Growth is coming in only a few countries and widespread problems with coordination and training remain, a study finds
LONDON (AlertNet) - Investment in agricultural research and development in sub-Saharan Africa rose by more than 20 percent this decade, but most of the growth occurred in only a handful of countries, while the rest saw stagnant or falling investment, a new study shows.
Where funding did increase, much of the money went to boost low salaries and rehabilitate infrastructure and equipment after years of neglect, the study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) found.
With the world’s population expected to grow to 9 billion by 2050 and demand for food growing in increasingly wealthy countries like China and India, increasing food production is crucial, researchers say. Lack of investment in agricultural research, particularly in Africa, stands in the way of progress, they say.
Problems are particularly grave in French-speaking West Africa, where insufficient national investment has left programs debilitated and dangerously dependent on volatile external funding, the report found. Many countries in the region also are struggling with a rapidly aging pool of scientists, many of whom will approach retirement within the next decade.
These countries have little to no means of keeping up with technological advance, according to the IFPRI study, which was conducted in collaboration with more than 370 agricultural research agencies in sub-Saharan Africa and looked at the 2001-2008 period.
“Studies show that investments in agricultural research and development have greatly contributed to economic growth, agricultural development, food security, and poverty reduction in developing regions over the past five decades,” said Nienke Beintema, head of IFPRI’s Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) initiative, which carried out the survey. “New agricultural technologies and crop varieties have helped to increase yields, improve nutrition, conserve natural resources, and expand rural markets.”
In 2008, only eight countries in the study - Botswana, Burundi, Kenya, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, and Uganda - spent more than one percent of their agricultural GDP on research and development, in line with a target set by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), an African-led redevelopment effort for the continent.
Many countries depend on donor funding, which tends to be short-term and unpredictable, leaving programs vulnerable and hurting efforts at long-term planning, the study found.
To address the problems, the report calls for a boost in consistent and coordinated agricultural research funding, better pooling of resources, information and innovation at regional and sub-regional levels, and better efforts to build capacity, including more investment in agricultural higher education and better recruitment and training.
“In the face of escalating challenges to food security, such as rapid population growth, climate change, water scarcity and volatile food prices, investing in agricultural research is more important than ever,” said Gert-Jan Stads, ASTI program coordinator.
“Although there has been renewed interest in the role of agriculture in tackling hunger and poverty in recent years, this political support must be translated into action if the immense potential of agricultural research is to be realized,” Stads said.
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