lessons learnt from the gcp experience - jean-marcel ribaut

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Jean-Marcel Ribaut ISPC Meeting 13 th March 2014 Washington DC, USA Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience

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Page 1: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Jean-Marcel Ribaut

ISPC Meeting

13th March 2014 Washington DC, USA

Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience

Page 2: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Our Discussion Today:

Introduction to the GCP

Major achievements

External review

The transition strategy

Lessons learnt

The legacy

Perspectives and conclusion

Page 3: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

The Generation Challenge Programme

An Introduction

Page 4: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

GCP in Brief A CGIAR Challenge Programme hosted at CIMMYT Launched in August 2003 10-year framework (Phase I 2004–2008; Phase II 2009–2013) About US$15–17m annual budget Target geographies: drought-prone environments

Sub-Saharan Africa, South & South East Asia, L. America Eighteen CGIAR mandate crops in Phase I Nine CGIAR mandate crops in Phase II

Cereals: maize, rice, sorghum, wheat, Legumes: beans, chickpeas, cowpeas, groundnuts Roots and tubers: cassava

Strategic objective: To use genetic diversity and advanced plant science to improve crops for greater food security in the developing world

GCP: A broker in plant science bridging the gap between upstream and applied science

www.generationcp.org

Page 5: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Technology

GermplasmBreeding

Needs

CGIAR

ARIs Products/ImpactFarmer’s field

NARSNGOs

Private sector

GermplasmEnvironments

The GCP Network: 180+ Institutions

Private sector

Page 6: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

GCP Network

EMBRAPABrasiliaBrazil

CIPLimaPeru

CIATCali

Colombia

CIMMYTMexico City

Mexico

Cornell University USA

Wageningen University Netherlands

John Innes CentreNorwich

UK

CAASBeijing China

NIAS TsukubaJapan

AgropolisMontpellier

France

IPGRIRomeItaly

WARDABouakéCote d’Ivore

IRRILos BañosPhilippines

ICRISATPatancheruIndia

ICARDAAleppoSyria

IITAIbadanNigeria

ACGTPretoria

South Africa

ICARNew Delhi

India

BIOTECBangkokThailand

INRARabat

MoroccoCINVESTAV

IrapuatoMexico

Instituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare FlorenceItaly

9 CGIAR6 ARIs7 NARS

ETHZurichSwitzerland

Partners

Consortium

Page 7: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Phase II

Page 8: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Executive Board

+

GCP Director

ThemeLeaders

Product Delivery Leader

+

Governance

Ma

na

ge

me

nt

Tea

m

Consortium Committee(CC)

Scientific Committees

Review and Advisory

Panel (RAP)

Theme 1Comparative &

Applied Genomics

Theme 2Integrated Crop

Breeding

Theme 3Crop Information

Systems

Theme 4Capacity Building

Theme 5Product Delivery

Research teams Research teams Research teams Research teams Research teams

Product DeliveryCoordinators

Advisory (Operational /Scientific)

Advisory

(Project monitoring

/management )

Governance and Management – 2008 to the present

Page 9: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Actual Projection Total('000 USD) 2003-2012 2013 2003-2013 %Income - Donors

Austria 54 - 54 0 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 26,861 7,376 34,237 21 CGIAR Fund 11,021 5,500 16,521 10 DFID/UK 31,767 - 31,767 19 European Commission 49,150 8,000 57,150 34 Kirkhouse 15 - 15 0 Pioneer Foundation 210 - 210 0 Rockefeller Foundation 2,225 - 2,225 1 Sweden/SIDA 874 - 874 1 Switzerland/SDC 2,567 900 3,467 2 Syngenta Foundation 688 - 688 0 USAID 400 - 400 0 World Bank 17,756 - 17,756 11 Interest income 1,249 10 1,259 1

Total Income 144,838 21,786 166,624 100

Expenditure

Research Grants 137,342 86

Program Management 20,238 13

Transfer to Contingency Reserve 3,000 2

Total Expenditure and Transfer to Contingency Reserve 160,580 100

Total Net Fund 6,044

Plus Reserve 3,000

Generation Challenge Programme:A 167 Million initiative

Page 10: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Selected key achievements

Page 11: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

EPMR panel (2008) noted that the GCP community is one of the Programme’s most crucial assets. In their words:

“Perhaps the most important value of GCP thus far, is the opportunities it has provided for people of diverse backgrounds to think collectively about solutions to complex problems, and, in the process, to learn from one another.”

Linking upstream research with applied science True partnership

Shared resources In-kind contribution from most of our partners Work as a team to find $ outside the GCP-funded work

Evolution of roles and responsibilities Leaders became mentors Trainees become doers and leaders In 2013 about half of the PIs are from developing countries

There is no doubt a unique and tangible ‘GCP spirit’ observable in the camaraderie at GCP meetings

Major Achievement: The GCP Community

Page 12: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Genetic resources Reference sets for 18 crops (all CGIAR mandate crops)

Genomic resources Markers for orphan crops

Informative markers Drought, viruses and insect resistance

Genes/QTL AltSB for Aluminium tolerance, Pup1 for P uptake efficiency, Saltol for

salt tolerance and Sub1 for submergence tolerance.

Improved germplasm New bioinformatic tools (DM, diversity studies, breeding, etc) Enhanced capacities for MAB in NARS programmes

Human resource capacities / Physical infrastructure / Analytical power

Ex-ante analyses on MB impact in developing countries

Product catalogue available at: www.generationcp.org/impact/product-catalogue

Selected Major Research Outputs

Page 13: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Peer Reviewed Publications

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

5

25

5157

68

7873

90

32

Journal articles published: 2005‒2013

Year

Nu

mb

er

In selected high impact journals (2007-2013):• Nature: 5, Nature Biotech: 3• Nature Genetics: 2, PNAS: 8

Page 14: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

GCP’s Integrated Breeding Platformwww.integratedbreeding.net

Providing resources and building professional networks for plant breeding

Crop Information• Crop databases• Trait Dictionaries• Marker information

Breeding• Data mgt tools• Trial Mgt Tools• Data analysis tools• Molecular analysis tools• Breeding decision tools• Protocols• Breeding support services

Capacity building• IBMYC & other training

courses• Learning resources• Infrastructure support• Support Services

Communities• Blogs & Forums• News• Publications• Live chat

Page 15: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

“Classic” Approach Formal postgraduate training programmes

100+ MSc and PhD students embedded in research projects

Workshops, fellowship grantees, travel grants Train the trainers for future regionalised capacity building sustainability Communities of Practice

Rice in the Mekong; Cassava in Africa IBP-hosted (both crop- and expertise-based)

Perhaps not so common – uniquely GCP CB à la carte Integrated Breeding Multi-Year Course: Breeding, Data Mgt, Data

Analysis CB along the delivery chain (scientists, technicians, station managers Technical support for infrastructure implementation Some thoughts on who to train

Balance across generation-expertise

Capacity Building

Page 16: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

External Review

Page 17: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

The Overall Context Recommended by the GCP MT and Executive Board Under the leadership of the CGIAR Independent Evaluation

Arrangement (IEA) A team of five

Paramjit S. Sachdeva (Team Leader) Gregory O. Edmeades (Senior Technical Evaluator) Rita H. Mumm (Molecular Breeding Expert) Antoni J. Rafalski (Genetic Resources/Genomics Expert) Christopher Bennett (Economist/M&E Expert)

Conducted 2 survey: Programme evaluation: stakeholders Governance and management: selected audience

We are at the stage of factual revision Conclusion:

“The Review Team established that the GCP has performed well, has met the majority of its genetic enhancement goals and surpassed others, and will leave a formidable legacy of useful and accessible products and information”

Page 18: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

EPMR Stakeholder: Respondent Composition:

Developing-country partner(national

programme), 28.7%

Developing-country partner (University),

8.3%

CGIAR Centre, 31.2%

Developed-country partner, 22.3%

Private sector, 1.9%

Other, 7.6%

Online survey

November, 2013

159 responses

Response rate:42%

Page 19: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Assessment of GCP’s overall performance from EPMR stakeholder survey

Relevance Effectivenss Products/Outputs

Efficiency Outcomes & Impact

Partnership Sustainability Management0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

56.3% 61.7% 66.4% 64.7% 57.5% 61.3% 57.4%65.7%

37.3% 31.1% 28.7% 27.5% 38.8% 30.1% 34.1% 24.3%

Strongly Agree Agree

% Agree

93.6% 92.8% 95.1%92.2%

96.3%91.4% 91.5% 90.0%

Possible choices: Strongly agree; agree; disagree; strongly disagree; don’t know/not applicable

