Policy Seminar

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: WHAT’S AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?

April 8, 1999

The scientific ability to exploit genetic resources has been the engine of productivity growth in much of world agriculture in the past 35 years. Developing country wheat yields have risen at 3.4% per annum between 1969 and 1995 and rice yields have risen at an annual rate above 2 % per annum. The continuing momentum of the green revolution can be explained in great part by the unprecedented cooperation and collaboration between the international agricultural research centers (IARCs) and the national agricultural research centers (NARS) in the development and exchange of improved germplasm. This cooperation has facilitated the global dissemination of modern, high yielding germplasm. The present international-national system of cooperation in crop improvement research has increased the number of varieties released in developing countries and the number of land races represented in the released varieties.

Looking ahead to the 21st century, one ought to be concerned about the viability and the sustainability of the current system of free and open exchange of improved germplasm. Global integration of markets, including markets for food; enforcement of intellectual property rights; and stagnant and shrinking research budgets, especially for cereal crops research; are some of the factors that could affect international cooperation in genetic enhancement research. This talk will address the future organization of cereal crop research systems in developing countries and the extent to which international collaboration will persist despite the above global changes.

For more information, please e-mail S.Hill or write to S.Hill, Policy Seminars Program, IFPRI, 2033 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006-1002, USA.