IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/agecon/v41y2010i1p81-100.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • 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.

Suggested Citation

  • 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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-0862.2009.00427.x
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1574-0862.2009.00427.x?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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).
    2. Byerlee, Derek & Heisey, Paul W., 1996. "Past and potential impacts of maize research in sub-Saharan Africa: a critical assessment," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 255-277, July.
    3. Heisey, Paul W. & Lantican, Maximina A. & Dubin, H. Jesse, 2002. "Impacts of International Wheat Breeding Research in Developing Countries, 1966-97," Impact Studies 7653, CIMMYT: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.
    4. Ekboir, Javier M. & Boa, Kofi & Dankyi, A.A., 2002. "Impact Of No-Till Technologies In Ghana," Economics Program Papers 23721, CIMMYT: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.
    5. Zvi Griliches, 1958. "Research Costs and Social Returns: Hybrid Corn and Related Innovations," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 66, pages 419-419.
    6. 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.
    7. Derek Byerlee & Greg Traxler, 1995. "National and International Wheat Improvement Research in the Post-Green Revolution Period: Evolution and Impacts," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 77(2), pages 268-278.
    8. Ryan, James G., 2002. "Synthesis report of workshop on assessing the impact of policy-oriented social science research in Scheveningen, The Netherlands, November 12-13 2001," Impact assessments 15, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Richard B. Norgaard, 1988. "The Biological Control of Cassava Mealybug in Africa," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 70(2), pages 366-371.
    10. Parker, Douglas D. & Zilberman, David & Castillo, Federico, 1998. "Offices of Technology Transfer: Privatizing University Innovations for Agriculture," Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resource Issues, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 13(1), pages 1-5.
    11. Lantican, Maximina A. & Dubin, H. Jesse & Morris, Michael L., 2005. "Impacts of International Wheat Breeding Research in the Developing World, 1988-2002," Impact Studies 7654, CIMMYT: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.
    12. De Groote, H. & Ajuonu, O. & Attignon, S. & Djessou, R. & Neuenschwander, P., 2003. "Economic impact of biological control of water hyacinth in Southern Benin," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 105-117, April.
    13. Orr, Alastair, 2003. "Integrated Pest Management for Resource-Poor African Farmers: Is the Emperor Naked?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 831-845, May.
    14. Thiam, Abdourahmane & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Rivas, Teodoro E., 2001. "Technical efficiency in developing country agriculture: a meta-analysis," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 25(2-3), pages 235-243, September.
    15. Maredia, Mywish K. & Byerlee, Derek & Pee, Peter, 2000. "Impacts of food crop improvement research: evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 531-559, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pardey, Philip G. & Andrade, Robert S. & Hurley, Terrance M. & Rao, Xudong & Liebenberg, Frikkie G., 2016. "Returns to food and agricultural R&D investments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1975–2014," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 1-8.
    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.

    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. Maredia, Mywish K., 2009. "Improving the proof: Evolution of and emerging trends in impact assessment methods and approaches in agricultural development," IFPRI discussion papers 929, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Madan M. Dey & Ferdinand J. Paraguas & Patrick Kambewa & Diemuth E. Pemsl, 2010. "The impact of integrated aquaculture–agriculture on small‐scale farms in Southern Malawi," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(1), pages 67-79, January.
    3. Arega D. Alene & Abebe Menkir & S. O. Ajala & B. Badu‐Apraku & A. S. Olanrewaju & V. M. Manyong & Abdou Ndiaye, 2009. "The economic and poverty impacts of maize research in West and Central Africa," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 40(5), pages 535-550, September.
    4. Midingoyi, Soul-kifouly & Hippolyte, Affognon & Georges, Ong'amo & Bruno, LeRu, 2015. "Economic Welfare Change Attributable to Biological Control of Lepidopteran Cereal Stemborer Pests in East and Southern Africa: Cases of Maize and Sorghum in Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212461, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. Heisey, Paul W. & Morris, Michael L., 2002. "Practical Challenges To Estimating The Benefits Of Agricultural R&D: The Case Of Plant Breeding Research," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19828, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    9. Brennan, John P., 2007. "Beyond semi-dwarf wheat yield increases: impacts on the Australian wheat industry of on-going spillovers from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 51(4), pages 1-17.
    10. Alene, Arega D. & Coulibaly, Ousmane, 2009. "The impact of agricultural research on productivity and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 198-209, April.
    11. Pardey, Philip G. & Andrade, Robert S. & Hurley, Terrance M. & Rao, Xudong & Liebenberg, Frikkie G., 2016. "Returns to food and agricultural R&D investments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1975–2014," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 1-8.
    12. Dubin, H.J. & Brennan, John P., 2009. "Combating stem and leaf rust of wheat: Historical perspective, impacts, and lessons learned," IFPRI discussion papers 910, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    13. Mywish K. Maredia & Richard Bernsten & Catherine Ragasa, 2010. "Returns to public sector plant breeding in the presence of spill‐ins and private goods: the case of bean research in Michigan," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(5), pages 425-442, September.
    14. Raltzer, David A. & Lindner, Robert K., 2005. "Review of the Returns to ACIAR's Bilateral R&D Investments," Impact Assessment Series (IAS) 113215, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.
    15. Adenle, Ademola A. & Wedig, Karin & Azadi, Hossein, 2019. "Sustainable agriculture and food security in Africa: The role of innovative technologies and international organizations," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    16. Reyes, Byron A. & Maredia, Mywish K. & Bernsten, Richard H. & Rosas, Juan Carlos, 2016. "Opportunities Seized, Opportunities Missed: Differences in the Economic Impact of Bean Research in Five Latin American Countries," Food Security International Development Working Papers 251850, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    17. Raitzer, David A., 2010. "Assessing the Impact of Policy-Oriented Research: The Case of CIFOR's Influence on the Indonesian Pulp and Paper Sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 1506-1518, October.
    18. 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, Foundation for the European Review of Agricultural Economics, vol. 47(4), pages 1559-1586.
    19. Tonnang, Henri E.Z. & Hervé, Bisseleua D.B. & Biber-Freudenberger, Lisa & Salifu, Daisy & Subramanian, Sevgan & Ngowi, Valentine B. & Guimapi, Ritter Y.A. & Anani, Bruce & Kakmeni, Francois M.M. & Aff, 2017. "Advances in crop insect modelling methods—Towards a whole system approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 354(C), pages 88-103.
    20. Jaleta, Moti & Yirga, Chilot & Kassie, Menale & De Groote, Hugo & Shiferaw, Bekele, 2013. "Knowledge, Adoption and Use Intensity of Improved Maize Technologies in Ethiopia," 2013 Fourth International Conference, September 22-25, 2013, Hammamet, Tunisia 161483, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).

    More about this item

    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:bla:agecon:v:41:y:2010:i:1:p:81-100. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (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.