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Research Spillover Benefits and Experiences in Inter-Regional Technology Transfer

OAR@ICRISAT

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/1193/
 
Title Research Spillover Benefits and Experiences in Inter-Regional Technology Transfer
 
Creator Shiferaw, B
Bantilan, M C S
Gupta, S C
Shetty, S V R
 
Subject Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
 
Description The key role of international agricultural research is to develop technologies that wi l l have wider impacts in certain niche
ecoregions that often cross national boundaries. When the potential for inter-regional transfer of research results is high, it is
often economical to develop more centralized research programs catering to the needs of the ecoregion. This is also the case
when the national programs are small and lack the requisite capacity to develop viable research programs. There are three types
of spillovers - inter-regional, cross-commodity and price spillovers. This assessment focuses on inter-regional spillovers -
external benefits from research investments undertaken beyond the state (inter-state spillovers) and national (international
spillovers) boundaries. Several studies have shown that spillovers make important contributions to agriculture; hence impact
assessments that ignore such effects will underestimate R&D benefits.
This study is a first step towards providing a broader assessment and synthesis of inter-state and international technology
transfers derived from ICRISAT's research. It brings together the available body of evidence and knowledge on technology
spillovers from the major research areas - crop improvement, Natural Resources Management (NRM) and socioeconomics and
policy. It provides a list of varieties and other innovations developed in one region that have been adapted in other regions or
countries. Despite its limitations, the assessment identifies several instances of technology spillovers within Africa and Asia as
well as a two-way transfer of germplasm and improved cultivars across the continents. Wi th selected examples, the study tries
to provide useful insights on the preferred characteristics of the technologies, the extent of spillovers, the enabling processes and
constraints that limit wider adaptation.
Given its wider scope and interest to 'set the scene' (based on available information) for more in-depth future studies, a
deliberate attempt has been made to focus on broader issues rather than details on specific innovations. This makes it difficult to
draw very robust conclusions. However, the following generic lessons and recommendations can be made. The potential for
future spillover of sorghum and millet technologies from Asia to Africa is limited. This implies the need to further strengthen
sorghum and millet improvement work in WCA and ESA. Given the good potential for legume intensification in Africa, a
stronger pigeonpea and chickpea improvement program is needed initially in the ESA region. A regional approach to breeding
and genetic enhancement of groundnuts in Africa and Asia needs further analysis. The need for crop improvement research in all
regions to account for changing market conditions, shifting consumer demand and farmer requirements may limit the potential
for inter-regional spillovers. In addition to continuing the challenge of focusing NRM and socioeconomic and policy research on
priority strategic areas that generate wider benefits, careful priority setting will be needed to exploit the existing opportunities
from inter- and intra-regional transfer of technologies in all areas of research.
 
Publisher International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
 
Date 2004
 
Type Monograph
NonPeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
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Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/1193/1/RA_00412.pdf
Shiferaw, B and Bantilan, M C S and Gupta, S C and Shetty, S V R (2004) Research Spillover Benefits and Experiences in Inter-Regional Technology Transfer. Monograph. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.