SScience for Agricultural cience for Agricultural DevelopmentDevelopment

Changing contexts Changing contexts and new opportunitiesand new opportunities

AGM 05, MarrakechAGM 05, MarrakechLisa Sennerby ForsseLisa Sennerby Forsse

Science CouncilScience Council

Aim of the publicationAim of the publication

Decision-makers who invest in research for development

Public sector research communityPrivate sector research communityDevelopment practitioners worldwide

Share knowledge of trends and emerging issues

in the application of science and technology to

agricultural development. For:

ContentsContents Understanding the continuum from

research to development impact Scientific opportunities: potential for

success The consequences of a changing global

environment The enabling environment for research:

a changing international landscape Conclusions and key messages

The publication makes a strong link between science for development and the MDGs

The first MDG – Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger – is the one directly targeted by agricultural development

Research on agriculture must consider environmental concerns - Goal 7:ensure environmental sustainability

Women’s participation in agricultural research is vital - Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Decision makers, researchers and practitioners must understand each others’ approaches - Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

Understanding the continuum from Understanding the continuum from research to development impactresearch to development impact

Science for agricultural development has a good track record of delivering real benefits to poor farmers

Agro-ecologies and research spillovers: science and technology spillovers have been a pervasive feature of the history of agricultural development

Incorporating them into the planning stages requires improved use of data on the distribution of the biophysical attributes of the world’s agricultural production environments

Figure shows an agro-ecological typology Figure shows an agro-ecological typology of the world’s cultivated systemsof the world’s cultivated systems

Emerging scientific opportunitiesEmerging scientific opportunities

Genomics: Scientists can now produce genetic maps such as that of the rice genome that pinpoint the precise location and sequences of genes

Nanotechnology: is potentially relevant to agriculture e.g. energy storage, ICT, productivity enhancement, food processing and storage, pest detection and management

Information and communication technologies (ICTs): offer new opportunities e.g. bioinformatics and e-agriculture

The research related good news of the past four decades is that today’s farmers are feeding almost twice as many people with better quality food from virtually the same land base. Emerging opportunities:

The consequences for research of The consequences for research of a changing climatea changing climate

A changing climate will affect the distribution of pests and diseases

In the dry lands, rainfed tropics and subtropics even small increases in atmospheric temperature are likely to lead to decreases in yield for some crops

The role of irrigation is expected to increase and water resources will be a major factor constraining agricultural expansion in South Asia, North Africa and the Near East

Climate change: is the largest current threat to the global environment. The projected changes will have both beneficial and adverse effects at the regional level on water resources, agriculture, natural ecosystems and human health. For example:

The enabling environment for research: The enabling environment for research: a changing international landscapea changing international landscape

Regional diversity in expenditure on research and development (1995-2000)

Share of total gross domestic expeditures on R&D (GERD), 1995 and 2000

1995 2000

Asia & Pacific (26) 9.4 13.2

China 3.5 6.7

India 2.1 2.9

Latin America & Caribbean (31) 3.3 3.1

Brazil 1.8 1.8

Sub-Saharan Africa (43) 0.6 0.4

West Asia & North Africa (18) 1.4 1.8

Other Developing Countries (21) 3.1 3.0

Subtotal, Developing Countries (139) 17.8 21.5

Japan 15.0 13.6

United States 35.8 36.0

Subtotal, High Income Countries (28) 82.2 78.5

Shares in Global Total

(percentages)

Share (%)

Public Private Total

Developing countries

93.7 6.3 100

Developed countries

44.8 55.2 100

Total 63.1 36.9 100

Public and private sector share of Public and private sector share of agricultural research and development agricultural research and development

expenditure, circa 2000 (ASTI)expenditure, circa 2000 (ASTI)

ConclusionsConclusions

Decision makers who invest in agricultural R&D: partnership approaches add value to the potential impact

Public sector research community: can contribute to the MDGs through innovative partnerships

The private sector: researchers are increasingly aware of potential benefits of working with the private sector and of the IPR issues involved

Development practitioners: development impact can be greatly enhanced by research outcomes

Publication shows track record of science for agricultural development in delivering benefits to farmers and concludes with messages for four main communities: