ICARDA Strategy 2017 – 2026 Building on 40 Years of Dryland Research

Executive Committee Meeting of the Board of Trustees (revised 7th March 2017)

ICARDA Strategy 2017 – 2026Building on 40 Years of Dryland Research

Andrew NobleBeirut4th March, 2016

Several converging trends: • High population growth rates • Unsustainable land and water use,

exacerbated by impacts of climate change are driving the resources degradation in drylands

• Increasing food and nutritional insecurity; famine, poverty and poor diets

• Demographic bulges of younger people entering job markets; land fragmentation

• Loss of livelihoods leading to migration

• Loss of traditional knowledge and cultural heritage

GLOBAL DRIVERS OF CHANGE IN DRYLANDS

Wider Development Context• Growth and Urbanization• Human Development• Political Crisis and

Upheaval• Environmental

Sustainability • Governance and Equity

issues• Climate variability and

change• Donors’ push for

outcome based results• Dependency on

pollinators in agricultural production

The Challenges The Risks The OpportunitiesLargest food importer globally, with more than 50% of the food consumed imported.

Exposed to global grain market volatility.Social unrest and political instability.

• Rainfed production systems in the region dominate; • Yield gap is significant and can be closed through improved

agronomic practices.

• 56% of population will be urbanized• High levels of unemployment

(especially youth and in rural communities) – limited job and livelihood opportunities.

• Governance and equity issues particularly affecting vulnerable groups (women and youth)

• ‘Nine meals away from anarchy’.• Idleness and discontent leads to

social unrest, migration, conflict and resurgence in extremism.

• Gender inequity affects pace of overall societal development and economic growth

• Capacity building and skills upgrade – focusing on efficiency, use of advanced technology, and profit

• Generate new and better job opportunities in the agricultural service sectors, functional value chains and markets.

• Rural urban interface – food and labor supply.• Empower women and young people.

• The most water scarce region in the world.

• Reallocation of water from agriculture.

• Improve on-farm water productivity in irrigated and rainfed production systems.

• Move to higher value products – protected agriculture, and organic farming

• ‘New water’ – recycled and brackish water; desalination; water harvesting.

• Diversification of farming systems and sources of incomes

Climate change – will we be able to do agriculture in certain areas?

A disruptor of economic growth particularly in the agricultural sector. Increased migration

• Build resilient and profitable smallholder farming systems that are climate protected.

• Alternative income streams for rural communities – renewable energy producers

• Rich agrobiodiversity with inherent adaptive traits.

Most unstable/volatile region Continuity of projects, accessibility of communities, brain drain

• Increasing interest from the donor community to reduce push factors for migration

Addressing Challenges in the MENA and Dryland region

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Our Vision

Tag line: Science-based solutions for thriving and resilient drylands.

We envision thriving and resilient livelihoods in dryland communities of the developing world with robust incomes, secure access to food, markets, nutrition and health, and the capacity to manage natural resources in equitable, sustainable, innovative ways.

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Our Mission

Tag line: To reduce poverty, food and nutritional insecurity and environmental degradation in the face of climate change.

We seek to provide innovative science-based solutions for improving the livelihoods and resilience of the resource-poor in non-tropical drylands in order to reduce poverty, enhance food, nutrition, and water security, through the sustainable management of natural resources in the face of climate change. We do this through cutting-edge science, strategic partnerships and capacity development for inclusive and equitable growth.

SDGs

CGIA

R SL

OsOU

R RE

SEAR

CH 5 SRATEGIC RESEARCH PRIORITIES(SRP)

4CROSS-CUTTING THEMES(CCT)

SRP2. Improved and resilient crops for greater food security in face of climate variability and change and market volatilities.

SRP3. Develop integrated drylands farming systems for improved and resilient livelihoods.

SRP5: Support sustainable use and management of water and land resources in drylands.

SRP1. Preserve, protect and utilize agricultural biodiversity in order to meet future climates and market related challenges.

