Agricultural R&D In The Developing World Too Little Too Late

—Richard R. Nelson, George Blumenthal Professor of International
and Public Affairs, Businesss, and Law, Emeritus, Columbia University

“This volume contains a wealth of data and upPhilip G. Pardey
Professor, Department of
Applied Economics and
Director, International
Science and Technology
Practice and Policy
(InSTePP) Center,
University of Minnesota

Julian M. Alston
Professor,Department of
Agricultural and Resource
Economics, University of
California, Davis

to-date policy and institutional details regarding
agricultural R&D throughout the developing world.
The picture it paints is cause for real concern.As
we enter a new millennium, the agricultural
research policy agenda is changing dramatically.
Notably, the editors and authors of this book
point to adramatic widening of the disparity in
agricultural research capacity between developed
and developing countries.This book is a timely

Roley R. Piggott

long-run development prospects of many of the
world’s poor countries whose economies are still
heavily reliant on agriculture.”
—Vernon W. Ruttan, Regents Professor
Emeritus, Department of Applied Economics
and Department of Economics, andAdjunct
Professor, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of
Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

2033 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006-1002 USA
Tel.: +1-202-862-5600
Fax: +1-202-467-4439
Email: ifpri@cgiar.org

www.ifpri.org

AGRICULTURAL R&D
IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
Too little,

too late?

wake-up call for all those concerned about the

$17.95

PARDEY • ALSTON • PIGGOT TExecutive Dean, Faculty
of Economics, Business
and Law, The University
of New England,
Australia

AGRICULTURAL R&D IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD

“This is an important volume on two counts. First, it provides detailed descriptions and analyses of
the agricultural R&D programs of many developing countries, including the most important ones; this
information simply was not available before. Second, itprovides an informed and thoughtful
assessment of how well current agricultural R&D programs are doing in meeting the pressing needs
of agricultural development; the assessment reached by the authors is not a happy one.”

Edited by Philip G. Pardey, Julian M. Alston, and R oley R. Piggott

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
IFPRI was founded in 1975 to develop policysolutions for sustainably
meeting the food needs of the developing world. Research, capacity
strengthening, and policy communications at IFPRI concentrate on
achieving economic growth and poverty reduction in low-income
countries, improving food and nutrition security of poor people, and
managing the natural resource base that supports agriculture. IFPRI
researchers work closely with nationalcounterparts and collaborate to
strengthen research capacity in developing countries. IFPRI also
strengthens the link between research and policymaking through its
regional networks. It communicates the results of its research to
influence policymaking and raise public awareness about food security,
poverty, and natural resource issues.

Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators
(ASTI)Initiative
The Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) initiative
compiles, processes, and makes available internationally comparable data
on institutional developments and investments in agricultural R&D
worldwide, and analyzes and reports on these trends in the form of
occasional policy digests for research policy formulation and prioritysetting purposes. Led by IFPRI, theASTI Initiative involves collaborative
alliances with a large number of national and regional R&D agencies, as
well as international institutions.
IFPRI is one of 15 research centers primarily supported by the
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
(www.cgiar.org).

Cover photo: © 2005 World Bank/Tomas Sennett
Cover background photo: © 2005 iStockphoto/John Shepherd...