External review of the International Fertilizer Development Center

The IFDC has been a trusted and objective resource on issues regarding fertilizer, and has taken initiatives to provide useful services to a wide variety of clients. The staff display good professional practice for their host country counterparts and are committed to excellence at the Center. Management of the Center has been also strong, as the executive leaders have effectively communicated their vision of the IFDC. The Board is well-qualified, but it probably should be more independent of the Managing Director in its review and policy direction roles. Further, funds given to the IFDC have supported efforts directly related to its mission, although an increasingly greater portion of their funds are from restricted core funds. However, funding constraints have prevented the IFDC from providing assistance to a complete spectrum of developing countries. The Center has recently placed a strong emphasis on Africa, and while this approach is appropriate, it should be aware of the needs which still exist in Asia and Latin America. In addition, while the staff have cooperated well with donors, Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers, national programs, and other organizations involved in fertilizer development, there are still improvements to be made. For the most part, the organizational climate of the Center is very good, though some conflict and ambiguity about roles exist between the headquarters and the West Africa Center. The IFDC is at a turning point. Several transitions are occurring and their outcomes will influence the future direction of the Center: the African centers are just taking shape; a new Managing Director is now in place; membership in the CGIAR is pending; funding patterns are changing; new initiatives have been proposed in recently prepared long-range plans; and with most of the IFDC's long-term research and development programs being successful, it is time to consider how some of them will compete for funds. The IFDC is not an old organization, but it faces a dynamic future. The mission that propelled it so far has to be reexamined to fit changing prospects in fertilizer use. Expected changes in fertilizer demand and population pressures will influence distribution, marketing, and farmer use practices. Work on problems of importance in this changing world will require the whole spectrum of IFDC's skills to devise effective research technology and policy approaches. (Author abstract, modified)