Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research

Agricultural research has greatly increased the yields of important staple food crops, and for many people this has meant more food availability and trade opportunities. Yet many people in rural areas in developing countries still live in abject poverty. Therefore, policymakers, donors, and research...

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Main Authors: Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S., Adato, Michelle, Haddad, Lawrence J., Hazell, Peter B. R.
Format: Informe técnico
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157995
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author Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Adato, Michelle
Haddad, Lawrence J.
Hazell, Peter B. R.
author_browse Adato, Michelle
Haddad, Lawrence J.
Hazell, Peter B. R.
Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
author_facet Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Adato, Michelle
Haddad, Lawrence J.
Hazell, Peter B. R.
author_sort Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Agricultural research has greatly increased the yields of important staple food crops, and for many people this has meant more food availability and trade opportunities. Yet many people in rural areas in developing countries still live in abject poverty. Therefore, policymakers, donors, and researchers are refocusing their priorities away from simply producing more food to making sure that agricultural research benefits the poor in particular. How can we ensure that new agricultural technologies are appropriate for the different groups of people who most need assistance? Furthermore, how can we assess whether these new technologies actually reduce poverty? This report provides valuable answers by synthesizing lessons learned from seven case studies from around the developing world. The studies show that measures of the direct impacts of new technologies on incomes and yields do not tell the whole story. Both economic and noneconomic factors (such as sources of vulnerability, gender roles, and the source of the disseminated technology) play an extremely important role in determining whether the poor adopt or benefit from a technology.... In addition, social, cultural, and economic factors all influence whether the poor receive direct and indirect benefits from new technologies. Therefore, it is crucial that impact assessments include a mix of disciplines and methods, and that researchers do not only focus on poverty-reducing impacts that are easy to measure. For the future, scientists and other decision makers designing new research programs need to understand all the social factors that will affect the uptake and impacts of technologies. They also need to understand poor people’s strategies for managing risk and the importance and role of agriculture in their livelihood strategies. Authors' Preface
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spelling CGSpace1579952025-01-10T06:35:40Z Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. Adato, Michelle Haddad, Lawrence J. Hazell, Peter B. R. poverty alleviation agricultural research agricultural technology impact assessment gender relations agricultural growth crop yield developing countries research agriculture food supply trade rural areas technology transfer evaluation case studies economic situation socioeconomic environment Agricultural research has greatly increased the yields of important staple food crops, and for many people this has meant more food availability and trade opportunities. Yet many people in rural areas in developing countries still live in abject poverty. Therefore, policymakers, donors, and researchers are refocusing their priorities away from simply producing more food to making sure that agricultural research benefits the poor in particular. How can we ensure that new agricultural technologies are appropriate for the different groups of people who most need assistance? Furthermore, how can we assess whether these new technologies actually reduce poverty? This report provides valuable answers by synthesizing lessons learned from seven case studies from around the developing world. The studies show that measures of the direct impacts of new technologies on incomes and yields do not tell the whole story. Both economic and noneconomic factors (such as sources of vulnerability, gender roles, and the source of the disseminated technology) play an extremely important role in determining whether the poor adopt or benefit from a technology.... In addition, social, cultural, and economic factors all influence whether the poor receive direct and indirect benefits from new technologies. Therefore, it is crucial that impact assessments include a mix of disciplines and methods, and that researchers do not only focus on poverty-reducing impacts that are easy to measure. For the future, scientists and other decision makers designing new research programs need to understand all the social factors that will affect the uptake and impacts of technologies. They also need to understand poor people’s strategies for managing risk and the importance and role of agriculture in their livelihood strategies. Authors' Preface 2004 2024-10-24T12:52:58Z 2024-10-24T12:52:58Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157995 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Meinzen-Dick, Ruth Suseela; Adato, Michelle; Haddad, Lawrence James; Hazell, Peter B. R. 2004. Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research. Food Policy Report. 16. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157995
spellingShingle poverty alleviation
agricultural research
agricultural technology
impact assessment
gender relations
agricultural growth
crop yield
developing countries
research
agriculture
food supply
trade
rural areas
technology transfer
evaluation
case studies
economic situation
socioeconomic environment
Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Adato, Michelle
Haddad, Lawrence J.
Hazell, Peter B. R.
Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research
title Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research
title_full Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research
title_fullStr Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research
title_full_unstemmed Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research
title_short Science and poverty: an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research
title_sort science and poverty an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of agricultural research
topic poverty alleviation
agricultural research
agricultural technology
impact assessment
gender relations
agricultural growth
crop yield
developing countries
research
agriculture
food supply
trade
rural areas
technology transfer
evaluation
case studies
economic situation
socioeconomic environment
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157995
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