REDUCED POVERTY

FOOD & NUTRITION SECURITY

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT

OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Climate Change Adaptation and

Mitigation

Gender Equity and Youth Big Data & ICT

Taking Research to Scale – Partnerships for ImpactSRP4.Support the establishment of functional value chains and viable off-farm activities for diversified incomes and improved livelihoods in drylands.

Capacity Development

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Science Strengths• Unique collections of wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea, faba

bean, grass pea and forage genetic resources and rhizobia• Key contributor to global germplasm conservation• Small ruminant genetics and expertise and breeding

programs using local indigenous species• Develop improved germplasm to meet farmer and market

needs, with resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, with quality and nutritional attributes

• Water harvesting in dry areas and on-farm water management

• Integrated Systems research capacity• Integrated farming systems for the dry regions – we have all

the elements in one decentralized Centre• GIS / RS skills and capacity• Biometrics and Statistics support, innovations and

knowledge sharing• On-farm research that allows a deeper understanding of the

challenges, and enable us to offer adoptable solutions to prevalent problem

• Farming with alternative pollinators (FAP).

Leveraging our strengths and comparative advantage

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Organizational Strengths

• Close and enduring partnerships with wide network of NARS

• Capacity building of national agricultural research systems and training of students, scientists and professionals

• Experience of working in fragile states and post-conflict reconstruction of the agricultural sector

• Decentralized structure that makes us nimble and effective by conducting research where it matters the most

Leveraging our strengths and comparative advantage

• Re-structure programs in line with new ICARDA strategic objectives

• Optimize current and develop new physical infrastructure

• Strengthen result-based performance management through establishment of MEL platform

• Build an integrated technology environment

• Build skills and leadership development• Recognize and reward scientific excellence• Recruit and retain highly talented, engaged and diverse staff• Enhance communication effectiveness, knowledge sharing

and accountability

• Achieve operational efficiencies• Generate stable and increased revenue• Align resource mobilization with strategic

priorities• Expand donor base and implement

alternative funding mechanisms and revenue streams

• Foster research excellence and innovation• Focus on functional agri-food systems• Closing the yield gap and accelerating genetic gains • Focus the value chains and core commodities i.e. wheat,

barley, lentil, faba bean, kabuli chickpea, small ruminants.• Enhance investments in pre-breeding• Enhance agronomy skills• Tackle key futuristic challenges (i.e.4 Degree World).• Aligned with CGIAR SRF and SDGs

Innovation and scientific

excellence

Financial health and

stability

Fit-for purpose

organizationstructure

Enable our people

New ICARDA Business Model

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• Responding to current and future challenges in drylands of the developing world, and in particular ICARDA’s traditional sphere of operation in the MENA region – the global challenges are manifested in the MENA

• Responding to NARS needs and priorities that emerged from consultations

• Consultation with staff.• Alignment with CGIAR SRF and SDG Agenda• Activities likely to produce greatest impact• Leveraging ICARDA’s strengths and comparative advantages.• What is core to our business and needs to be retained at all

costs.• The new futuristic challenges:

– Our and partner comparative advantage.– Key to challenges that the region/global – climate change,

water scarcity, value chains – key to job creation.

How did we arrive at these research priorities

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drylands of Africa suffer from stunted growth

Innovation for the future – what is new?• Enriching our collections with novel diversity through gap filling and

adaptive traits targeting collecting.• Pre-breeding - adaptive genes from wild relative for a 4°C warmer

World in our mandated crops – “climate smart crops”.• Selection of climate change adapted strains of rhizobium and

endophytes.• Genomics of small ruminants and food crops a tool for understanding

heat and cold tolerance – building “climate resilient” small ruminants.• Precision feeding and flock / herd reproductive management and plant

germplasm.• Creating functional value chains for durum, barley, pulses and small

ruminants – job creation and targeting markets.• The Options x Context in sustainable land management – decision

supporting tool.• Protected agriculture a key element in addressing water scarcity – full

self sustaining systems producing high value crops – Sundrop systems.• Sequential biological concentration – adding value to marginal quality

water – developing value chains for saline irrigation drainage waters.• Farming with alternative pollinators.

