Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa

Agricultural research and development (R&D) investment is positively associated with high returns, but these returns take time—often decades—to develop. Consequently, the inherent lag from the inception of research to the adoption of new technologies calls for sustained and stable R&D funding. In 20...

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Autores principales: Stads, Gert-Jan, Nin-Pratt, Alejandro, Beintema, Nienke
Formato: Informe técnico
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: African Union 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141218
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author Stads, Gert-Jan
Nin-Pratt, Alejandro
Beintema, Nienke
author_browse Beintema, Nienke
Nin-Pratt, Alejandro
Stads, Gert-Jan
author_facet Stads, Gert-Jan
Nin-Pratt, Alejandro
Beintema, Nienke
author_sort Stads, Gert-Jan
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Agricultural research and development (R&D) investment is positively associated with high returns, but these returns take time—often decades—to develop. Consequently, the inherent lag from the inception of research to the adoption of new technologies calls for sustained and stable R&D funding. In 2016, Africa invested just 0.39 percent of its agricultural GDP (AgGDP) in agricultural R&D, down from 0.54 percent in 2000. Even though in absolute terms total R&D investment has increased since the turn of the millennium—after a period of stagnation—most of the funds have been directed toward research staff expansion, salary increases, and rehabilitation of derelict research infrastructure and equipment, rather than actual research programs. In fact, in a large number of African countries, the national government funds the salaries of researchers and support staff, but little else, leaving nonsalary-related expenses highly dependent on donors and other funding sources.
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spelling CGSpace1412182025-12-08T10:11:39Z Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa Stads, Gert-Jan Nin-Pratt, Alejandro Beintema, Nienke value chains profits costs funding technological changes economic development poverty alleviation agricultural research employment agricultural development food security growth Agricultural research and development (R&D) investment is positively associated with high returns, but these returns take time—often decades—to develop. Consequently, the inherent lag from the inception of research to the adoption of new technologies calls for sustained and stable R&D funding. In 2016, Africa invested just 0.39 percent of its agricultural GDP (AgGDP) in agricultural R&D, down from 0.54 percent in 2000. Even though in absolute terms total R&D investment has increased since the turn of the millennium—after a period of stagnation—most of the funds have been directed toward research staff expansion, salary increases, and rehabilitation of derelict research infrastructure and equipment, rather than actual research programs. In fact, in a large number of African countries, the national government funds the salaries of researchers and support staff, but little else, leaving nonsalary-related expenses highly dependent on donors and other funding sources. 2022-12-01 2024-04-12T13:37:29Z 2024-04-12T13:37:29Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141218 en Open Access African Union Stads, Gert-Jan; Nin-Pratt, Alejandro; and Beintema, Nienke. 2022. Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa. African Union. https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/42434-doc-BOOSTING_INVESTMENT_IN_AGRICULTURE_RESEARCH_IN_AFRICA_-_Final_14.pdf
spellingShingle value chains
profits
costs
funding
technological changes
economic development
poverty alleviation
agricultural research
employment
agricultural development
food security
growth
Stads, Gert-Jan
Nin-Pratt, Alejandro
Beintema, Nienke
Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa
title Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa
title_full Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa
title_fullStr Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa
title_full_unstemmed Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa
title_short Boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa
title_sort boosting investment in agriculture research in africa building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in africa
topic value chains
profits
costs
funding
technological changes
economic development
poverty alleviation
agricultural research
employment
agricultural development
food security
growth
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141218
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