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Increased capacity

Declining spending

Economic constraints caused by declining global oil prices have had a negative impact on agricultural research spending in Congo in recent years. Between 2008 and 2014, spending declined by 28 percent, reversing the previously positive trend. In 2014, the country invested just 0.44 percent of its AgGDP in agricultural research, which is well below the minimum target of 1 percent recommended by the African Union and United Nations.

Institutional consolidation

Funding fluctuations

Government funding to public institutes, including agricultural research agencies, is heavily dependent on the country’s oil revenues, which fell sharply between 2012 and 2014. During that time, Chad’s agricultural research expenditures contracted by about 25 percent. In order to mitigate future funding shocks, it is important that research agencies continue to diversify their funding base, in particular by generating income internally through the sale of goods and services.

Serious underinvestment

Low research spending

Although agricultural research spending in Cameroon rose by 10 percent between 2012 and 2014 due to increased funding from the government and other organizations, the country’s agricultural research spending as a share of AgGDP (at 0.34 percent in 2014) remains well below the minimum 1 percent target recommended by the African Union and United Nations. Greater investment is needed, particularly in training, baseline surveys, databases, laboratory equipment, and infrastructure.

Capacity challenges

Erratic expenditures

Agricultural research expenditures rose by 41 percent between 2000 and 2014, largely driven by greater involvement in agricultural research by UAC and growth in INRAB’s internally generated revenues. Yearly spending levels were highly variable over time, however. Government funding barely covered INRAB’s salary bill, leaving the institute dependent on short-term donor-funded projects and revenues from seed sales. More recently, the situation has improved based on the government’s 2016 approval of special funding for INRAB.

Declining spending levels

Botswana’s ongoing economic depression and spiraling inflation have had a severe, adverse impact on the country’s agricultural research spending since 2006. Expenditure levels dropped by 30 percent during 2006–2014, although they rebounded slightly in 2013–2014. The total number of researchers has risen over time, intially due to growth in the number of BSc-qualified researchers but more recently due to the recruitment of researchers qualified to the MSc- and PhD-degree level.

Lack of funding diversity

SYNTHESIS AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

Agriculture in Africa south of the Sahara is at a prospective tipping point. Growth has accelerated in the past decade, but is unsustainable given increasing use of finite resources.

Agricultural Research in Africa: Investing in Future Harvests discusses the need to shift to a growth path based on increased productivity—essential if Africa is to increase rural incomes and compete in both domestic and international markets. Such a shift ultimately requires building on evolving improvements that collectively translate to deepening rural innovation capacity.

Agriculture in Africa south of the Sahara is at a prospective tipping point. Growth has accelerated in the past decade, but is unsustainable given increasing use of finite resources.

Agricultural Research in Africa: Investing in Future Harvests discusses the need to shift to a growth path based on increased productivity—essential if Africa is to increase rural incomes and compete in both domestic and international markets. Such a shift ultimately requires building on evolving improvements that collectively translate to deepening rural innovation capacity.