THE INTERNATIONAL IMPACT OF FORESTRY RESEARCH AND A COMPARISON WITH AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES RESEARCH

Setting research priorities is a challenge faced by many organizations . A framework has been developed to support decision making on researc h priorities. The potential welfare effects of research on different c ommodities are quantified using a multiregion trade model. The approac h offers a means to collapse, into systematic analysis, many of the cr iteria and (or) objectives and the myriad of variables that drive the research policy process and the realization of welfare gains from rese arch. Specific model variables include product definition, production and con sumption information, prices, supply and demand elasticities, potential spillover effects of research, assessments of the relative s trength of different research systems, ceiling levels of research adop tion, and assessments of research and adoption lags. An international analysis shows considerable diversity in the potential gains from fore stry research between both products and regions. Also, comparisons bet ween sectors shows that some forest products are likely to be ranked i n the highest priority research groupings along with agricultural prod ucts for most regions of the world considered in this analysis.