Agricultural research and extension funding levels required to meet the Anti-Hunger programme objectives

This paper provides an overview of levels and trends in agricultural research and extension investments. The strengthening of agricultural research and extension is one of the five priority themes formulated by FAO’s Anti-Hunger Programme.

The report states that annual average growth of public agricultural research expenditures has slowed down considerably in both developed and developing countries. The report finds that many developed countries are in the process of shifting the funding of extension services to the users and away from public resources.

The six factors identified as shaping the overall profitability of research and development (R&D) investments include:

• technological knowledge
• economies of scale
• industry structure
• R&D efficiency and effectiveness adoption rate
• risk and uncertainty

The report claims that an investment target of 2% of agricultural GDP in agricultural research and extension combined would be a reasonable and defendable target, which would bring the actual growth of the agricultural sector closer to its potential growth.

The report states that agricultural research and extension reforms are characterised by:a redefinition of the role of government in the provision of research and extension services