Global Public Goods, Global Programs, and Global Policies: Some Initial Findings from a World Bank Evaluation

Systems of innovation theory and the changing architecture of agricultural research in Africa

“…The CG system has lived through its own waves of reform, and particularly since the early 1990s there has been a sharper focus on the systemÕs role as a producer of ''international public goods'' (Anderson, 1998;Lele and Gerrard, 2003). This has involved a push for increased efficiency and proposals for rationalisation, as well as budget cuts and the introduction of system-wide programme budgeting.…”

Why agronomy in the developing world has become contentious

“…Many developing countries where agriculture is relatively commercialised have seen increasing private sector investment in agricultural research (Naseem et al, 2010). This has forced the public sector -including the CGIAR -to re-frame its role in terms of the provision of 'public goods' (Anderson, 1998;Gardner and Lesser, 2003;Harwood et al, 2006;Lele and Gerrard, 2003). This evolving context also resulted in new emphasis on the creation of partnerships, alliances and 'learning platforms': the CGIAR Challenge Programmes, for example, clearly reflected these shifting institutional, funding and political landscapes, as does the increasing prominence of the language of 'publicprivate partnerships' in relation to international agricultural research Agriculture (Giller et al, 2011;Giller et al, 2009;Jenrich, 2011;Marongwe et al, 2011;Nkala et al, 2011;Owenya et al, 2011;Silici et al, 2011).…”