Institution: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

E-mail: p.hazell@cgiar.org

Title: "The impact of agricultural research and the poor: A review of the state of knowledge." Co-authors: John Kerr, Shashi Kolavalli.

Biosummary:

Peter B.R. Hazell joined IFPRI in November 1992 as director of the Environment and Production Technology Division. Peter Hazell was previously a principal economist in the World Bank's Agriculture and Rural Development Department. Prior to that he served at IFPRI as director of the Agricultural Growth Linkages Program. A British Citizen, Hazell trained as a general agriculturalist in the United Kingdom and subsequently obtained his Ph.D. in agricultural economics at Cornell University. At IFPRI he conducts research on sustainable farming practices, with a particular focus on property rights issues and the management of climate risks to reduce land degradation in semi-arid regions.

Theme: Key 3

Abstract:

This paper will provide a conceptual framework showing how agricultural research can impact on the poor at different scales (intra-household, household, regional, national, and internationa) and provide an updated assessment of the vast empirical literature that now exists on how improved technologies (both CG and non-CG) have impacted on the poor. The paper will seek to identify under what conditions agricultural research is more or less pro-poor, and the kinds of research and policies that can facilitate more favorable outcomes for the poor. The role of participatory research methods in enhancing pro-poor outcomes will also be examined. The paper will seek to identify knowledge gaps in our empirical understanding of these relationships, and to set priorities for future research on this topic.