Presentation by

1
Tracking Investments in Agricultural Research for
Development- The WANA Region

• Presentation by
• Samir Habbab

2
Characteristics of Agriculture Research 4
Development in WANA Region

• The WANA region covers 24 countries
• The WANA region is characterized by an arid and
  semi arid environment.

3
Characteristics of Agriculture Research and
Development in WANA Region

• Most countries of the Region have invested
  heavily in irrigation over the past half century.
  
• The stakeholders in agricultural research and
  development in the WANA region, suffer a lot in
  accessing and exchanging relevant agricultural
  information and knowledge in a timely manner

4
Characteristics of Agriculture Research and
Development in WANA Region

• Agricultural research in the WANA region is
  limited by
• lack of investment,
• insufficient monitoring and impact assessment,
• limited coverage of unfavorable agro ecologies,
• poor incentives for research staff in some
  countries, and
• limited regional and international cooperation.
• A little support from the industry is available
  for research and development activities.
• National research expenditures are below 2 of
  the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

5
Characteristics of Agriculture Research and
Development in WANA Region

• In the fields of Technology, information,
  knowledge and innovations in NENA region, there
  is a need to
• Enhance the monitoring and evaluation system and
  developing their researches.
• Identify policies and improve decision makers and
  politician awareness on the importance and role
  of agricultural research and innovation.

6
Characteristics of Agriculture Research and
Development in WANA Region

• Search for a mechanism and activate it to link
  all the centers in the region with a viable
  communication network for mutual coordination,
  and to benefit from the expertise of each other
  collaboration.
• Creating an effective extension system for the
  country to create linkages with farmers,
  researchers and civil society organizations, and
  to facilitate technology transfer

7
The Role of AARINENA in Providing Information on
AR4D

• the AARINENA established a Regional Agricultural
  Information System (RAIS), host the
  AARINENA-RAIS Secretariat. The RAIS serves as an
  information repository and exchange mechanism at
  the regional level.
• The RAIS stakeholders included National
  Agriculture Research Systems (NARSs), Advanced
  Research Institutions (ARIs), Non-Governmental
  Organizations (NGOs), International Agriculture
  Research Centers (IARCs), the private sector,
  farmers' organizations, and development
  assistance agencies.

8
The Role of AARINENA in Providing Information on
AR4D

• AARINENA retreat in November (2011), recommended
  the essential collective action at national level
  by all stakeholders to
• 1- monitor the implementation the post-GCARD1
  actions for reporting at 2012,
• 2- develop a baseline and ME system for tracking
  progress on the Status of AR4D in the NENA
  region,
• 3- Strengthening AARINENAs role and capabilities
  to initiate and support regional collaboration.

9
The Role of AARINENA in Providing Information on
AR4D

• Redesign financial flow mechanisms including
  competitive grants criteria such as potential
  development impact, alignment with policy
  objectives, inclusiveness (policy makers,
  farmers, private sector), participation and
  transparency
• Expand regional networks to not only include
  researchers but also farmer organizations and
  extension agencies

10
Results of the Agricultural Science Technology
Indicators (ASTI) Survey

• Recently AARINENA in collaboration with
  ASTI/IFPRI team conducted an updated survey on
  Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators
  (ASTI ) in selected countries representing NENA
  five sub-regions ( Iran, Egypt , Morocco, Jordan,
  Oman, and Syria).
• Egypt was selected to represent these results

11
Results of the Agricultural Science Technology
Indicators (ASTI) Survey

• Egypt
• The Agricultural Research Center (ARC) consists
  of
• 16 research institutes
• 7 central laboratories in Cairo
• 4 regional councils for research and extension,
• 10 regional research, extension, and training
  stations,
• 37 commodity oriented research, extension, and
  training stations located all over the country.

12
Number of researchers
13
Total Number of Female Researchers and Female
Technicians
Expenditure (million US)
Level of Education Researchers Technicians
PhD 1704  208 
MSc  284  390
BSc  208  1526
Total 2196 2124
Source of funding
Growth rate 15.5
14
Summary Results of the ASTI Survey in 2010
Item Syria Morocco Oman Jordan Egypt
Total Research staff 3326 198 231 388 8041
Total Number of Female researchers 783 117 117 81 2196
Total Number of Female Technicians 396 116 25 16 2124
Total Expenditure on Research (Million US) 157.7 26.91 20.6 10.4 125
Government Funding () 96 30 93 76 61
GDP (Billion) US 70.39 95.6 76.53 30 218.5
Agricultural GDP (Million) US 16189 14333 1224 840 30590
Agricultural Research expenditure/Agricultural GDP () 1.0 0.2 1.7 1.2 0.4
15
Recommendations

• Public investments in agricultural knowledge
  systems is requested to promote interactive
  knowledge networks
• Investment is in researches related to an
  innovation, information, knowledge, and education
  coalition.
• Invest on data collection, compilation, analysis
  and dissemination related to AR4D activities in
  the Region.

16
Recommendations

• AARINENA in collaboration with the NARS and
  international partners would develop a ME system
  for tracking progress on the status of AR4D in
  the NENA region, including the establishment of a
  baseline.
• Strengthen AARINENAs role and capabilities to
  initiate and support regional coordination,
  collaboration, matching capabilities of
  different NARS and forming a bridge between NARS
  and international agencies, whenever appropriate.

17
THANK YOU For Your Attention