Policymakers realize that higher levels of investment in agricultural research are key to increasing agricultural production to meet global needs. Despite this, many low- and middle-income countries struggle with serious capacity and funding constraints in their agricultural research and higher education systems. Quantitative information is fundamental to understanding the contribution of agricultural research to agricultural growth. Indicators derived from such information allow the performance, inputs, and outcomes of agricultural innovation systems to be measured, monitored, and benchmarked. ASTI fulfills a unique role in supplying the necessary information to promote an understanding of the status and direction of national agricultural research systems in developing countries. Such data constitute a powerful resource for national and regional research managers, policymakers, donor organizations, and other stakeholders.
In recent years ASTI has been transformed from a data-focused initiative conducting basic descriptive analyses to a more holistic program comprising three core components:
- the collection, processing, validation, and dissemination of data;
- the facilitation of targeted, demand-driven analytics; andthe delivery of context-specific outreach to ensure that ASTI’s resources are converted to outputs and events that influence outcomes.
To ensure its long-term sustainability and relevance, ASTI is establishing an active network of relevant national, regional, and international partners. This means transforming to regional multi-stakeholder platforms in which the ownership of data collection, analysis, and outreach functions are shifted to the countries. This will enhance the impact of ASTI’s data and analysis at the national level.
Outputs / Resources
Gert-Jan Stads
Senior Program ManagerAlejandro Nin Pratt
Senior Research Fellow
Unlocking innovation: Assessing the role of Agricultural R&D in Latin America and the Caribbean
Innovation capacity, food system development, and the size of the agricultural research system
Food system innovations and digital technologies to foster productivity growth and rural transformation
Food policy indicators: Tracking change
Public agricultural research and development spending in South Africa – update
Food policy indicators: Tracking change
Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa
Report on boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa
Relatório sobre promoção do investimento na investigação agrícola em África: Reforçar um argumento à favor do aumento do investimento na investigação agrícola em África
Rapport sur booster les investissements dans la recherche agricole en Afrique: arguments en faveur de l’augmentation des investissements dans la recherche agricole en Afrique
Report on boosting investment in agriculture research in Africa: Building a case for increased investment in agricultural research in Africa [in Arabic]
Informe sobre impulsar la inversión en investigación agrícola en África: Construir un caso para aumentar la inversión en investigación agrícola en África
- Issue Post
20 years of ASTI: The go-to source for data and analyses on agricultural research in developing countries
- Issue Post
ASTI launches new data, report, and website for Latin America and the Caribbean
- Issue Post
ASTI launches new interactive tools for tracking agricultural R&D
- Issue Post
ASTI launches new interactive tools for tracking agricultural R&D
- IFPRI Policy Seminar
Follow-Up to the S4AC Write Shop
- IFPRI Program/Country Event -
Technology Assessments and Platforms: Tools and Reach in Africa
Featured Highlights
ASTI
Agricultural Science & Technology Indicators presents data on institutional developments, investments, & capacity in agricultural R&D.
ASTI agency directory
The ASTI Agency Directory provides a list of institutions that conduct agricultural research in selected countries, along with their locations and key indicators.
Benchmarking countries - Latin America and the Caribbean
The ASTI benchmarking tool enables cross-country comparisons and