Page 20: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Transition strategy

http://www.generationcp.org/gcp-s-sunset

Page 21: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Transition Principles (2010)Overall GCP remains committed to the plan at its inception to end by 2013-14 In order that the programme is able to achieve its overall objectives

and for which activities are based on previous investments, commitments and achievements, it will be critical that it remain a coherent entity until 2013

Service The Genomics and Integrated Breeding Service is designed to be

sustained past GCP’s ‘sunset’

Research Working together with crop MP leaders, the research components will

be included and described in their MP proposals, and integrated in their respective logframes

GCP research projects were hence included in the commodity CRP workplans in Phase I (a bit artificial…..)

Page 22: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

I Research Genetic stocks: Almost Done

Management of the Genetic Stocks input on the Trust CRP

Genomic resources: Done Revolution with what we called in the past the “Orphan crops”

Informative molecular markers: Done Accessible, easy to use

Cloned genes: Done Accessible, easy to use

Molecular breeding: Almost done Improved germplasm to be converted into varieties

II Integrated Breeding Platform

III Capacity building services and Training Materials

IV Community and knowledge sharing GCP scientific and social network GCP institutional memory

Transition implementation (2012):GCP Components

Page 23: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Each of the nine component-specific Position Papers is designed to contribute to GCP’s orderly closure in 2014 by considering the following three questions:

1. What ‘assets’ will be completed by the end of GCP’s lifetime in December 2014?

2. What ‘assets’ can best continue as integral components of the CRPs or elsewhere?

3. What ‘assets’ may not fit within existing institutions or programmes and may require alternative implementation mechanisms for completion and perpetuation?

The papers were drafted in July–August 2012, externally reviewed by stakeholders in September 2012, and endorsed by the GCP governance bodies at the end of 2012.

The nine component papers plus one overall paper are available at:http://www.generationcp.org/about-us/gcp-s-sunset/sunset-position-papers

Transition implementation (2012):The position papers

Page 24: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Programme Closure Working Group 2013-14: Terms of Reference

Propose a closure action plan for GCP, with respect to: Pre- and post-closure communication to funders, partners and

collaborators Ongoing operational activities Transfer of research activities post-closure Staff retention to closure Post-closure legal obligations – IP, contracts with collaborators

and service providers Management of assets Post-closure financial obligations

Monitor the implementation of the closure action plan Make appropriate reports to the Executive Board and

the GCP Consortium Committee

Page 25: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Lessons learnt

Page 26: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Key Learning Areas

Governance Scientific Management Monitoring and evaluation Selecting research projects Linking upstream research with

applied science Partnership Adoption and behaviour change Research leadership Product delivery Programme closure and transition

Page 27: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Governance

Issue: Dysfunctional governance for nearly half of GCP’s life until

mid-2008, with governance body comprised of direct beneficiaries of its own decisions

Solution: Involvement of stakeholders (‘owners’) and partners to

define the overall objectives and general direction, but Separate independent body to approve workplan and

oversee implementation Small group of complementary expertise (GCP EB works very well!)

with Access to specific expertise when needed (e.g GCP’s IP Committee)

Accountability must be clarified first!

Page 28: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Monitoring and evaluationIssue: Inadequate research management capacity early in GCP’s life

due to part time appointments (attractive in theory, but difficult in practice)

Lack of an M&E framework from the beginning (though this may not have been required at the time) Conflict of interest within the MT Not the same skills

Options: Full-time management team leaders Separate the planning and implementation from Stand-alone M&E component

Of course good management capacity and practices have a cost and therefore efficiency needs to be considered carefully

Page 29: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Scientific Management:Broker in plant science, the CP modelA management team that defines and implements, in partnership and through grants, a workplan to achieve overall objectives

Agile research management approach that allows to: Bring new ideas on board and develop strong partnership Increase research quality and efficiency Adjust research activities based on external environment

New technology, partner, opportunity for synergy, etc Allow easily to stop un-successful projects

But Must be around a specific research topic Can only exist with the support of well established Institutions Ideally focused and time-bound Excellent complement of core activities

Page 30: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Competitive grants Do not necessarily fit well in your research priorities (dead-end projects) Capture emerging opportunities, best ideas and new partners Increase research quality

Commissioned projects Not always good value for money, less transparent Consolidates our research agenda Very efficient when it builds on a successful competitive project

