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Advisory Services

The Independent Advisory and Evaluation Service (IAES) provides operational support for two
independent advisory bodies, the Independent Science for Development Council (ISDC) and the Standing
Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA). Further, IAES implements CGIAR’s multi-year, independent evaluation
plan as approved by the System Council.

In 2023, ISDC experienced a dynamic year, during which it contributed significantly to CGIAR’s
Portfolio evolution in 2024 and delivered key commissioned research on megatrends. SPIA secured
approval for a new plan extending until 2030 while successfully navigating the penultimate year of
the 2019–2024 work plan, focusing on country reach and causal evidence studies. IAES’s Evaluation

Function completed the full cycle of System Council-commissioned program and platform
evaluations for 2016–2021. Section 7.1 provides key 2023 achievements per independent advisory
workstream, with more details here and all deliverables available on https://iaes.cgiar.org/.

ISDC Achievements

ISDC coordinated with CGIAR leadership, anticipating a moderated review of proposals under
Portfolio25 in 2024. The Council rendered a comparative advantage (CA) analysis technical note into
podcasts and videos to enhance understanding of the CA concept. ISDC also conducted a
megatrends project that yielded a discussion paper outlining nine implications crucial for the

evolution of CGIAR’s Research and Innovation Strategy. Additionally, ISDC hosted a science forum
during the 19th System Council meeting, focusing on megatrends impacting gender equality, youth,
and social inclusion. ISDC also published a perspective piece in npj Sustainable Agriculture (a
Nature publication) that explored some of the interlinked concepts it has used in advising CGIAR.

Links to key deliverables

● Meinke, H., Ash, A., Barrett, C.B. et al. 2023. Evolution of the One CGIAR’s research and
innovation portfolio to 2030: approaches, tools, and insights glob after the reform. npj
Sustain. Agric. 1, 6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-023-00005-x

● Technical Notes. ISDC. 2023. Responding to evolving megatrends. https://iaes.cgiar.org/
isdc/publications/responding-evolving-megatrends

SPIA Achievements

SPIA progressed as planned with its 2019–2024 work plan, while also securing approval for a new
operational model and the 2023–2030 work plan. The panel organized webinars and published
guidelines on remote sensing for impact assessment to strengthen the methods base for the SPIA
approach. SPIA made significant strides in collecting diffusion data in Bangladesh and Viet Nam and
published a report on the adoption of improved rice cultivars and sustainable practices. The panel

expects to publish reports from country studies in Ethiopia and Uganda in 2024. In 2023, study
teams completed three accountability and two learning studies commissioned by SPIA.

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