Science and innovation

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SRP1. Preserve, protect and utilize agricultural biodiversity in drylands in order to meet future climate and market related challenges

Strategic Research Priorities

Focus: Identifying and introgressing novel genes into breeding programs adapted to the agro-ecologies of dry areas, future climates and markets. Key research activities• Collect, conserve and distribute genetic resources.• Reconstruction of the active and base collections; Reconstruction of rhizobium collection.• Promoting the use of genetic resources through mining for desirable traits using improved

Focused Identification of Germplasm Strategy (FIGS development).• Pre-breeding - introgression of adaptive genes from wild relative species and genotyping of

accessions in order to identify sources of resistance to emerging needs (a 4°C World), new allelic variation and QTLs.

• Precision phenotyping for target traits.• Super nitrogen fixing legumes – selection of adapted strains of rhizobium and endophytes.• Application of the Next-Generation sequencing technologies for development of additional

genomic and genetic tools and information for the ICARDA mandated crops.• Build One Global Wheat Program• Farming with alternative pollinators.


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SRP2. Improved and resilient crops for greater food security in face of climate variability and change and market volatilities

Strategic Research Priorities

Focus: Improved germplasm for current and emerging biophysical constraints and markets adapted to the agro-ecologies of dry areas and future climates. Key research activities• Widening the genetic base through introgression of new variability (from SRO1) to ensure yield

stability, quality and nutritional attributes i.e. heat and drought tolerance; biotic and abiotic stress linked to climate change (CIMMYT and ICRISAT), rationalization of test environments.

• Development of combined resistance to existing and emerging pests and diseases.• Study mechanisms of resistances for key pests of cereals and food legumes.• Addressing the yield gap through genetic gain in rainfed and irrigation systems.• Characterize and classify production environments for the target crops/varieties through multi-

environment trials• Accelerating genetic gains through precision breeding • Development of genetic stocks such as association panels, mapping populations, TILLING, NAM

and MAGIC populations.• Distribution of elite germplasm to NARS through International nurseries.


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Focus: Integrated, mixed, multi-enterprise landuse systems adapted to key dryland agro-ecologies (rainfed, agro-pastoral and irrigated) and marketsKey research activities• Development of integrated crop-legumes-livestock systems and carbon neutral systems.• Genomics to make SR breeding programs more efficient – heat and cold tolerance.• Focus on agronomy and land resources management in rainfed systems.• Camel production systems and added value of camel products – value chain of camel

products.• Sheep fattening systems and precision feeding.• The Options x Context methodology to target scaling and geo-informatics targeting.• Community based breeding programs.• Low cost machinery in conservation agriculture system. • Rangeland management and agro-forestry systems.• Efficient management and use of water resources to support the various landuse, and eco-

systems, and livelihoods

Strategic Research PrioritiesSRP3. Develop integrated drylands farming systems for improved and resilient livelihoods Science and

innovation

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Focus: Support development and establishment of multi-enterprise farming systems in key dryland agro-ecologies and associated markets

Key research activities• Monitoring and evaluation for investment programs. • Multi criteria assessment (Environment – economic – equity) of technologies

within systems.• Creating service sector.

Shift to mechanization – novel service delivery systems.Building manufacturing capacity to produce inexpensive machines.

• Creating functional value chains for durum, barley, legumes and small ruminants. Evaluation of new markets – Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.Novel policies and creation of enabling environments.

Strategic Research PrioritiesSRP4: Support the establishment of functional value chains and viable off-farm activities for diversified incomes and improved agricultural systems livelihoods in drylands.


