Agricultural Research and Technical Change in Agriculture: Lessons from Micro-Economic Studies

Abstract

The agricultural sciences have faced major challenges and experienced considerable institutional development over the past century. In the early part of the century important “inter-science” institutional change occurred. In the latter part of the century when global food challenges became more important, “inter-sector” and “international” institutional changes occurred. These changes affected the performance of the agricultural sciences in terms of producing farm productivity improvement and hence increases in the supply of food and fiber. Current systems face continuing food supply challenges (especially in Africa) as well as new challenges associated with the environment and with potential global climate change. These new challenges must also be faced in the context of international market changes and rapidly changing income levels and industrialization in much of Asia.