GCPBGD034MUL Annex 9

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GCP/BGD/034/MUL
Annex 9 National Food Policy Capacity
Strengthening Programme (NFPCSP) Towards a
Research Needs Digest Key Clusters Research
Themes Prof. J. Mohan Rao, Adviser to FAO and
Technical Assistance Team, NFPCSP, FAO in
consultation with FPMU, Ministry of Food and
Disaster Management Thematic Research Teams 26
February 2007
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Aims of the Assessment of Research Needs (ARN)

• To assess research needs and take stock of
  research appropriate to enhancing food security
  in Bangladesh
• For policy-makers, researchers and civil society,
  to inform decisions about setting research
  priorities
• For NFPCSP, to inform decisions about setting a
  research agenda for technical assistance and
  awarding grants

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Purposes of the Workshop

• To present the main findings of the Assessment of
  Research Needs (ARN)
• Focus on core of ARN (Ch. 8) Towards a Research
  Needs Digest Key Clusters and Research Themes
  (RND for short)
• To obtain feedback from the participants
• To get participants ranking of the priority
  Research Themes identified in RND

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Process and Outputs

• The Assessment follows a 3-Stage process
• Every Stage has 2 steps
• Participatory - Gov Civil Soc Institutions
  Centralized - Tech Asst Team, NFPCSP
• The following is the sequence of outputs
• 1 Topics Titles data in Clusters
  (Surveys)
• 2a Ranked Clusters within Dimens. (1st
  Workshop)
• 2b Research Themes in Key Clusters (RND)
• 3a Ranked Research Themes (This
  Wrkshp)
• 3b Calls for Proposals
  (Calls)

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Scope and Limitations

• The RND is limited to socio-econ. research
• This includes socio-economic implications of
  scientific-technological research but not
  scientific-technological research
• Coverage of respondents is wide but
• not necessarily statistically representative
• This has been a learning experience for all of
  us. Your inputs at this Workshop will be valuable
  also for the work we take up for future editions
  of the RND

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Sources of the Primary Data

• Primary Data Res. TOPICS TITLES
• Interviews generated the Topics
• Bib. Search (1999-2006) yielded the Titles
• Interviewees from
• Government Departments
• Research Institutes and Universities
• Non-Governmental Organizations
• International Organizations and Donors

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Key Statistics on the Primary Data

• gt75 persons from gt50 agencies
• were interviewed over a 2-month period
• Total number of respondent-identified
  TOPICS 298
• Total number of bibliographic TITLES 629

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Classification (1) Principal Dimensions

• Main 1. Production and Availability
• Dimensions 2. Physical and Social Access
• 3. Economic Access
• 4. Utilization and Nutrition
• Cross-cutting 5. Governance and Institutions
• Dimensions 6. Infrastructure
• 7. Environment
• 8. Womenother Disadv. Groups

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Classification (2)Clusters or Sub-Dimensions

• Clusters are chosen to partition the Dimensions
• Each Cluster groups issues closely related in
  both logic and experience

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Definition of Key Terms in RND

• Clusters are sub-sets of a Dimension of Food
  Security
• 32 Clusters chosen to fully partition
  Dimensions
• Key Clusters generally are the 3 top-ranked
  Clusters
• A few are hybrids of 2 Clusters
• Research Themes (RTs) are sub-sets of a Key
  Cluster
• Cross-Cutting RTs belong to cross-cutting
  dimensions
• Overarching RTs relate to Measurement Valuation

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Procedures for SelectingRND Priorities

• Equal treatment of the 4 Main Dimensions
• Starting point was Participatory Ranking of
  clusters by the 1st Workshop Participants
• 3 Key Clusters for each Main Dimension (12)
• 34 Research Themes chosen by the authors
• 7 Res Themes per Dimension in 3 Key Clusters
  (28)
• 1 Res Theme per Cross-Cutting Dimension
  ( 4)
• 2 Res Themes on Measurement Valuation
  ( 2)

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Rationale for the Procedures Prioritization

• Given 32 clusters across the 8 dimensions, many
  Research Themes are possible
• Therefore, it is imperative to prioritize
• Based on the 1st Workshop rankings, we chose 12
  of 21 main plus 5 of 11 cross-cutting clusters
• Then, the authors chose 28 RTs from 21 main
  clusters plus 6 cross-cutting overarching RTs
• This represents a substantial measure of
  selectivity or prioritization based on
  participatory inputs and authors judgments

