Agricultural R&D—Investing in Africa’s Future:
Analyzing Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

Introduction

IFPRI’s Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) initiative, in collaboration with the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), is convening the conference Agricultural R&D—Investing in Africa’s Future: Analyzing Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities to be held in Accra from 5 to 7 December.

The conference program will address the following issues:

1. Examining why African governments underinvest in agricultural R&D;
2. Developing human resource capacity in agricultural R&D;
3. Measuring and improving the effectiveness of agricultural R&D systems.
4. Aligning and rationalizing institutional structures for agricultural R&D; and

Numerous papers under these themes will be presented along with relevant country case studies. The program will also include several panel discussions targeting specific goals for agricultural R&D in Africa.

This invitation-based conference brings together a range of experts and stakeholders in the region who will contribute knowledge and expertise to the deliberations to distill new insights, create synergies, and ultimately build on the current knowledge base. The conference papers and deliberations during panel and discussion sessions will be synthesized in a book to be published in 2012.

Overview and program