1,721,342 research outputs found
Investment in agricultural research and development: An account of two-speed growth, underinvestment, and volatility
No full textThis chapter takes stock of recent agricultural R&D investment in SSA using comprehensive datasets collected under the Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) initiative, facilitated by the International Food Policy Research Institute. The chapter presents an analysis of public agricultural research funding and investment trends in SSA, highlighting important cross-country differences. The discussion also focuses on the main drivers of volatility in agricultural R&D funding over time and suggests a number of policy measures that could mitigate both underinvestment and volatility
A snapshot of agricultural research investment and capacity in Asia
No full textSince the turn of the millennium, Asia has recorded rapid growth in its levels of agricultural research spending. Most of the growth in regional spending was driven by China. Spending in India and Indonesia has also increased substantially since 2000. However, many countries in Asia continue to underinvest in agricultural research. Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Pakistan still invest less than 0.20 per cent of their agricultural GDP in agricultural research, which is clearly insufficient considering the numerous emerging challenges these countries face, including widespread poverty, rapid population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. On a positive note, the number of Ph.D. qualified agricultural researchers has risen in nearly all Asian countries since 2000, although in some countries–particularly Nepal, Pakistan, and Vietnam–many senior researchers are approaching retirement age. Women remain severely underrepresented in agricultural research in Asia. Many countries have a long way to go to ensure that female perspectives are integrated within research agendas
Resource allocation for agricultural research in South Asia: Trends, challenges, and policy implications
No full textQuantitative evidence presented in this report demonstrates that total public agricultural research and development (R&D) spending in South Asia has risen considerably since 2000. This trend was largely driven by India, which has the highest investment levels and strongest human resource capacity in agricultural research South Asia by far (in terms of absolute size, average qualification levels of researchers, and the scientific outputs they produce). Compared with India, agricultural R&D faces greater challenges in the four other South Asian countries for which data were available (Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). Underinvestment in agricultural R&D in these countries is considerable, and agricultural research staff is significantly lessqualified than in India, the combined result of prolonged recruitment freezes, losses of highly qualified senior staff, limited training opportunities, and an aging population of researchers. In addition, political instability in some countries has either delayed or complicated much needed institutional and policy reforms. The scientific competence of South Asia’s agricultural R&D agencies is high, particularly in India, but as in many developing regions of the world, stronger linkages are needed to connect agricultural research agencies and their staff with the end users of their research to improve the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of research outputs. Further efforts to strengthen sub-regional linkages are also needed in order to better utilize limited resources and reduce wasteful duplication. In addition, good governance is key to promoting the effectiveness and efficiency of research, and ongoing policy and institutional reform will be needed to further strengthen agricultural R&D and innovation in South Asia
Africa's agricultural R&D funding rollercoaster: An analysis of the elements of funding volatility
No full textAgricultural R&D in West Asia and North Africa: Recent investment and capacity trends
No full textThis report assesses trends in investments and human resource capacity in agricultural R&D in WANA, focusing on developments during 2009–2012. The analysis is based on information from a set of country factsheets prepared by the Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) program of the International Food Policy Research Institute, using comprehensive datasets derived from primary surveys targeting over 300 agencies in 11 countries during 2013–2014. Accounting for about two-thirds of the region’s total agricultural gross domestic product (AgGDP), the 11 sample countries do not provide a complete overview of agricultural R&D expenditures and staffing in the region as a whole. Yet, these countries are representative of the region’s diversity in terms of income level, country size, and agroclimatic characteristics
Key trends in public agricultural research capacity and investments in Central America
No full textThis brief provides an overview of the major investment trends in agricultural research in Central America since the early 1980s, drawing on a new set of data developed through a comprehensive survey by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
A snapshot of agricultural research investment and capacity in Asia
No full textAgricultural research was one of the main drivers behind the enormous increases in food production in South, East, and Southeast Asia (referred to as “Asia” in the remainder of this report) during the twentieth century. The implementation of research-based agricultural methods and new technologies enhanced the quantity and quality of agricultural outputs, and led to rapid economic growth and poverty reduction. Despite these tremendous advances, Asia is still home to more than half of the world’s poor. Most of them live in rural areas where agriculture remains the main source of employment and income
Recent developments in agricultural research
No full textAgricultural research and development (R&D) in Sierra Leone virtually ceased in the 1990s due to the ravages of civil war. Several researchers were killed by rebels, research facilities and equipment were destroyed or severely damaged, and many research stations were abandoned as staff took refuge in Freetown (Asenso-Okyere et al. 2009). When peace was finally declared in 2002, Sierra Leone embarked on what will be a long road toward reconstructing its agricultural research infrastructure and capacity. As a result, agricultural R&D spending rose rapidly. In 2009, the country invested 7.5 billion leones or 6.9 million PPP dollars on agricultural R&D (both in 2005 prices) compared with just 2.2 billion leones or 2.8 million dollars in 2001 (Figure 1; Table 1). Unless otherwise stated, all prices in this note are based on purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates, which reflect the purchasing power of currencies more effectively than do standard exchange rates because they compare the prices of a broader range of local-as opposed to internationally traded-goods and services. Total agricultural R&D capacity has also risen gradually since the cessation of hostilities. In 2009, Sierra Leone employed 72 full-time equivalent (FTE) researchers compared with just 49 in 2001 (Figure 2).Non-PRIFPRI2; ASTIKCI
Recent developments in public agricultural research
No full textThe Gambia is one of Africa’s smallest countries, so its agricultural research and development (R&D) capacity and investment levels are understandably low compared with most of its neighbors. The country’s total agricultural R&D investment levels have been erratic over the past two decades due to significant fluctuations in government and donor funding. In 2008, The Gambia invested close to 20 billion dalasis or 2.6 million PPP dollars in agricultural R&D, both in 2005 prices. Unless otherwise stated, all dollar values in this note are based on purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates. PPPs reflect the purchasing power of currencies more effectively than do standard exchange rates because they compare the prices of a broader range of local—as opposed to internationally traded—goods and services. Agricultural R&D capacity levels in The Gambia have contracted somewhat since the turn of the millennium. In 2008, the country employed 38 full-time equivalent (FTE) research staff compared with 42 in 2000.Non-PRIFPRI2; ASTIKCI
Benin: Recent developments in agricultural research
No full textSince the turn of the millennium, total investments in agricultural research and development (R&D) in Benin have been on the increase. In 2008, the country's expenditures totaled approximately 4.7 billion CFA francs or 21.6 million PPP dollars (both in constant 2005 prices). Unless otherwise stated, all dollar values in this note are based on purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates. PPPs reflect the purchasing power of currencies more effectively than do standard exchange rates because they compare the prices of a broader range of local—as opposed to internationally traded—goods and services. Total agricultural R&D capacity levels in Benin reveal a negative trend. In 2008, the country employed 115 full-time equivalent (FTE) research staff, compared with 120 FTEs in 2000. This attrition mainly resulted from staff retirement at National Agricultural Research Institute of Benin (INRAB) in combination with a publicsector recruitment freeze that has been in place since the 1980s
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