Public and Private Sector Roles in Agricultural Research: Theory and Experience

摘要

The major participants in the agricultural research sector are composed of domestic and international public institutes, non-profit organizations, and private firms. Institutes, research councils, and research divisions of ministries primarily compose the domestic public sources of agricultural research output, while international agricultural research centers (IARCs) and national agricultural research systems (NARSs) in other countries compose the principal non-domestic public sources of new agricultural technologies. Private sector research is largely conducted by agribusiness firms such as agricultural processing, production, and input companies, while non-profit organizations such as private research foundations/institutes, commodity boards, and universities are other important sources of research output. Inter-governmental and non-governmental donors are also important, though indirect, participants in the agricultural research sector of developing countries. Their participation mainly involves the provision of technical and financial assistance to build up the research capacity of the public research systems in developing countries. A survey of agricultural research systems revealed that in general, public institutes, universities, and IARCs dominate the field of basic research. Private firms and non-profit organizations display greater participation in applied research. (Copyright (c) 1992 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank.)