IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/iaae15/211826.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The "Efficient Boundaries" of International Agricultural Research: A Conceptual Framework with Empirical Illustrations

Author

Listed:
  • Kamanda, Josey
  • Birner, Regina
  • Bantilan, Cynthia

Abstract

The role of international agricultural research centers (IARCs) has long been a subject of discussion, often with emphasis that they should conduct research that produces international public goods (IPGs). However, centers still face a dilemma on how to balance between IPGs and location-specific work. This paper contributes to the development of principles by which they should position themselves. Transaction cost economics was applied to develop a framework, which is then illustrated with an empirical case study of legume research at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. A participatory mapping technique (Net-Map) was combined with key informant interviews in India, Malawi and Ethiopia. We find that IARCS play an important role in germplasm improvement, the field in which they have a comparative advantage. However, due to insufficient capacity of national systems, they also engage in downstream activities. This reduces incentives for governments and donors to overcome governance challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Kamanda, Josey & Birner, Regina & Bantilan, Cynthia, 2015. "The "Efficient Boundaries" of International Agricultural Research: A Conceptual Framework with Empirical Illustrations," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211826, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:iaae15:211826
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.211826
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/211826/files/Kamanda-The%20_Efficient%20Boundaries_%20of%20International%20Agricultural%20Research-687.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.211826?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julian M. Alston & Matthew A. Andersen & Jennifer S. James & Philip G. Pardey, 2011. "The Economic Returns to U.S. Public Agricultural Research," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 93(5), pages 1257-1277.
    2. Bervejillo, Jose E. & Alston, Julian M. & Tumber, Kabir P., 2011. "The Economic Returns to Public Agricultural Research in Uruguay," Working Papers 162518, Robert Mondavi Institute Center for Wine Economics.
    3. Regina Birner & Joachim von Braun, 2009. "Decentralization and Public Service Provision – A Framework for Pro-poor Institutional Design," Chapters, in: Ehtisham Ahmad & Giorgio Brosio (ed.), Does Decentralization Enhance Service Delivery and Poverty Reduction?, chapter 11, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Alston, Julian M. & Pardey, Philip G. & Roseboom, Johannes, 1998. "Financing agricultural research: International investment patterns and policy perspectives," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 1057-1071, June.
    5. Tripp, Robert & Rohrbach, David, 2001. "Policies for African seed enterprise development," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 147-161, April.
    6. Ekboir, Javier M., 2009. "The CGIAR at a Crossroads: Assessing the role of international agricultural research in poverty alleviation from an innovation systems perspective," ILAC Working Papers 52534, Institutional Learning and Change (ILAC) Initiative.
    7. Alston, Julian M. & Wyatt, T. J. & Pardey, Philip G. & Marra, Michele C. & Chan-Kang, Connie, 2000. "A meta-analysis of rates of return to agricultural R & D: ex pede Herculem?," Research reports 113, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Pingali, Prabhu & Kelley, Tim, 2007. "The Role of International Agricultural Research in Contributing to Global Food Security and Poverty Alleviation: The case of the CGIAR," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, in: Robert Evenson & Prabhu Pingali (ed.), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 45, pages 2381-2418, Elsevier.
    9. Horton, Douglas & Mackay, Ronald, 2003. "Using evaluation to enhance institutional learning and change: recent experiences with agricultural research and development," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 78(2), pages 127-142, November.
    10. Birner, Regina & Linacre, Nicholas, 2008. "Regional biotechnology regulations: Design options and implications for good governance," IFPRI discussion papers 753, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    11. Regina Birner & Heidi Wittmer, 2004. "On the ‘Efficient Boundaries of the State’: The Contribution of Transaction-Costs Economics to the Analysis of Decentralization and Devolution in Natural Resource Management," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 22(5), pages 667-685, October.