Different kind of research: the dynamics

CompetitiveCommissioned

Services

10 years

$

Page 31: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

From Cornell’s lab to African farmers’ fields with a stopover in Brazil: a ten-year effort

Step 1: Competitive Project (initiated 2004) Led by Cornell Univ, in collaboration with EMBRAPA Plantlets screened under hydroponics – Alt1 Gene clonedMagalhaes et al. 2007, Nature Genetics, 39: 1156-1151

Step 2: Competitive Project (initiated 2007) Led by EMBRAPA in collaboration with Cornell Favourable alleles identified – Improved germplasm for

Brazil Caniato et al. 2011, PLoS One 6, e20830.

Step 3: Commissioned work (initiated 2009) Led by NARS (Kenya, Mali and Niger) with the support of

ICRISAT in collaboration with EMBRAPA Introgression of favourable alleles – Improved germplasm

Clear benefits from linking upstream research with applied science

Page 32: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

A possible model for some suitable research activities within a CRP?

Competitive and commissioned approaches each have pros and cons but to combine them over time to achieve

a specific objective can be extremely powerful!

Phase I (More competitive) Build the community Identify the flagship projects and the champions

Phase II (More commissioned) Refine the agenda based on Phase I outputs Do the balk part of the job

Phase III (commissioned and services) Product Deployment Support services

Page 33: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Be strategic in partnership development The importance of people

People are first, and Institutions are second Building on existing partnerships, maximising on personal relations

Be selective, and cautious Can easily get out of hand, can be a distraction

Plan for it, and do not underestimate effort needed: managing true partnerships takes time and resources!!!

But, if managed well: One of the most efficient and effective ways to do business One of the most rewarding components of the work Creates a special group dynamic and bring new ideas Cultivates public trust, with the resultant positive public imageNot every project is conducted most efficiently through partnership!

Partnership: important to keep in mind

Page 34: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

The risk of being too inclusive!Two extremely challenging projects:

1. Development and genotyping of references set collection Too many partners involved (across and within teams) Limited buy-in Different technologies to produce comparable data Poor quality data and ignorance of standards Job done at the end through centralized service, under a single PI and with

close supervision on the development of genetic stocks

2. Coding of the IBP tools Too many teams Difference styles, with limited respect for the rules Not the core competence of centres and universities Delays in delivery, and often poor quality Tasks eventually transferred to a professional service provider, Efficio LLC,

with good results

However, all these course corrections came at a significant cost in both time and resources!

Page 35: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Most people are reluctant or resistant to change Even people who are interested often do not allocate the time

and resources to do it Even where there are clear benefits from making a change, this

is not sufficient incentive Most changes can be implemented only by:

Strong bottom-up demand Mandatory top-down decision

Need to persuade people to be ready to: Get out of their comfort zone Dedicate time to learning new things Dedicate time to things that might not benefit their work directly or

immediately Adopt a collaborative rather than competitive approach

Enforcement and implementation Big difference between the private and public sector

Changing people’s behavior:A real challenge in technology transfer

Page 36: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Leadership transfer: A challenging objectiveCapacity-building vital for leadership transfer

Must be comprehensive – spanning entire spectrum from human resources (PhDs, short-course training, technician training) to equipment & infrastructure

Must be customised and goal-oriented: One size does not fit all ‒ Phase I: open-call CB à la

carte; fellowships But internal focus is a plus ‒ Phase II: project-based

graduate studies (as defined within the GCP-funded project), IBMYC + assessment to determine if trainee advances to the next year or not

That developing-country partners are now leading GCP projects, with CGIAR and developed country partners in supporting roles, with corresponding budget shifts has been a major achievement!

However, it is not desirable for all projects and/or with all partners and not everybody wants to become a leader…..

