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International and Institutional R&D Spillovers: Attribution of Benefits among Sources for Brazil's New Crop Varieties

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  • Philip G. Pardey
  • Julian M. Alston
  • Connie Chan-Kang
  • Eduardo C. Magalhães
  • Stephen A. Vosti

Abstract

Reported rates of return to agricultural R&D are generally high, but they are likely to be biased, particularly because of attribution problems—mismatching research benefits with costs. The importance of attribution biases is illustrated here with new evidence for Brazil. During 1981–2003, varietal improvements in upland rice, edible beans, and soybeans yielded benefits of $14.8 billion in present value (1999 prices) terms. Attributing all of the benefits to Embrapa, a public research corporation accounting for more than half of Brazil's agricultural R&D spending, the benefit-cost ratio would be 78:1. Under alternative attribution rules, the ratio drops to 16:1. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.

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  • Philip G. Pardey & Julian M. Alston & Connie Chan-Kang & Eduardo C. Magalhães & Stephen A. Vosti, 2006. "International and Institutional R&D Spillovers: Attribution of Benefits among Sources for Brazil's New Crop Varieties," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 88(1), pages 104-123.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ajagec:v:88:y:2006:i:1:p:104-123
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    Cited by:

    1. Geraldo B. Martha & Elisio Contini & Eliseu Alves, 2012. "Embrapa: Its Origins and Changes," Chapters, in: Werner Baer (ed.), The Regional Impact of National Policies, chapter 12, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Alston, Julian M. & Sebastian, Kate & Beintema, Nienke M. & Hertford, Reed & Wood, Stanley & Wood-Sichra, Ulrike & You, Liang & Chan-Kang, Connie & Revoredo-Giha, César L. & Pardey, Philip G., 2010. "Research Futures: Projecting Agricultural R&D Potentials for Latin America and the Caribbean," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 303.
    3. Wang, Sun Ling & Ball, V. Eldon & Fulginiti, Lilyan E. & Plastina, Alejandro S., 2012. "Benefits of Public R&D in U.S. Agriculture: Spill-Ins, Extension, and Roads," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126368, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Zewdu Ayalew Abro & Moti Jaleta & Matin Qaim, 2017. "Yield effects of rust-resistant wheat varieties in Ethiopia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(6), pages 1343-1357, December.
    5. You, Liangzhi, 2012. "A tale of two countries: Spatial and temporal patterns of rice productivity in China and Brazil," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 690-703.
    6. 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.
    7. M. Alston Julian & G. Pardey Philip, 2017. "Working Paper 260 - Transforming Traditional Agriculture Redux," Working Paper Series 2371, African Development Bank.
    8. repec:idb:brikps:303 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
    11. Pellegrina, Heitor S., 2022. "Trade, productivity, and the spatial organization of agriculture: Evidence from Brazil," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    12. 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.

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