The private sector dominates biotechnology research in industrialized countries, but there are major market failures in developing countries in accessing the new tools and technologies. The public sector, national and international, will have to play a major role in filling this gap. This paper provides an overview of options that countries of different sizes and capacities can employ to gain access to the research tools and technologies that they need to address issues of relevance to poor producers and consumers.
The increasing complexity of technology development and adoption is rapidly changing the effectiveness of scientific and technological policies. Complex technologies are developed and disseminated by networks of agents. The impact of these networks depends on the assets they command, their learning routines, the socio-economic environment in which they operate and their history.
This presentation from the 2nd Triennial GFAR Conference, held in Senegal in 2003, presents InterSard and InterDev: two cases of partnerships for sharing information and knowledge on good practices and local innovation.
El tema de la Segunda Conferencia Trienal del Foro Global de Investigación Agropecuaria (GFAR) que se celebró en Dakar, Senegal, del 22 al 24 de mayo 2003 (GFAR 2003) versó sobre la Investigación Agrícola y la Innovación Rural en pro del Desarrollo Sostenible. Fue realmente un tema adecuado dado el objetivo global actual y la atención sobre los aspectos del desarrollo sostenible así como el aumento de interés por la investigación en los procesos innovadores.
La prise de conscience de l'importance des répercussions environnementales des activités agricoles ont généré une rupture du "statut d'exception" dont jouissaient les activités agricoles. De fait, les exploitants agricoles sont de plus en plus sollicités pour adopter des innovations environnementales, susceptibles d'atténuer les répercussions négatives et plus récemment de renforcer les fonctions positives (cf. les débats récents sur la multifonctionnalité).
Farmers in Asia like to grow cassava because the crop will tolerate long dry periods and poor soils, and will produce reasonable yields with little inputs. Most farmers realize, however, that cassava production on slopes can cause severe erosion, while production without fertilizer inputs may lead to a decline in soil productivity. Research has shown that cassava yields can be maintained for many years with adequate application of fertilizers, and that there are various ways to reduce erosion.
Ce texte présente les premiers résultats d’une étude sur la contribution de groupes d’agriculteurs familiaux aux processus d’innovation dans trois municipes de la Paraíba (Brésil). L’objectif consistait à identifier le rôle des producteurs et de leurs organisations en matière d’introduction et d’adaptation de techniques agricoles.
Global adoption of transgenic crops reached 67.7 million hectares in 2003 from 2.8 million in 1996. Delivery has occurred almost entirely through the private sector and adoption has been rapid in areas where the crops addressed serious production constraints and where farmers had access to the new technologies. Three countries (USA, Argentina and Canada), three crops (soybean, cotton and maize) and two traits (insect resistance and herbicide tolerance) account for the vast majority of global transgenic area.
Para preparación de este documento se llevó a cabo una consulta con los actores de la producción orgánica en las diferentes regiones del país, tratando de identificar desde su perspectiva, las limitaciones y potencialidades que presenta la actividad, así como las áreas estratégicas sobre las cuales se debe incidir para favorecer el desarrollo de la misma. El análisis de la información recabada permitió elaborar una propuesta de estrategia para el desarrollo de la actividad la cual, entre otros, contiene políticas y acciones alrededor de las mismas.
Early applications of the innovation systems framework to developing-country agriculture suggest opportunities for more intensive and extensive analysis. There is ample scope for empirical studies to make greater use of the theoretical content available in the literature, and to employ more diverse methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative. Further, there is room to improve the relevance of empirical studies to the analysis of public policies that support science, technology, and innovation, as well as to policies that promote poverty reduction and economic growth.