A Snapshot of Agricultural Research Investment and Capacity in Asia

APAARI High Level Policy DialogueBangkok, 8–9 December 2015

Gert-Jan StadsSenior Program ManagerInternational Food Policy Research Institute

Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators

How much does Asia invest in agricultural

research?

June 2015

What is ASTI?

ASTI conducts national surveys collecting institutional, investment, human resource capacity, and research output data from agricultural R&D agencies in developing countries.

Established in 2001; led by IFPRI. Large network of national, regional, and international

partners. ASTI’s objectives are to provide high-quality, up-to-date

datasets on agricultural R&D; to conduct ongoing analysis of its datasets; to disseminate the results of its analysis to promote advocacy and support policymaking; and to build national and regional capacity for data collection and analysis.

ASTI country coverage

Countries where ASTI conducted in-depth surveys during 2013/2015

Most recent year of ASTI data availability:2003 Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, PNG2009 Sri Lanka2010 Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam

ASTI outputs• Country factsheets• Regional and global reports• Online datasets and tools

(www.asti.cgiar.org)• Analytical assessments• Seminars and presentations• Media outreach

ASTI indicators• Institutional arrangements• R&D spending by cost category• Funding sources• R&D staff by degree, gender, and age• R&D focus by commodity and theme• Output indicators

ASTI outputs

Country coverage Asia

Acknowledgments

Mustafizur Rahman (BARC, Bangladesh), R. Kalpana Sastry (NAARM, India), B. Ganesh Kumar (NAARM, India), Tara Kondisetty (NAARM, India), Hari Shrestha (NARC, Nepal), Muhammad Azam Niazi (PARC, Pakistan), and Nouman Badar (PARC, Pakistan) for overseeing comprehensive ASTI data collection rounds in their respective countries

Manoluck Bounsihalath (NAFRI, Lao PDR), Rozhan Bin Abu Dardak (MARDI, Malaysia), Padmini Girihagama (SLCARP, Sri Lanka), and Bui Huy Hop (VAAS, Vietnam) for providing updated information from key agencies in their respective countries

Key Findings

Data and Method

Data only cover national agricultural research Private-sector data are excluded FAO definition of agriculture Expenditures are expressed in PPP dollars (base year

2011) Researcher totals are expressed in full-time

equivalents Numbers in italics have been extrapolated based on

information from key research agencies for which recent data were available

Data are highly aggregated

Agricultural research expenditures(excl. private for-profit sector)

Agricultural research expenditures, 2000–2013(excl. private for-profit sector)

02,0004,0006,0008,000

10,00012,00014,00016,000

2000 2005 2010 2013

Mill

ion

PPP

dolla

rs

(infla

tion-

adju

sted

; bas

e ye

ar =

201

1)

China India Indonesia Other 9 countries

Agricultural research intensity

Caution when analyzing research intensity ratios!

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8

Bangladesh

Cambodia

China

India

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Nepal

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Vietnam

Agricultural research spending as a % of AgGDP

Most recent year

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8

Bangladesh

Cambodia

China

India

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Nepal

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Vietnam

Agricultural research spending as a % of AgGDP

2000 2010 Most recent year

Allocation of research expenditures

Bangladesh

Cambodia

India

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Nepal

Pakistan

Vietnam

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Salaries Operating costs Capital investments

Share of total expenditures

Agricultural research capacity

Distribution of researchers by qualification level

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

20002012

20002010

20002014

20002014

20002014

20002014

20002012

20002012

20002015

Share of FTE researchers

Bangladesh

PhD MSc BSc

Cambodia

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Nepal

Pakistan

India

Vietnam

Most countries have expanded their pool of PhD-qualified researchers since 2000.

Distribution of PhD researchers by age bracket

A very large share of PhD-qualified researchers will be retiring in the coming decade.0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Bangladesh

Cambodia

Lao PDR

India

Malaysia

Nepal

Pakistan

Vietnam

Share of FTE researchers with PhD degrees by age bracket

<31 31-40 41-50 51-60 >60

Distribution of researchers by gender

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Bangladesh

Cambodia

India

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Nepal

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Share of FTE researchers

Female Male

Women are severely underrepresented in agricultural R&D in many Asian countries.

Way Forward

Continuously monitoring research resources

The aim of this presentation was to give a rough overview of recent trends in agricultural research investment and capacity in Asia.

Funding constraints prevented ASTI from providing a great level of detail and precision.

It is crucial, however, that agricultural research expenditures, capacity, and outputs continue to be monitored more closely in Asia on the long run (incl. the private sector).

Long-term BMGF funding has enabled ASTI to establish sustainable, institutionalized systems of data compilation, synthesis, and analysis at frequent intervals in South Asia.

Similar systems need to be established in other parts of the Asia–Pacific region.

Thank youwww.asti.cgiar.org