    12. Raitzer, David A. & Kelley, Timothy G., 2008. "Benefit-cost meta-analysis of investment in the International Agricultural Research Centers of the CGIAR," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 96(1-3), pages 108-123, March.
    13. Davis, Jeffrey S. & Oram, Peter A. & Ryan, James G., 1987. "Assessment of Agricultural Research Priorities: An International Perspective," Monographs, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, number 118048.
    14. Bantilan, Ma Cynthia S. & Davis, Jeffrey S., 1991. "Across-Commodity Spillover Effects of Research and Opportunity Costs in Multi-Product Production Environment," 1991 Conference (35th), February 11-14, 1991, Armidale, Australia 145725, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    15. Shelanski, Howard A & Klein, Peter G, 1995. "Empirical Research in Transaction Cost Economics: A Review and Assessment," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 335-361, October.
    16. Brennan, John P. & Bantilan, M. C. S., 2003. "Price and yield effects of spill-overs in international agricultural research: evidence from ICRISAT and Australia," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 87-97, March.
    17. Pardey, Philip G. & Alston, Julian M. & Christian, Jason E. & Fan, Shenggen., 1996. "Hidden harvest," Food policy reports 6, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    18. Birner, Regina & Davis, Kristin & Pender, John & Nkonya, Ephraim & Anandajayasekeram, Pooniah & Ekboir, Javier M. & Mbabu, Adiel N. & Spielman, David J. & Horna, Daniela & Benin, Samuel & Kisamba-Muge, 2006. "From "best practice" to "best fit": a framework for designing and analyzing pluralistic agricultural advisory services," Research briefs 4, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    19. Pritchett, Lant & Woolcock, Michael, 2004. "Solutions When the Solution is the Problem: Arraying the Disarray in Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 191-212, February.
    20. Anderson, Jock R., 1998. "Selected policy issues in international agricultural research: On striving for international public goods in an era of donor fatigue," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 1149-1162, June.
    21. von Braun, Joachim & Fan, Shenggen & Meinzen-Dick, Ruth & Rosegrant, Mark W. & Pratt, Alejandro Nin, 2008. "International agricultural research for food security, poverty reduction, and the environment: What to expect from scaling up CGIAR investments and “Best Bet” programs," Issue briefs 53, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    22. Brennan, John P. & Aw-Hassan, Aden & Nordblom, Thomas L., 2003. "Influence of spillovers to Australia on impacts of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(5-6), pages 471-485.
    23. Pranab Bardhan, 2002. "Decentralization of Governance and Development," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 16(4), pages 185-205, Fall.
    24. Byerlee, Derek & Spielman, David J. & Alemu, Dawit & Gautam, Madhur, 2007. "Policies to promote cereal intensification in Ethiopia: A review of evidence and experience," IFPRI discussion papers 707, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    25. Kanbur, Ravi, 2001. "Cross-Border Externalities, International Public Goods and Their Implications for Aid Agencies," Working Papers 127364, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    26. Spielman, David J., 2007. "Pro-poor agricultural biotechnology: Can the international research system deliver the goods?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 189-204, April.
    27. Tripp, Robert & Louwaars, Niels, 1997. "Seed regulation: choices on the road to reform," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 433-446, October.
    28. Renkow, Mitch & Byerlee, Derek, 2010. "The impacts of CGIAR research: A review of recent evidence," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 391-402, October.
    29. Unknown, 1999. "The Global Wheat Improvement System: Prospects for Enhancing Efficiency in the Presence of Spillovers," Miscellaneous Reports 233048, CIMMYT: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.
    30. Birthal, Pratap Singh & Nigam, Shyam N. & Narayanan, A.V. & Kareem, K.A., 2012. "Potential Economic Benefits from Adoption of Improved Drought-tolerant Groundnut in India," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 25(1), June.
    31. Robert Evenson & Prabhu Pingali (ed.), 2007. "Handbook of Agricultural Economics," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 3, number 1.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kamanda, Josey & Birner, Regina & Bantilan, Ma Cynthia S., 2013. "Strategic positioning of international agricultural research centres: Comparative advantage and trade-offs from a transaction cost economics perspective," 2013 Conference (57th), February 5-8, 2013, Sydney, Australia 152160, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    2. Adu-Gyamfi Poku & Regina Birner & Saurabh Gupta, 2018. "Why do maize farmers in Ghana have a limited choice of improved seed varieties? An assessment of the governance challenges in seed supply," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(1), pages 27-46, February.
