2013 Annual ReSAKSS ConferenceDakar, Senegal | 12-13 November, 2013
Tracking Investments in CAADP’s Pillar IVPublic agricultural R&D spending trends inAfrica South of the Sahara
Nienke Beintema and Gert-Jan StadsInternational Food Policy Research Institute
asti.cgiar.orgWhy monitor agricultural R&D resources? (1)
• Many challenges in Africa south of the Sahara (SSA):- Food insecurity / malnutrition- Population growth- Climate change- Degradation of land and water resources- Food price volatility
• Agricultural R&D is a major contributor to productivity growth, food security, and poverty reduction
asti.cgiar.orgWhy monitor agricultural R&D resources? (2)
• Quantitative data are essential for agricultural R&D stakeholders to be able to analyze trends in agricultural R&D investments; identify gaps; set future investment priorities; and better coordinate agricultural R&D across institutes, regions, and commodities
• R&D indicators are also an indispensable tool when assessing the contribution of agricultural R&D to agricultural growth and to economic growth more generally
asti.cgiar.orgAgricultural S&T Indicators (ASTI) initiative
• Collects national-level investment and human resource capacity data as well as institutional developments in agricultural R&D:– Focus on low- and middle-income countries;
incl. 40 SSA countries– Through institutional survey rounds (primary
data)
• Large network of national, regional and international partners; led by IFPRI
• Provides:– Trends over time at country / regional levels– Comparisons within and across countries /
regions
asti.cgiar.org
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0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011
Spen
ding
(bi
llion
200
5 PP
P do
llars
)Public agricultural R&D investments, 1981–2011
• In 2011, spending totaled $1.7 billion (in 2005 PPP prices)
• Spending increased by more than one third during 2000–2011
• Growth is driven by a handful of countries
(Public = government, higher education, nonprofit)Nigeria
Uganda
Ethiopia Ghana Kenya Tanzania
2000-2011 growth
asti.cgiar.orgChallenge: Underinvestment
Target (UN/NEPAD): Allocation of at least 1% of GDP to R&D
• On average, 0.5% of SSA’s AgGDP was spent on public agricultural R&D in 2011
• Declined since 2008 due to relative stronger AgGDP growth
• Caution when analyzing intensity ratios
Preliminary data for some countries
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ibia
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Aver
age
Shar
e (%
) Public agricultural R&D spending as a share of AgGDP, 2011
asti.cgiar.orgChallenge: Uneven investment growth
Target (UN expert group): 5% annual spending growth over the next decade
• 2000–2011 marked by spending decline or stagnation in about half of the 30 countries with timeseries data
• However, more than one third of the countries experienced increased agricultural R&D spending during 2008–2011
Preliminary data for some countries-15
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Annu
al g
row
th (%
) Annual public agricultural R%D spending growth, 2000–2011
asti.cgiar.orgCountry examples of underinvestment
• DR Congo spent $16 million or 0.17% of AgGDP on agricultural R&D in 2011
• Ethiopia spent $78 million or 0.22% of AgGDP on agricultural R&D in 2011
• These levels are extremely low considering population levels (SSA’s 2nd and 3rd largest countries)
• Spending needs to increase sixfold in DR Congo and fivefold in Ethiopia to reach the UN/NEPAD 1% target
2009 2010 20110
20
40
60
80
100
mill
ion
2005
PPP
dol
lars
2009 2010 20110
100
200
300
400
mill
ion
2005
PPP
dol
lars
DR Congo
Ethiopia
Actual public agricultural R&D spending
Required spending to reach 1% target
asti.cgiar.orgCountry examples of sustainable investment
• Uganda: High and continued government commitments to agricultural research combined with donor support
• Côte d’Ivoire: Unique funding mechanism involving private sector funding, which has resulted in stable research investment levels over time
Total public agricultural R&D spending trends, 1996-2011
0
30
60
90
120
1996 2001 2006 2011
Uganda
0
15
30
45
60
1996 2001 2006 2011
Côte d’Ivoire
asti.cgiar.orgChallenge: Investment volatility
• Annual agricultural R&D spending in SSA has been considerably more volatile than in other developing regions
• Volatility is more pronounced in donor-dependent low-income countries
• Donor/development bank funding is generally short-term and ad-hoc (and 2-3 times more volatile than government funding)
asti.cgiar.orgChallenge: Fragmentation
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1981 1991 2001 2011
Government Higher education Nonprofit
• More than 600 agricultural R&D agencies scattered across the region
• Enhanced role of universities
• …but increased fragmentation of agricultural R&D
• Economies of scale are lower than in other (developing) regions
asti.cgiar.orgChallenge: Staff turnover and composition
• Number of researchers (in full-time equivalents) increased by about 50%: – Initially driven by recruitment of junior BSc holders– Since 2008, increase in MSc holders too– Increased role of universities (Nigeria, Sudan)
• Many small countries lack a critical mass of researchers (especially PhD holders)
• In about half of the sample countries more than 50% of PhD holders is 50 or older; more pronounced in West Africa
• Urgent need to recruit and train next generation of scientists in these countries
asti.cgiar.orgConcluding remarks
• To achieve future growth targets, national governments will need to provide sufficient and stable financial resources, adequate human resources in terms of numbers and quality, and support institutional improvements in agricultural R&D
• There are encouraging signs that SSA is moving (although slowly) in the right direction in terms of agricultural R&D– Expansion in its agricultural investment and capacity– A number of countries are putting measurements in place to
address current investment and capacity challenges– Enhanced recognition of the importance of agricultural R&D
by national governments and international community– Latter resulted in the development of the Science Agenda for
Agriculture in Africa
Coming soon• New series of country fact sheets• Regional publications• Various enhancements to www.asti.cgiar.org• Dissemination and outreach activities