ICRISAT - ICRISAT: Medium Term Plan 2010-12 - 2010-12

Alignment to CGIAR Priorities
The research proposed in this project is in specific accordance with System Priority 5
‘Improving policies and facilitating institutional innovation to support sustainable reduction of
poverty and hunger’. It specifically covers priorities 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D.
Outputs Description
Changes from Previous MTP
Output 4 is an on–going output with intermediary outputs achieved in previous years (model
adaptation to SAT crops, training etc.).
Output 1: Best innovative practices and mechanisms for harmonization and
utilization of seed-related and biosafety regulations and policies suitable for the
specific conditions of the SAT piloted, promoted and adopted with new knowledge
shared with partners
Description:
A key intervention point is in developing strategic options and best practices for seed systems
development in the SAT and supportive policies that facilitate trading and marketing of seeds
across national boundaries, including harmonization of seed regulations and policies, especially
variety evaluation and release procedures, seed certification, phytosanitary procedures and
plant variety protection. This has the advantage of creating new incentives in terms of better
economies of scale and scope for the emergence and participation of the private seed industry
in seed supply and marketing. This will complement the weaker public sector seed enterprises
in the region and create opportunities for farmer entrepreneurs and small rural agroenterprises
to participate in the seed production and marketing in rural areas.
ICRISAT and its partners can hope to achieve an enhanced policy and institutional environment
for accelerated investment in SAT agriculture that would contribute towards generation and
adoption of better suited technologies and increase in farm incomes and nutritional security for
the poor. This may be achieved through a strategy that focuses on the following output targets
for 2010:
2010 1.1.1: Best practices for harmonization of seed-related regulations and policies suitable
for the specific conditions of the ASARECA and SADC regions promoted
This research area is closely linked to that of Projects 3-6 but as a global generic policy issue it
is felt it would be better to address it as a whole in Project 1 rather than to disarticulate it
between 4 other projects.
Alignment to CGIAR Priorities : 5A: Improving science and technology policies and institutions;
Output 2: Ex-ante and ex-post impact studies conducted on representative ICRISAT
NARS innovations for the SAT to enhance accountability and facilitate priority setting
Description:
An output will be produced from this initiative including intensive capacity building through
collaboration with SAT Asia and Africa national and international researchers. Policy dialogues
with governments on research priorities, institutional innovations and policy will be catalyzed.
These efforts are summarized in three output targets namely:
2009 1.2.1: Ex-post impact studies on conservation farming and micro-dosing in Zimbabwe to
be completed
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