    3. Birner, Regina & Davis, Kristin & Pender, John & Nkonya, Ephraim & Anandajayasekeram, Ponniah & Ekboir, Javier & Mbabu, Adiel & Spielman, David & Horna, Daniela & Benin, Samuel & Cohen, Marc J., 2006. "From "best practice" to "best fit": a framework for designing and analyzing pluralistic agricultural advisory services worldwide," FCND discussion papers 210, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Douglas Gollin & Casper Worm Hansen & Asger Mose Wingender, 2021. "Two Blades of Grass: The Impact of the Green Revolution," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(8), pages 2344-2384.
    5. Spielman, David J. & Smale, Melinda, 2017. "Policy options to accelerate variety change among smallholder farmers in South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara," IFPRI discussion papers 1666, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Tun, Than & Kennedy, Adam & Nischan, Ulrike, 2015. "Promoting Agricultural Growth in Myanmar: A Review of Policies and an Assessment of Knowledge Gaps," Food Security International Development Papers 230983, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    7. Ulrike Nischan & Adam Kennedy & Than Tun, 2016. "Promoting Agricultural Growth in Myanmar: A Review of Policies and an Assessment of Knowledge Gaps," Working Papers id:8792, eSocialSciences.
    8. Dana G. Dalrymple, 2008. "International agricultural research as a global public good: concepts, the CGIAR experience and policy issues," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(3), pages 347-379.
    9. Tun, Than & Kennedy, Adam & Nischan, Ulrike, 2015. "Promoting Agricultural Growth In Myanmar: A Review Of Policies And An Assessment Of Knowledge Gaps," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 259018, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    10. Rao, Xudong & Hurley, Terrance M. & Pardey, Philip G., 2019. "Are agricultural R&D returns declining and development dependent?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 27-37.
    11. Stéphane Lemarié & Valérie Orozco & Jean-Pierre Butault & Antonio Musolesi & Michel Simioni & Bertrand Schmitt, 2020. "Assessing the long-term impact of agricultural research on productivity: evidence from France," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 47(4), pages 1559-1586.
    12. Thornton, PK & Schuetz, T & Förch, W & Cramer, L & Abreu, D & Vermeulen, S & Campbell, BM, 2017. "Responding to global change: A theory of change approach to making agricultural research for development outcome-based," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 145-153.
    13. Renkow, Mitch & Byerlee, Derek, 2010. "The impacts of CGIAR research: A review of recent evidence," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 391-402, October.
    14. Birner, Regina & Linacre, Nicholas A., 2008. "Designing Regional Systems of Biotechnology Regulation A Transaction Cost Approach to Regulatory Governance," 2007 Second International Conference, August 20-22, 2007, Accra, Ghana 52218, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    15. Alston, Julian M. & Pardey, Philip G. & Rao, Xudong, 2020. "The Payoff to Investing in CGIAR Research," Miscellaneous Publications 337029, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    16. Peter Weißhuhn & Katharina Helming & Johanna Ferretti, 2018. "Research impact assessment in agriculture—A review of approaches and impact areas," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 27(1), pages 36-42.
    17. 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).
    18. Birner, Regina & Linacre, Nicholas, 2008. "Regional biotechnology regulations: Design options and implications for good governance," IFPRI discussion papers 753, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    19. Materia, V.C. & Pascucci, S. & Kolympiris, C., 2015. "Understanding the selection processes of public research projects in agriculture: The role of scientific merit," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 87-99.
    20. Spielman, David J. & Kennedy, Adam, 2016. "Towards better metrics and policymaking for seed system development: Insights from Asia's seed industry," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 111-122.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agricultural and Food Policy;

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:iaae15:211826. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iaaeeea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.