Patancheru, India
May 6, 2009
The Governing Board of the
International Crops Research
Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has appointed
Director General, Dr William D Dar, for a third five-year term
in office. Dr Dar will continue as the Director General of
ICRISAT from January 2010 to December 2014.
Recommending an unprecedented third term for Dr Dar, the ICRISAT
Governing Board stated that the members are “unanimous and
requests William D Dar to sign a further contract for 5 years as
the Director General of ICRISAT from January 2010 to December
2014.”
Assessing Dr Dar’s performance for 2008, the Board report stated
that “the view of the GB is that the DG had another most
successful year. It recognized the continuing high morale of
Team ICRISAT. The higher than anticipated growth in revenues and
the budget surplus are impressive. The GB highly commended the
DG for the great success of 2008, excellent performance, strong
leadership and big achievements in the last 9 years.”
Accepting the Governing Board’s offer, Dr Dar said that the
third term gives him the opportunity to continue his work of
leading a world-class team that delivers high-quality science
research products that improve the livelihood of the poor
dryland farmers and to grow the institute to the next level.
“As the leading international dryland agricultural research
institute, ICRISAT has improved the productivity of nutritious
dryland crops that help sustain the lives of the poor farmers.
By helping the farmers to overcome current risks we enable them
to climate-proof their agricultural systems for the future,” Dr
Dar said.
Dr Dar joined ICRISAT as the Director General in January 2000.
His first five-year term was renewed for a further period of
five years from January 2005 to December 2009.
During the past 10 years, Dr Dar led ICRISAT through scientific
and financial achievements, winning the Institute two
consecutive ‘Outstanding’ ratings (for 2006 and 2007) from the
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
(CGIAR) and the World Bank.
ICRISAT also received positive reports from two External Program
and Management Reviews (EPMRs), held in 2003 and 2009.
The EPMR of 2009 had noted: “ICRISAT today is a thriving
research institute with a strong leadership and with a unique
capacity to address poverty alleviation, food security, and
natural resource protection in the semi-arid tropics.”
Further, the EPMR report added: “The current DG has been
effective in stabilizing and growing ICRISAT’s financial
security, building a strong management team and meeting the
center’s scientific mandates.”
ICRISAT achieved scientific breakthroughs under Dr Dar’s
leadership. The world’s first pigeonpea hybrid through the
cytoplasmic male sterility system was launched in 2007. Also in
2007 was the launch of commercial production of ethanol from
sweet sorghum, initiated through collaboration between ICRISAT
and Rusni Distilleries. The world’s first pearl millet hybrid,
developed through molecular marker-assisted selection and
breeding, was launched in 2005.
In sub-Saharan Africa, ICRISAT promoted pigeonpea cultivation,
strengthened seed systems, improved nutrient utilization and
productivity through fertilizer microdosing, and diversified
agricultural systems through African Market Gardens.
During Dr Dar’s tenure, ICRISAT’s annual budget doubled from US$
24.6 million in 2003 to US$ 50.5 million in 2008. Likewise,
ICRISAT achieved budget surplus from 2003 to 2008 through
intensive resource mobilization activities and sound financial
management. |
|
