UK agricultural research aid should do more for poor farmers, says watchdog
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Version 0 of 1. The Department for International Development (DfID) has an effective agricultural research programme, but would have greater impact if it focused more on the needs of poorer farmers, especially women, an aid watchdog has said. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (Icai) gave DfID's agricultural research programme a green-amber rating in its traffic light system, which means it performs relatively well against Icai's criteria for effectiveness and value for money, but improvements should be made. DfID has committed £350m to agricultural research in 2010-15 to improve food security and tackle hunger in developing countries. Activities range from advanced science research in UK universities to projects developing and testing innovative ways to get research products – such as new seeds or animal vaccines – into use by farmers. Over the past decade, DfID's average annual agricultural research spending has more than doubled, from £34m in 2003-05 to £75m in 2011-13. During that period, more than half of the money went to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a network of 15 international agricultural research centres. Icai examined a sample of seven projects supported by DfID, including funding of CGIAR. In the past decade, DfID's annual research spending more than doubled, reaching £75m in 2011-13. Icai said that while DfID's programme contributed significantly to improved food security and nutrition in developing countries, the main challenge was to ensure its research innovations were delivered effectively to farmers in Africa and Asia, and taken beyond pilot phase. The watchdog also urged DfID to address the needs of male and female farmers, as well as farmers growing food for subsistence and those actively engaged in markets. John Githongo, lead commissioner for the report, said: "DfID is supporting important work with the potential to impact positively millions of lives. The programme would have a greater impact on DfID's overall objectives if it focused more on the needs of poorer farmers, especially women farmers, and poor people in urban areas, who need access to cheap food." Icai said only two projects, CGIAR and African Insect Science, adequately considered male and female needs and priorities in the design, implementation and evaluation of DfID's agricultural research projects. The other five initiatives reviewed did not aim to involve women in the research or directly target their priorities. "A good business model should assess likely impacts on different social groups. It should also discuss how intended beneficiaries will participate in the project," the report says. DfID received an amber-red rating in the learning category. Icai said its agricultural research programme did not work sufficiently with, or learn from, DfID country programmes and other departments to ensure results were delivered to farmers. A DfID spokesman said: "Icai's limited review of just seven projects meant it did not fully document our achievements in turning research into real, tangible benefits for farmers. More than 100,000 farmers in India are planting flood-tolerant rice, over half a million families in Africa are consuming vitamin A-enriched sweet potato, and the world is now free of rinderpest, one of the worst cattle diseases in the tropics. All this is due to research supported by DfID." Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |