National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in Developing

Countries

AGED 4713Fall 2001

NARS definition:

The NARS in Developing countries include all the various national organizations which undertake agricultural research in their respective countries.

Responsibility of NARS:

To conduct research to develop and adapt technology and to participate in the transfer of

technology.

Advantages of NARS

Direct institutional /client linkages Close proximity to farmer’s problems Ability to collect field-level data

relatively inexpensively On-site staff and facilities Effective conduit for communicating

development strategy and policies to policy makers

Types of NARS

Publicly supported (centralized) Collaborative federal/state agricultural

research systems (decentralized ) Endowed research institutes Agricultural Universities Private sector research institutes Non-governmental Organizations Multinational, regional research

institutes

Publicly supported (centralized)

Systems that are dependencies of , controlled by, and receive their financial support from the Ministry of Agriculture or other ministry in the federal government.

Examples: Brazil: Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria

(Embrapa) Kenya: Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) Pakistan: Pakistan Agricultural Research Council

(PARC)

NARS in developing countries

Embrapa's mission is to provide feasible solutions for the sustainable development of the Brazilian agribusiness by generating, adapting and transferring knowledge and technology that benefits the Brazilian Society. http://www.embrapa.br/english/

Embrapa coordinates the National Agricultural Research System with cooperated institutions carrying out research in geographical areas or in defined fields of scientific knowledge.

Networking through 37 research units. 2 045 researchers.

47% master's

49% Ph D’s

Collaborative federal/state agricultural research systems

(decentralized ) Systems that channel federal, state, private

sector, and producers(commodity associations) funding to semi-autonomous state level research and extension programs.

Programs are commodity linked with disciplinary, cross commodity programs

Research/extension linkage: close, assembling/adapting technology to producers’ needs.

Example: Mexico: INIFAP

Agricultural, Livestock and Rural Development, Fishing and Food

Secretariat

www.sagarpa.gob.mx

Institutions funded by SAGARPA

www.sagarpa.gob.mx

Semi-autonomous

Mexican NARS

The National Institute of Forestry, Livestock and Agricultural Research

It is a decentralized administrative entity of SAGARPA

http://www.inifap.conacyt.mx

Collaborative federal/state agricultural research systems (decentralized )

Funded by Federal State Producers

(Fundacion Produce)

Objectives

To develop and strengthen National Strategic Research

To support research for sustainable natural resources management

To promote applied research and technology transfer

1246 researchers. 56 % master's 16 % Ph D’s82 PhD students in European

and U.S. Universities

8 Regional Research Centers (CIR)81 Research Stations

6 National Centers

Research Programs

108 Crops Avocado Beans Barley Cacao Corn Citrus Chile Coffee Cotton Mango Rice Soybean Wheat

Areas of specialization Biotechnology Entomology Integrated resources

Management Plant genetics Irrigation systems Rain fed land

management Mechanization Biofertilization Corn Protein gene(opaco)

Research Programs

Livestock Dairy Cattle Dual Purpose Sheep Goat Red deer Pig Poultry Honey Bee

Areas of specialization Animal health

Epidemiology Parasitology Microbiology

Nutrition Reproduction Genetics

Technology transfer programs

Agricultural universities

Institutions of higher learning that provide undergraduate and graduate education and grant related degrees, conduct research, and distribute information to agricultural sector clientele.

Agricultural universities

Autonomous, some semi-autonomous Structure: Centralized Funding sources: Public-federal and state Nature of programs: education; some

research and extension Limited research Limited extension linkages Linkage with international/multinational

programs

Agricultural universities: Mexico(SAGARPA supported)

Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Saltillo Coahuila

Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, Texcoco Estado de Mexico

Colegio de Postgraduados en Ciencias Agricolas Chapingo,

Texcoco Estado de Mexico

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNAM

Decentralized Autonomous Funded by Federal Government:

Secretary of Education UNAM Foundation: private support (10%) Competitive funds for research: CONACYT

Mission: Teaching, Research and Outreach

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNAM

85 % of research in Mexico Comprehensive University (4-5 years) 68 Colleges offer 130 careers

(269 000 Students) Faculty (College) of Veterinary Medicine and

Zootechnics ( 2 campuses >3500 students) Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (1000

students)

Any Questions ?