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Focus: Enhance water and land productivity in key dryland agro-ecologies (rainfed, irrigated and agro-pastoral) and associated markets. Key research activities• In situ storage of water in rainfed systems and rangelands.• On-farm irrigation water use efficiency and nutrient use efficiency.• Safe use of treated waste water – urban-rural interface.• Quantification and measurement of ET in irrigated and rainfed systems.• Carbon sequestration in rainfed systems – understanding the dynamics and deep storage in soils.• Rehabilitation of degraded soils – salinization, erosion.• New water - fog, aquifer recharge, conjunctive use of saline and fresh water.• Landscape modification in the rangelands – rehabilitation of degraded systems.• Protected agriculture a key element in addressing water scarcity - Sundrop.• Sequential biological concentration – making a profit out of saline water• Understanding water balances – establishing thresholds, and developing decision making tools for effective

management and use of different water sources including groundwater mapping, conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources, etc.

• Water-food-energy nexus

Strategic Research PrioritiesSRP5: Support sustainable use and management of water and land resources in drylands.


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Cross-cutting Priorities

Climate Change Adaptation and

Mitigation

Gender Equity and Youth

Big Data and ICT

Capacity Development

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Organizational Goal 1. ICARDA becomes recognized as world-class leader and source of agricultural research and science-based solutions for drylands

Our Picture of Success

• Leading think-tank in dryland agricultural science fostering scientific rigor and research excellence

• Shaper of critical debates and policies, nationally and globally, on science-based agricultural development in drylands

• Provider of a unique suite of science-based tools, products and flagships publications

• Improved global positioning through refreshed ICARDA brand, higher visibility and increased communication of research results

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Organizational Goal 2. ICARDA research outputs are delivered strategically to key stakeholders invested in transforming agriculture and development in drylands

Our Picture of Success

• Rapid uptake of new research knowledge and cutting-edge technologies and innovations

• Build strategic partnerships and pursue opportunities for multi-disciplinary collaboration both internally and externally

• Engage in national, regional and global fora and opportunities to enhance outreach and impact of research, and build skills and capacities

• Identify, promote and advocate for agricultural science-based solutions to address key development challenges in vulnerable dryland communities

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Measuring our Success – the HOW

1. ICARDA's work falls under 4 CRPs and 3 platforms, we will select from the pool of CRP indicators that are most applicable to ICARDA's research priorities.

2. Since CGIAR SRF is aligned with SDGs, we will also consider SDG related indicators and refer to their related targets to 2020 to extrapolate ours.

3. For niche ICARDA research activities that fall outside the CGIAR SRF, we will consider relevant indicators and targets used by partners or donors who support us in this area or do similar work.

4. We will use the MEL platform to support a streamlined results-based management process that links planning, implementation and reporting with performance and results.

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Business Development Unit (BDU) – Ensuring Impact

GENERATING INCOME STREAMS• Establish a consultancy arm/ Undertake a comprehensive assessment of possible business

models/incubators• Seed delivery to small holder farmers – establish in partnership with public/private sector

commercial seed enterprises i.e. SeedCo. Explore with CIMMYT the potential to become a global wheat seed provider.

• Become producers of breeder seed and certified seed for sale and distribution to commercial seed companies.

• Explore the possibility of developing a M&E enterprise based on the MEL systems – providing services to CGIAR centres and CRPs already but expand i.e. IFAD and WFP.

• Develop a breeding flock of superior rams and ewes based on the combined Awassi flock at Terbol. Explore possibilities of providing superior and elite genetic material through semen and embryo transfer.

• Secure a patent on the raised bed machine with the ARC, Egypt and move into a joint venture with the manufacturer to build machines for North African and Sub-Saharan Africa

• Offer advisory/consultancy/training services to big private agricultural businesses on water conservation, water crop requirement, using different qualities of water, IPM, GIS and RS information, and other studies

Thank you

ICARDA Strategy 2017 – 2026 Building on 40 Years of Dryland Research

Government & Nonprofit

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