CONCEPT NOTE

1.         The Asia-Pacific region, encompassing South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific sub-regions, accounts for 57 per cent of the world’s total population and 73 per cent of the agricultural population. But, it has only 37 per cent of the world’s agricultural land. As a consequence, land availability per person in agriculture in the region (0.3 ha) is almost one-fifth of that in the rest of the world (1.4 ha). Also, about 80 per cent of the world’s small and marginal farmers belong to this region. At the same time, its water and biodiversity resources have been shrinking as well as declining rather rapidly.

2.         In the early 1960s, there were high levels of undernutrition and poverty in the region, accompanied by food shortages. . However, science, technology, policies, political will and, above all, the farmers’ enthusiasm and commitment, were synergized in achieving the Green Revolution by late 1960s. In the ensuing two decades or so, food production in the region more than doubled and the level of hunger and poverty had halved. Barring the dip during the last two years, most of the region’s developing countries moved on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). A few, however, were continuing to face difficulties in meeting the MDGs, particularly the goal of reducing hunger.

3.         The averages, however, conceal major remaining suffering. More than 650 million people, half of the world’s extreme poor (based on US$1-a-day standard), live in the Asia-Pacific region. As per recent FAO estimates, the region is home to over 63 per cent (642 million) of the world’s hungry (undernourished) and to nearly 70 per cent of the world’s undernourished children and women. Unfortunately, these numbers have remained stubbornly high, and even increased during the last few years. Also, the foodgrain production growth rate has steadily declined and overall impact of the Green Revolution seems to have waned. Thus, Asia and the Pacific region currently faces the daunting challenge of liberating itself from the twin scourges of hunger and poverty.

4.         The rural areas have much higher concentration of hunger and poverty. For instance, on an average, underweight prevalence among children in rural areas is almost double that of children in urban areas. Agriculture often being the main source of livelihood, it must perform to improve agrarian economy for alleviating hunger and poverty, as was the case during the Green Revolution era. Productivity and efficiency enhancement can help to save inputs of land, water and energy. In turn, economic multiplier effects are generated, which are often pro-poor, and, in certain contexts, pro gender equity. Over time, agricultural growth leads to a structural transformation, in which other areas of the economy become sources of growth. To ensure this, agriculture should be transformed, backward-forward linkages forged, and human resources suitably skilled to promote integrated on-farm, off-farm, and non-farm employment.

5.         Science and innovation are major engines of agricultural growth and development. The internal rate of return on investment in agricultural research has been remarkably high, averaging more than 30 per cent in Asia-Pacific. Most of the Asian countries, and to a considerable extent PNG in the Pacific, have established fairly good national agricultural research systems comprising research, education and extension (REE). However, during the last one decade or so, investment in agriculture, particularly in REE, has declined, resulting in deceleration in total factor productivity (TFP) growth and overall production fatigue. This situation must not be acceptable to the A-P region as it is a major supplier as well as consumer of food and agricultural products.

6. The unprecedented food price hike and the increase in number of hungry during the last year (2008), suggest that increased attention is needed to renewing productivity growth. The agricultural development initiatives to satisfy the societal needs of reduced poverty, improved food security and better livelihoods will need better science. Agricultural research, technologies and innovations must lead to the development of technologies rooted in the principles of economics, equity, and environment to increase productivity, income and livelihoods in perpetuity – the Evergreen Revolution. Technology and innovation systems for agricultural contexts that are changing rapidly must go well beyond just raising yields and should be dynamically geared to meet the challenges of increasing resource scarcity and the structural transformation of the economic and social role of agriculture. Notwithstanding the centrality of generation and transfer of new and improved technologies for attaining sustained productivity gains, science today is called upon to address also the new challenges of market vacillations, soaring food and energy prices and global climate change.

7.         The Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), a multi-stakeholder platform is leading a process of global consultation to establish priority agendas and arrangements for agricultural research for development (AR4D). A series of electronic and Face-to-Face Consultations are envisaged in different regions to capture the contributions and perspectives of all stakeholders involved in agricultural research, education and development systems. The main theme of the consultations is to identify pathways to transform agricultural science into large scale development impact. The consultation results will feed into the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD), scheduled to be held in March 2010, with the overall objective to shape the global agricultural research system, driven by tangible development outcomes. The process is open and inclusive of all those who want to see that agricultural research delivers for the poor. It will address the key needs for change and investment in agricultural research and extension institutions of all kinds, especially in the developing countries and marks the first phase in a multi-year process to integrate agricultural research into development processes driven mainly by the needs of the poor.

8. The CGIAR, the lead provider of global public goods for agriculture and natural resources research (ANRR) has been striving to be more effective in reaching the unreached. The Group has initiated a major reform process to redefine its ANRR strategy and is currently examining key priority areas for international agricultural research. The GCARD process will synergize the ongoing efforts Towards a Strategy and Results Framework for the CGIAR. The GCARD process also aims that international agricultural research systems are effectively integrated with regional and national partners (public, private and civil) and respond to the specific national and regional development needs.

9.         The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been most effective regional development bank in supporting AR4D for fighting both poverty and hunger in the region. It is actively funding the GCARD initiative, with specific aim of identification and prioritization of the ANRR needs for Asia and the Pacific. ADB’s Special Evaluation Study, published in 2009, emphasises the need for a strategy and action plan for ANRR. ADB’s Strategy for the period until 2020 aligns the ANRR agenda with the Bank’s strategy to strengthen inclusive and environmentally sustainable growth. The present active involvement of the Bank in the regional priority setting of AR4D, in partnership with Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), will help in harmonizing development efforts of all organizations and stakeholders for faster adoption of innovations for large scale development impact.

10.       In the Asia-Pacific region, APAARI has been the pioneering regional body in priority setting of AR4D. Starting in 1996, through a participatory mode by involving multiple stakeholders, it has held a number of sub-regional and regional expert consultations/meetings. The various outcomes have been synthesized in a consolidated research need assessment report of major research priorities (2006). APAARI’s outcomes have duly been utilized by CGIAR, GFAR and regional and global forums. ADB and GFAR have thus rightly identified APAARI and its Executive Secretary to coordinate and lead the on-going regional exercise.

11.       The joint initiative of APAARI, GFAR and ADB, building on the outcome of the recently concluded very successful regional E-Consultation, will ensure that the proposed Face-to-Face (F2F) Consultation, October 30-31, 2009, Bangkok, involving all relevant stakeholders would seek as to what specific changes are needed in the agricultural research, extension and education systems to render them more effective in contributing towards development processes that benefit especially the poor. Particularly, the Consultation will address the following key themes:

1. What are the priority development needs which are closely linked with the state of agricultural development?
2. What are the needs and priorities for agricultural research in delivering defined development impacts?
3. What mechanisms and partnerships are required in innovation pathways turning research into development impacts at scale?
4. What are the key blockages, barriers and bottlenecks that prevent research from benefiting the poor?
5. How best should these be resolved and what enabling investments, policies and capacities are most needed?
6. How can CGIAR’s research be aligned towards national and global development goals and quantifiable objectives?

The F2F Consultation is urged to :

• Examine the extent to which development demands and associated research needs identified from the regional review and E-Consultation truly capture the key regional needs for delivering greatest development impacts for the poor.
• Identify a set of researchable themes to address the needs of various categories of farmers, especially the smallholders and resource-poor in the medium- and long-term.
• Suggest policy options to complement the research efforts to synergistically address development needs.
• Assess whether the themes highlighted in the CGIAR Strategy document match with the aspirations of the region and suggest creation and management of linkages and synergies between the emerging aims of the CGIAR Consortium and the realities of the innovation pathways in the region.

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