Organs of EAPGREN

EAPGREN maintains a simple organizational structure, which at the same time draws from technical and intellectual inputs from a wide range of the network partners, particularly through the national coordination mechanisms and regional thematic working groups (See figure below).

EAPGREN Steering Committee

The Steering Committee will comprise lead professionals from the focal institutions in each of the participating countries. Additional members of the Steering Committee will be co-opted as necessary in order to fill identified technical gaps. Nominations to the Steering Committee will be ratified by the ASARECA Board of Directors. ASARECA Secretariat, IPGRI, the Nordic Gene bank, IRAZ and the donors will participate on ex-officio status. The Coordinator of EAPGREN coordinating unit will serve as Secretary to this committee. The designated and ratified members of the committee will, in turn, elect a chairperson to serve for a period of 1 year at a time, and on a rotational basis. The committee will meet once every year. The Steering Committee will oversee the development of budgets and work plans and provide overall technical guidance in the implementation of the network activities.

EAPGREN Coordinating Unit

The Unit will be headed by the Coordinator who will report to the Steering Committee and will be responsible for the overall co-ordination of project activities. The Coordinating Unit will be hosted by one of the NARS to ensure ownership and sustainability at an early stage. The Coordinating Unit will liaise with the technical backstopping institutions, ASARECA, NARS and other collaborating institutions to ensure the smooth and efficient achievement of the networks objectives and outputs.

Thematic Working Groups

Initially, five Thematic Working Groups on Ex Situ Conservation, In Situ Conservation, Utilization, Information and Documentation, Policy and Public Awareness will be established. The Working Groups will not only provide an opportunity to a wide range of stakeholders to make specific contributions in their area of expertise but will also serve as a means for review and maintenance of scientific standards on thematic basis, promote collaboration for complementarity and avoidance of unnecessary duplication. The members of the working groups will be experts from NARS, IARCs, NGOs, private sector, UN agencies, Universities, crop networks and regional programmes. The Working Groups will take responsibility for synthesizing issues related to the theme, develop research project proposals and make recommendations for consideration by the Steering Committee. These recommendations will form the basis for scientific standards, priority setting of regional activities The composition of the Working Group will comprise between 5-10 members in their individual capacities and will be broad-based within the limits of the theme. The Thematic Working Groups will be established by the Steering Committee and their functions overseen by the coordinating unit.

Institutional roles and responsibilities

ASARECA – The roles and responsibilities of the different ASARECA facets are as follows:

The Board of Directors – It will provide the overall policy guidance of the network activities including ratification of the Steering Committee members and approval of programmes, budgets and work plans.

Regional Steering Committee (RSC) – The Committee will provide overall technical guidance in the implementation of the network activities and will oversee the development of budgets and work plans.

ASARECA secretariat – The Secretariat will continue facilitating the co-ordination of the network until a coordinator is recruited and will also guide the network in its endeavor’s to address the relevant regional strategic plans and objectives. As the implementing agency, it will administer project funds including disbursements to NARS and sub-contracts with relevant technical backstopping institutions. It will be represented in both the Stakeholders meeting and in the Regional Steering Committee.

Coordinator – The co-coordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Co-coordinating Unit and develop mechanisms for the network’s horizontal and vertical integration into the ASARECA regional framework. He/she will also serve as the convener and secretary to the RSC and Stakeholders Meetings.

NPGRCs - The participating countries’ commitment has to be translated into effective streamlining and implementation of plant genetic resources activities and their integration into national development programmes. The responsibilities of the Governments of participating countries will be as follows:

• Provision of full time personnel for the network activities (researchers and technicians)
• Allocation of budgets to cater for the Centres’ running costs
• Provision of the basic infrastructures for NPGRCs
• Handling and payment of duties for project vehicles and equipment

NPGRCs as the network’s focal points will liaise closely with the coordinating unit in the implementation of the regional activities. They will co-ordinate and implement country-based activities, including maintenance and safety of base collections. They will also ensure that the interests of other NARS constituents including CBOs, NGOs, private sector and national stakeholders are incorporated in the development of national plant genetic resources priorities.

Bioversity International (formerly IPGRI) – Bioversity International will provide scientific support to the coordinating unit, the Steering Committee and other organs of the network in the implementation of the activities. IPGRI will be represented in the Stakeholders meeting and also in the Steering Committee. In it’s backstopping capacity. IPGRI will backstop in the following areas:

• Development of network implementation strategy
• Development of Thematic Working Groups
• Development of PGR policies and legal frameworks
• Development of PGR research methodologies
• In situ conservation activities

Nordic Gene Bank (NGB) will provide technical backstopping through the coordinating unit and the Steering Committee. They will participate in the Stakeholders Meeting and Steering Committee meetings. The Nordic Gene Bank will provide backstopping in the following areas: -

• Ex situ conservation (Gene bank management)
• Information systems and documentation
• Standards of equipment