Targeting poverty alleviation in priority setting for agricultural research

This paper provides a brief overview of research priority setting methods a t various levels in national research systems, noting the changing emphasis from supply- to demand-driven approaches at both macro- and micro-levels o f priority setting. The scope for incorporating a poverty dimension into pr iority setting is then reviewed within a general framework that recognises the complexity of the link between research investments and poverty allevia tion. The effectiveness of this targeting is likely to be very situation sp ecific. A case study of macro priority setting in Pakistan shows the limite d scope to target benefits to the poor through reallocation of research res ources among commodities, relative to a ranking based on the efficiency obj ective. Given present knowledge, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of research systems in promoting broad-based technical change should be em phasised more than major efforts to target poverty directly. This will invo lve a combination of supply- and demand-driven approaches to priority setti ng at different levels in the research system that will enhance both the ef ficiency and poverty alleviation impacts of research. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.