ACIARAUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
ACIAR
ACIAR
Workshop:
Sustainable impact through international agricultural research collaboration
ACIARACIAR
Workshop outline • Dr Catherine Muthuri, World Agroforestry
Centre, Kenya, Project Leader on FSC/2012/014 Trees for Food Security
• Dr Abdou Tenkouano, World Vegetable Centre, Mali, Project leader on FSC/2012/111 Improving income and nutrition in eastern and southern Africa by enhancing vegetable-based farming and food systems in peri-urban corridors;
• Dr Ashok Kumar, Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management, with Dr Bill Bellotti, University of Western Sydney on LWR/2010/082 Improving livelihoods with innovative cropping systems on the east India plateau.
ACIAR
Background
• ACIAR and partners• Results and impact• Independent Review of ACIAR• Changing partnerships
ACIAR
ACIAR
• Vision – ACIAR looks to a world where poverty has
been reduced and the livelihoods of many improved through more productive and sustainable agriculture emerging from collaborative international research
• Mission – To achieve more productive and sustainable
agricultural systems for the benefit of developing countries and Australia through international agricultural research partnerships
ACIAR
What we do
• Commission research into improving sustainable agricultural production in developing countries
• Fund project related training• Communicate the results of funded
research• Conduct and fund development activities
related to research programs• Administer Australia's contribution to the
IARCs
ACIAR
(AusAID) (Universities, CSIRO, State Departments CRCs etc)
Innovation model
ACIAR
Why international agricultural research?
• there is no substitute for food• improving agricultural productivity
lifts poor out of poverty• investments in agricultural research
give high rates of return• need productivity to be sustainable• Australia's comparative advantage in
research and innovation to underpin sustainable food systems
ACIAR
Who’s involved – in Australia?
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Who’s involved - internationally
ACIAR
ACIAR’s Research Projects Address the challenge of food insecurity in the
developing world Align with priorities set in consultation with ACIAR
partner countries
Achieve sustainable agricultural practices that lift productivity to deliver community impacts
Manage the challenges to agriculture from a changing global climate
Actively engage in the whole of government agenda
ACIAR projects are subject to early adoption studies 3 years after completion and subsequent impact assessment to provide accountability and improved decision making
ACIAR
ACIARACIAR
Number of people gaining access to and using improved agricultural technologies by project
0 20 40 60 80 100 1200
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
ACIAR ROU
Projects
Pe
op
le (
N)
ACIARACIAR
Additional agricultural production (USD) by project
0 20 40 60 80 100 1200
5000000
10000000
15000000
20000000
25000000
30000000
35000000
40000000
45000000
ACIAR ROU
Project
Ad
dit
ion
al
Ag
ric
ult
ure
Va
lue
(U
SD
)
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Research for Impact
R D E I
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Typical adoption of research outputs
Time (years) 30
Accelerated adoption of research outputs
Understanding barriers to adoption and partnerships to improve
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Research for Impact
Time (years) 30
R
D
EI
R
R
D
D
E
E
I
I
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Impact of ACIAR funded research in Afghanistan• Three ACIAR projects focussed on
wheat and maize productivity– Identified and released new varieties– $6 M PV terms
• FAO seed distribution projects– Strengthening National Seed
Production Capacity 2003-2006 – Variety and Seed Industry Development
2007-2011– $34 million in PV terms
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Factors limiting use of improved seed
20316
265
226
235
175
115
175
175
199
114
160
209
195
245
272
240
216
215
23
28
19
24
34
67
39
63
40
Not aware of the availability ofimproved seeds
No money to buy seed
High price of improved seeds
Improved seed not available at plantingtime
Improved seeds need more costlyfertiliser
Improved seeds are harder to farm
Insufficient information on how to farmthese seeds
Local merchants do not sell improvedseed
Improved seeds not easily availablelocally
Does not limit use Somewhat limits use Limits use
n=453 (eachfactor)
n=454(each
factor)
ACIAR
Impact in Afghanistan• ACIAR provided $6.6million for research on
wheat and maize in Afghanistan, with FAO, contributing $34 million to improve seed distribution
• 466 farmers were surveyed in 7 provinces• ACIAR research assessed 9 improved wheat
varieties suited to local conditions• 10% adoption of the new technology since
the seeds were first released• total increase in productivity of 22–34%• $400 million in benefit for the Afghanistan
economy• Up to 140 000 farmers benefited from the
new technology in 201221
ACIAR
Independent review of ACIAR
• Focussed on appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency
• Published in May 2013• Independent panel
– Mr Bill Farmer AO; Prof Ron Duncan; Dr Wendy Jarvie; Mr Terry Enright
• Comprehensive consultations• Sets future direction for ACIAR
– Recommendations accepted
ACIAR
Future of ACIAR• Retain independence, but part of broader
aid program• Consider future issues – nutrition,
mining, energy, climate change, “stresses on production from ocean fisheries”
• Evolve partnerships due to changing capability (individual, institutional and regional)
• Tell our story• Better stakeholder engagement
ACIARACIAR
Future partnerships• important strengths:
– flexibility, – reliance on strong technical expertise, and– development of valuable partnerships in
Australia and overseas • Scope for a more systemic approach to
involving the private sector and NGOs in ACIAR’s work
• “ACIAR, after a process of consultation with interested stakeholders, develop a position paper on the future involvement in its work of the private sector and NGOs” (Recommendation 13)
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Current engagement – Seeds of Life
• Seeds of Life - partners with NGOs to bring in the results of the research
• "Seeds of Life has effectively leveraged the capacity of civil society groups (e.g. World Vision, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, USC Canada and local groups such as churches) to support diffusion of new varieties and to provide seeds to the more vulnerable groups."
ACIAR
Workshop:
Sustainable impact through international agricultural research collaboration