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Estimating overall returns to international agricultural research in Africa through benefit‐cost analysis: a “best‐evidence” approach

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  • Mywish K. Maredia
  • David Anthony Raitzer

Abstract

This study offers a “best evidence” approach to summarizing recent benefit‐cost analyses of international agricultural research in Africa. First, from an extensive literature review and the resulting global inventory of impact studies, 23 studies are identified that calculate aggregate rates of return for Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and partner investments in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). These studies are then appraised against a review framework consisting of principles, criteria, and indicators for study rigor. Subsequently, the economic benefits reported by studies grouped on the basis of its analytical rigor are aggregated and set against total investment by the CGIAR and national agricultural research systems to determine if the total investment to date can be justified by documented benefits under a range of assumptions. As a result, the study finds that aggregate investment is justified under a fairly wide range of suppositions. Under all scenarios, the vast majority of documented benefits stem from a relatively limited array of activities with a majority of benefits stemming from biological control (80%). Close to 20% of total benefits result from crop genetic improvement, and less than 1% result from all other activities. The implications of these results for research investment strategies in SSA and impact assessment are discussed.

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  • Mywish K. Maredia & David Anthony Raitzer, 2010. "Estimating overall returns to international agricultural research in Africa through benefit‐cost analysis: a “best‐evidence” approach," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(1), pages 81-100, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:41:y:2010:i:1:p:81-100
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-0862.2009.00427.x
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    2. Pemsl, Diemuth E. & Staver, Charles & Hareau, Guy & Alene, Arega D. & Abdoulaye, Tahirou & Kleinwechter, Ulrich & Labarta, Ricardo & Thiele, Graham, 2022. "Prioritizing international agricultural research investments: lessons from a global multi-crop assessment," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(4).
    3. Esposti, Roberto, 2012. "Knowledge, Technology and Innovations for a Bio-based Economy: Lessons from the Past, Challenges for the Future," Bio-based and Applied Economics Journal, Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA), vol. 1(3), pages 1-34, December.
    4. Khonje, Makaiko & Manda, Julius & Alene, Arega D. & Kassie, Menale, 2015. "Analysis of Adoption and Impacts of Improved Maize Varieties in Eastern Zambia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 695-706.
    5. Ayala Wineman & C. Leigh Anderson & Travis W. Reynolds & Pierre Biscaye, 2019. "Methods of crop yield measurement on multi-cropped plots: Examples from Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(6), pages 1257-1273, December.
    6. Thornton, Philip & Dijkman, Jeroen & Herrero, Mario & Szilagyi, Lili & Cramer, Laura, 2022. "Viewpoint: Aligning vision and reality in publicly funded agricultural research for development: A case study of CGIAR," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    7. Maredia, Mywish K. & Raitzer, David A., 2012. "Review and analysis of documented patterns of agricultural research impacts in Southeast Asia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 106(1), pages 46-58.
    8. James Sumberg & John Thompson & Philip Woodhouse, 2013. "Why agronomy in the developing world has become contentious," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 30(1), pages 71-83, March.
    9. Samal, Parshuram & Mondal, Biswajit & Jambhulkar, Nitiprasad Namdeorao & Verma, Ramlakhan & Das, Anup Kumar & Singh, Onkar Nath, 2023. "Evaluation of crop research institutes under data and resource constraints: An alternative approach," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    10. Jeffrey, Scott R. & Pannell, David J., 2013. "Economics of Prioritising Environmental Research: An Expected Value of Partial Perfect Information (EVPPI) Framework," Working Papers 144944, University of Western Australia, School of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    11. Khonje, Makaiko & Mkandawire, Petros & Manda, Julius & Alene, Arega, 2015. "Analysis of adoption and impacts of improved cassava varieties," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211842, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Julian M. Alston & Philip G. Pardey & Xudong Rao, 2022. "Payoffs to a half century of CGIAR research," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(2), pages 502-529, March.
    13. Ruzzante, Sacha & Labarta, Ricardo & Bilton, Amy, 2021. "Adoption of agricultural technology in the developing world: A meta-analysis of the empirical literature," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    14. Rusike, J. & Mahungu, N.M. & Lukombo, S.S. & Kendenga, T. & Bidiaka, S.M. & Alene, A. & Lema, A. & Manyong, V.M., 2014. "Does a cassava research-for-development program have impact at the farm level? Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 193-204.

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