Abstract

The Genebank CRP concerns the work of the 11 CGIAR center genebanks.  The objective of this research support program is to conserve the diversity of plant genetic resources in CGIAR-held collections and to make this diversity available to breeders and researchers in a manner that meets high international scientific standards, is cost efficient, secure, reliable and sustainable over the long-term. The Global Crop Diversity Trust (Trust), the lead organization for this CRP, coordinates the Genebanks CRP as per an agreement between the CGIAR Consortium and the Trust. Through the Genebank CRP, the Trust has oversight and financial responsibility for the CGIAR genebanks.

The Genebank CRP funding complements the long-term grants provided by the Trust to most of these genebanks, but the CRP expands on the Trust’s role by aiming at having built, by the end of the CRP’s 5-year plan in 2016, an endowment sufficient to fund 100% of the operating costs of the CGIAR genebanks.

The primary purpose of this evaluation is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of the management of the CGIAR’s crop collections for secure conservation and enhanced use of the collections. The evaluation will provide essential evaluative information for decision-making by the CGIAR System Council, Genebank CRP Management, the Trust and CGIAR Centers with genebanks. At a time when the first phase of the Genebanks CRP is ending, the evaluation the evaluation will provide assessment of the CRP’s performance since its beginning and provide lessons and recommendations to strengthen the operations and management of the Program in the next phase.

The evaluation will assess the extent to which the CRP has made progress in achieving the desired results according to its objectives and has brought about positive changes in key areas of activity.