Agricultural R&D in the developing world: too little, too late?

Are developing countries are at risk of becoming technological orphans? Research to boost crop productivity has almost always been a good investment- this report warns that developing countries need to stop relying on technological ‘spillovers’ from wealthy countries and instead focus attention on strengthening domestic R&D (research and development) systems.Using a set of comparative country studies, the report provides insights into important changes taking place in and around agricultural R&D. Recent developments in both developing and developed countries mean that some poorer countries may no longer be able to rely on the adaptation of spillover technologies generated elsewhere, particularly the innovations that boost staple food production. The report concludes:rich countries are now less interested in productivity enhancement. Dietary patterns and other priorities change as incomes increase, but food security concerns are still pervasive among poor people, predominantly in poor countriesdespite good returns on investment, under funding of agricultural research is pervasive, especially in poorer countriesdeveloping countries may need to become more self-reliant and perhaps more dependent on one another for the collective benefits of agricultural R&D and technologyboth rich and poor countries will have to adapt their strategies to reflect continuing changes in the nature of agricultural R&D spilloversthe freeing up of international trade means that investments in R&D should be guided by comparative advantagethe international community needs to establish a framework that results in optimal investments in R&D by and for developing countriesspillover technologies need to be better understoodSpecific actions that can be taken by developing country governments include:adapting and enhancing intellectual property rules to local conditionsincreasing government funding for national agricultural research systemsproviding incentives for private and joint public–private funding, such as matching grants and check-off fundsimproving the administration and resource allocation of agricultural R&D