Returns to food and agricultural R&D investments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1975-2014.

ABSTRACT: Research-enabled growth in agricultural productivity is pivotal to sub-Saharan Africa's overall economic growth prospects. Yet, investments in research and development (R&D) targeted to many national food and agricultural economies throughout Africa are fragile and faltering. To gain insight into what could be driving this trend, this article updates, summarizes and reassesses the published evidence on the returns to African agricultural R&D. Based on a compilation of 113 studies published between 1975 and 2014 spanning 25 countries, the reported internal rates of return (IRRs) to food and agricultural research conducted in or of direct consequence for sub-Saharan Africa averaged 42.3%py. In addition to the 376 IRR estimates, the corresponding 129 benefit-cost ratios (BCRs

SUBMITTER: Pardey PG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5176338 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature