

Partnership: A core component for the delivery of flagship products

CIMMYT will work with a wide range of partners to produce and deliver products. These partners will range from advanced research institutes to non-government organizations, from national research programs to the private sector, including the national private sector and SMEs. Partnerships may vary by geography, where the nature of product delivery may also be different. During the next 3-5 years we envisage continuing to evolve our efforts to build multidisciplinary, critical-mass teams focused on these appropriate product areas. It is clear that we must make a substantial new commitment to proactive capacity building for national agricultural research systems.

This approach is already being applied in our wheat and maize breeding programs where NARSs and some seed companies have become a critical component in our crop improvement activities. This represents a fundamental change in the way we interact with our partners: a shift from a simple hand-over of knowledge and materials to a highly interdependent relationship based on the collaborative generation of joint products, appropriate to the strength of partners. Our deliverables are commodities—improved maize and wheat varieties, cropping systems, and related knowledge—that have beneficial impacts on livelihoods and are conceived and delivered within an eco-regional context.

http://www.cimmyt.org/english/docs/mtp/bp06_10.pdf

A financial plan to support the investments necessary to implement the Business Plan has been developed, based on the likely funding scenarios for the next five years. During this period, total income is projected to increase by 6.5% pa on average with indirect cost recovery, as a direct offset to program expenses, scheduled to increase from its current level—a third of the agreed 25% level—to close to full recovery by 2009. Together, these projections will result in CIMMYT meeting its CGIAR mandated financial indicators very early in the life of the plan, while ensuring that program objectives are met.

Scientific core competencies and critical mass

CIMMYT will enhance its core expertise and will add a number of senior positions over the lifetime of the plan. Such additions are being achieved through limiting growth of activities in other areas, stopping areas of low priority, and continuing to strive for increased efficiencies.

1 Understood here to include public national agricultural research programs, ministries of agriculture, universities, seed testing and regulation agencies, non-government organizations, farmer associations, small and medium-size seed companies, and other actors who participate in and influence the agricultural sector.

Full report: http://www.cimmyt.org/english/docs/mtp/bp06_10.pdf