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Basis for IdentifyingResearch Themes

• Particip. Scoring ? ? Ranked Clusters
• Ranked Clusters ? ? 3 Key Clusters
• Choice of Research Themes is based on
• TOPICS from Interviews - Knowledge Needs
• TITLES from Bibl.Search - Knowledge Gaps
• National Food Policy related policy reviews
• Collective deliberations within the TAT
• Discussions with Thematic Research Teams

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A STRATEGIC VISION

• Our strategy for prioritizing research is aimed
  at tackling knowledge gaps that seem partly
  responsible for the slow progress on the food
  security and nutrition fronts that Dr. Fiorillo
  referred to in his presentation

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Key Clusters Production Availability

• Economics of Production and Output
  Diversification
• Access to Inputs, Input-Output Market Structures
  and Policy Interventions
• Extension, Information and Other Public Services

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Key Clusters Physical Social Access

• Access Via Government Safety Nets and Other Food
  Security Interventions
• Storage and Stocking Policies
• Shocks, Seasonality and Stability of Access

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Key Clusters Economic Access

• Ultra-Poverty, Poverty, Inequality and Exclusion
• Incomes, Access to Assets, Employment and Factor
  Markets
• Food Prices, Purchasing Power, Pricing Policies
  and Food Markets

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Key Clusters Utilization Nutrition

• Food Safety and Food Quality
• Food Culture, Dietary Patterns, Food Composition,
  and Nutrition Standards
• Public Health and Educational Interventions
  Impinging on Nutrition

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Examples of RT Choices

• Involving Communities Local Power Structures in
  Safety Net Provision
• a. A high proportion of proposed titles fall
  under safety nets
• b. TAT/TRT deliberations emphasized the
  governance dimension
• Ultra-Poverty and Micro-Credit Links and Missing
  Links
• a. Ultra-poverty is a high-ranked cluster
• b. Large literature on micro-credit but much
  less on ultra-poor coverage and ultra-poor impact
  

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Examples (contd.)

• Food Contamination and Food Adulteration
• a. Part of the 2nd ranked cluster Food Safety
  and Quality
• b. Growing popular awareness of health risks,
  and high priority accorded in the National Food
  Policy agenda
• More examples will be given in the Parallel Group
  Sessions

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Cross-Cutting Overarching RTs

• Transparency of Policies and Accountability of
  Institutions Related to Food Security
• a. Major issue raised by 1st Workshop
  participants
• b. Though bib. is rich, local governance and
  implementation merited large weight in survey
• Power-Transport-Communication-Irrigation, etc.
• a. Top-rank Cross-Cutting 3rd rank of All
  clusters
• b. Need indicated by large weight of topics
  proposed by interviewees

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Cross-Cutting (continued)

• Long-Term Environmental Degradation and Food
  Security
• a. A rare cluster for which TOPICS gt TITLES
  indicating strong need
• b. 2nd rank Cross-Cutting 4th rank of All
  clusters
• Disadvantaged Regions, the Disabled, Elderly,
  Children and Ethnic Minorities
• a. Highly rated for 2 Dimensions in TAT
  discussions
• b. Related to ultra-poverty and
  vulnerability/Monga

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Cross-Cutting (continued)

• Issues in Measurement of Food Security,
  Vulnerability and Poverty
• a. Considerable literature but also persistent
  demand
• b. Changing realities also methods and
  resources
• The Economic-Social Value of Nutrition FS
• a. Biblio. Search drew a virtual blank while
  there were quite a few proposed Topics from
  interviews
• b. Valuations can help inform policy choices
  across all the 4 dimensions

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Ranking of Research Themes

• There are 7 pre-selected RTs per dimension
• Please RANK these RTs from 1 to 7
• There are 6 cross-cutting overarching RTs
• Please RANK these RTs from 1 to 6
• 1Most important 7 (or 6)Least important
• Enter ranks in the right-most blank column
• Let your ranking reflect your sense of national
  priorities over coming 5-10 years
• No blanks please, and no repetition of ranks
• RT Research Theme Research Area
• Contact for Feedback lalita.bhattacharjee_at_nfpcsp.
  org

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CONCLUSIONS

• The ARN and its findings are truly the collective
  product of a wide range of national stakeholders
• Based on technical inputs and a participatory
  process, the ARN offers a menu of options
• Policy-makers can focus the community of
  researchers and available resources by
  prioritizing the Research Themes on the basis of
  their importance and urgency