Page 37: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Product Delivery

Research product delivery pathways should be defined right at project conception

Include clear identification of research product users and impact assessment parameters

Should also describe product sustainability, access and dissemination mechanisms

Page 38: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Other challenges

Operational Keeping key partners aligned with the overall shared

objective(s) Prioritization and resource allocation The two bosses and part time boss syndrome Communication (internal and external) – vital for a

distributed team Recognition and ownership

Research Germplasm exchange Genetic stocks Data management Work quality standard Inclusiveness vs efficiency

Page 39: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Perspectives

Page 40: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Research activities: Integration into CRPsGCP Research Initiative CRP in which embedded

1. Cassava Roots, Tubers and Bananas

2. Rice Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP)

3. Sorghum Dryland Cereals

4. Legumes Grain Legumes (TLIII project)

5. Maize MAIZE

6. Wheat WHEAT

7. Comparative genomics (sorghum, rice, maize)

Sorghum: Al tolerance in sorghum embedded in Dryland Cereals CRP

Rice: Al tolerance in rice embedded in Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP) CRP

Maize: Al tolerance in maize embedded in MAIZE CRP

♦ Some unfinished activities to be hosted in the CRP♦ Promising project to be extended if there is a fit with the overall objectives♦ CRP Directors involved in the transition process

Page 41: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

The IBP will survive the GCP

A proposal currently under development to be submitted to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in a couple of months

Proposed project duration: 5 years (2014-2019), 12M US$

Overarching objective:

To improve the efficiency of plant breeding programmes in developing countries by enabling plant breeders to access modern breeding technologies, breeding materials and related information in a centralised, integrated and practical manner

Integration in a larger initiative?

The Integrated Breeding Platform:Moving into Phase II

Page 42: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

BMS: THE Core Product of the IBP

10 crop-specific databases with historical data: Bean, cassava, chickpea, cowpea, groundnut, maize, rice, sorghum, soya and wheat

Up next will be: barley, lentil, potato and sweet potato Empty DB available for all crops Revised phenotyping DB schema: Chado Natural Diversity Module

The Breeding Management System (BMS)

Breeding Activities

Parental selectionCrossingPopulation development

GermplasmManagement

Open ProjectSpecify objectivesIdentify teamData resourcesDefine strategy

Project Planning

Experimental DesignFieldbook productionData collectionData loading

GermplasmEvaluation

Marker selectionFingerprintingGenotypingData loading

MolecularAnalysis

Quality AssuranceTrait analysisGenetic AnalysisQTL AnalysisIndex Analysis

DataAnalysis

Selected linesRecombinesRecombination plans

BreedingDecisions

Version 2 released in January 31, 2014

Page 43: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Too

ls &

S

ervi

ces

Support Services: Genotyping, Sequencing, Omics, QA/QC, Logistics, Field trials, Mechanization, Seed logistic Business plan, Financing

Capacity building – Social Networks

Analytical tools: Association, allelic mining, statistical, modeling, breeding decision, Mgt.

Par

tner

s

Implemented Breeding

QC & Seed Production

Seed Delivery

Pre-Breeding Breeding

Diversity Access

• Genebanks CRP

• SEEDSEQ • ARCAD

Phase 2• Crop

Diversity Trust

• NARS GeneBanks

• Commodity CRPs

• Seed of Discovery

• Genetic gains (Gates)

• IBP Central Unit

• IBP Regional Hubs

• Commodity CRPs

• BeCA• Multinational

• IBP Reg. Hubs

• System CRPs• Commodity

CRPs• BeCA• AGRA/PASS• Seed QC

SMEs

• System CRPs

• Commodity CRPs

• AGRA/PASS• Planet

Finance• ICRA• SupAgro,

Sup Co

A Value Chain Support Service CRP for Increased Seed Delivery

Data sharing: Data bases and data management

Page 44: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Conclusions

Page 45: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Programme Closure

Where possible and appropriate there should be defined end dates for research programmes – with a clear handover plan for perpetuation and dissemination of products

Engenders focus and urgency in the performance of research tasks and delivery of products

Page 46: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

Conclusions Difficult to measure impact at this stage but overall it seems that

GCP has been a successful venture! Major achievements have probably been around:

Establishment of true partnership with cultural change on how to run R4D projects

Several flagship projects Enabling partners in developing countries to access modern

biotechnologies We had also some clear shortcomings

Monitoring and evaluation were the biggest shortfalls in GCP Several competitive projects were dead ends

The CP research model can’t work in isolation, but is an attractive model to complement core research activities

Lessons learnt from the CPs in general and GCP in particular can positively inform the CRP operational and organizational models

IBP will survive GCP and can form the core part of a possible cross-cutting initiative to support commodity CRPs

Page 47: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

The GCP Team

Page 48: Lessons Learnt from the GCP Experience - Jean-Marcel Ribaut

GCP People:The Programme’s Greatest

Asset!