The role of the International Research Centres in the strategy for agricultural development in the less-developed countries

Summary The first chapter is devoted to the history and organisation of the international research system. It describes the developments leading to the establishment of the centres in order to appreciate their progress and problems. The main factors which determined the strategy are listed, and the main characteristics of the centres are discussed The institutional framework of the centres including the arrangements for financing and review is described. The importance of an international network is stressed, including the potential role of agricultural research centres in the developed nations. The interdependence of the international centres and the national research programmes is explained, and the need for a proper balance between international and national efforts is underlined. The second chapter covers an analysis of the international centres from a socioeconomic point of view, including the role of socioeconomic research at the centres and the international network strategy in relation to agricultural development models. The author contends that socioeconomic staff at the centres are of essential importance to success and that the international network strategy is in full accordance with the modern agricultural development models. The expenditure, donor flow and economic return to agricultural research is analysed The author maintains that the economic return for both national and international research is relatively very high, higher than that to investment in most other types of agricultural projects, and that the transfer of benefits from the international centres to various countries is dependent upon significant indigenous research capability. The question of priorities is discussed, also in relation to the need for future expansion of the international network. The third chapter deals with problems and challenges in relation to the need to double food production in the developing countries within 20 to 25 years. The author holds that the urgent problems of today as well as the long-range prospects call for more effort through the international network and that additional assistance must be mobilized. Finally, the problems in maintaining the high efficiency of the international centres are discussed. Caution is called for regarding changes in the organisation and orientation of the those first centres with a proven record of success. The problems of future staffing, of maintaining a proper balance between scientific freedom and administrative responsibility are discussed.