Improving Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems
OECD Conference Proceedings
This conference proceedings from the OECD Conference on Agricultural Knowledge Systems (AKS), held in Paris, on 15-17 June 2011, discusses a large range of experiences and approaches to AKS explores how to foster development and adoption of innovation to meet global food security and climate change challenges. The conference considered developments in institutional frameworks, public and private roles and partnerships, regulatory frameworks conducive to innovation, the adoption of innovations and technology transfers, and the responsiveness of AKS to broader policy objectives.
China's agricultural innovation system
Issues and reform
Agricultural research has been an engine of agricultural growth in China over the past 30 years. With rising food demand, China’s leaders believe agricultural technology is a major solution to improving the nation’s food security. They have developed a national agricultural Research and Development (R&D) system and have tried to reform this system so that the technologies generated can be more responsive to farmer demands. Since 1985, the government has invested significantly in R&D, particularly in recent years; government R&D investment increased by more than 15% during 2000-09. However, China’s agricultural research and extension face significant challenges as a public-dominated system that has its pros and cons. The leaders are well aware of the weaknesses of this system and have recently sought to encourage the private sector to join public efforts in the agricultural R&D system. If this is to happen, it is expected that a new era in China’s agricultural R&D will develop.