Agricultural Research | Research and Extension Systems

Transforming agricultural research systems

There is substantial evidence that investments in agricultural research can lead to significant agricultural growth and poverty reduction. By focusing on the needs of smallholders and family farmers, agricultural research can play a major role in enabling them to sustainably improve their production and livelihoods.

In order to do this, National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) have to evolve and become more efficient and effective. They must respond to farmers’ demands, benefit from the potential offered by new funding mechanisms and national or international partnerships, and consider both the immediate and long-term needs of farmers. They also need to follow the shift in the research agenda away from productivity gains only, towards environmental concerns and efficient resource use covering the entire food systems.

Reforming NARS

FAO supports its Members to reform their NARS in response to many challenges and emerging issues they face. For example, a 4-year European Union-funded programme called REAFOR helped the Democratic Republic of the Congo breathe new life into its agricultural and forestry research system, partnering with organizations such as the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). As another example, in 2019, FAO gave technical support to the Government of the Gambia to update and support the formulation of a strategic plan for the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) to provide a roadmap for agricultural research in the Gambia. In 2020, FAO initiated technical support to the Governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates to formulate the roadmap and monitoring mechanism for research, technology and innovation (RTI) to support implementation of their food security strategies.

Advocating for increased investments in agricultural research and development

Estimates indicate that USD 47 billion were invested in public sector agricultural research and development worldwide in 2016, representing less than 1 percent of the agricultural gross domestic product. Spending is very uneven. Nine high-income countries were responsible for almost 60 percent of investments in 2016 while spending in low-income countries was just 2 percent of the global total. Monitoring such trends is important. In 2015, FAO partnered with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to organize an international workshop called “Towards better monitoring of investments in agricultural research in Europe”. During the meeting, recommendations for new methodologies to collect data on investments in agricultural research were discussed with policy-makers.

Agricultural biotechnologies

Agricultural biotechnologies encompass a wide range of technologies applied in crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, and agro-industry. They include low-tech approaches, such as artificial insemination, fermentation techniques and biofertilizers, as well as high-tech approaches involving advanced DNA-based methodologies and genetic modification.

Agricultural biotechnologies are used for different purposes, such as the genetic improvement of plants and animals to increase their yields or efficiency, characterization and conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture, plant and animal disease diagnosis, vaccine development and production of fermented foods.

Regarding agricultural biotechnologies, FAO assists its member countries by responding to their requests for advice or technical assistance, providing high-quality, updated science-based information and offering a neutral forum for discussion of policy and technical issues.

FAO Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference

Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation

Partnerships

FAO works extensively with National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and regional research organizations, including the Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA), Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA). FAO also participates in several European Union-funded research projects, such as “Small farms, small food businesses and sustainable food security” (SALSA), where FAO is working with 16 European and African partners.

FAO’s partnership with the Consultative Group of International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) is long-established and of special importance. The CGIAR is a global research organization with 15 research centres worldwide. FAO was one of the three founding co-sponsors when it was established in 1971. FAO has extensive collaboration with individual CGIAR centres and is an ex officio member of the CGIAR System Council. FAO also has a long-standing partnership with the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAR), a multi-stakeholder movement made up of over 580 partner organizations. GFAR was established by four facilitating agencies, including FAO, in 1996 and FAO has hosted the GFAR Secretariat since 2003.