Agriculture and Natural Resources Management Research Priorities
Setting Exercise
Research Framework for the Offices of Agriculture &
Natural Resource Management
Potential Research Themes
1. Staple Food Systems for Enhanced Food Security:
A systems approach with a focus on the food needs of the poor
in both rural and urban areas, giving recognition to the particular
problems of areas with persistent food insecurity including
drylands and less favored areas.
Illustrative Products:
Cereals, root crops, legumes, fish and shellfish,
animal products, fodder, feed & fiber
Illustrative Research Topics: Sustainable
production technologies; Water & soil productivity &
management; Water harvesting; Zoonotic diseases - human,
animal, wildlife related health issues; Human & animal
nutrition; Breeding / genetic resources; Resource governance;
Agroforestry; Pest & disease management; Conflict mitigation;
Market imperfections/market development; Low intensity aquaculture
including integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems..
2. Higher Value Products for Increased Incomes:
A value chain approach promoting increased returns to producers
in domestic, regional and international higher-value-product
markets. While the research may have an impact on food security,
the primary focus will be on linking producers to markets
and increasing incomes.
Illustrative Products: Fruits,
vegetables, tree crops, oilseeds, dairy, poultry, fish and
shellfish, other animal products, seaweed, natural products,
aromatics, medicinal plants, non-timber forest products,
higher value fiber (cashmere, long-fiber cotton, etc.).
Illustrative Research Topics
:Sustainable production technologies; Market and policy
issues across the value chain; Quality and food safety standards;
Production practices to mitigate disease and food safety
concerns; Post harvest and value-addition; Water productivity
including irrigation, water use efficiency and recycling,
Soil productivity and management including soil nutrient
management and conservation tillage; Breeding/ genetic resources;
Pest & disease management; Human nutrition; Animal nutrition,
feeds and feeding; Clean agricultural technologies; Medium
and high-intensity aquaculture including re-circulating
systems.
3. Agricultural & Natural Assets for Maintenance
and Regeneration of the Resource Base:A systems approach
addressing resource management across multiple-use landscapes
that conserves ecosystem functions and allows for long-term
health and productivity of the resource base.
Illustrative Products & Services:
Tools for improved resource monitoring & management,
carbon sequestration, water provision, flood regulation,
biodiversity conservation, soil fertility and formation,
nutrient cycling, disease regulation.
Illustrative Research Topics:
Watershed, river basin, “ridge-to-reef”
management; Resource rights & access; Sustainable forest
management; Soil & water conservation, hydrology; Payments
for environmental services; Mitigation of environmental
impacts of production systems; Restoration of degraded lands;
Alternative income generation; Wildlife management; Inland,
coastal and marine resource management including fisheries
and coral reefs.
4. Policy, Markets, Trade & Governance for Pro-poor
Growth: A body of research on policy issues, market
access and institutional innovations to support and facilitate
a sustainable reduction in poverty and hunger and improve
environmental sustainability.
Illustrative Products & Services: Tenure
security; Rural finance systems; Innovative ownership models;
Risk mitigation including safety nets and insurance products;
Accessible markets (input, factor and product) for enhanced
equity; Conventions and agreements.
Illustrative Research Topics: Urban-rural
linkages; Governance and policy for achieving equitable
growth; Impact of agricultural agreements; Household livelihood
strategies; Global and regional trends in the food industry
and agriculture; Property rights and collective action;
Poverty traps and asset thresholds; Role of off-farm income
in technology adoption.
Common Program Elements
Apply to all research
- Institutional strengthening through long-term training
& capacity building
- International public goods dimension
- Innovation, outreach, & adoption;
- Complementarity/synergy with other USAID supported research,
especially International Agriculture Research Center (IARC)
research
- Gender & household dynamics
Apply to some research
- Maintenance and expansion of productivity
- Policy
- Human health
- Ecosystems (impact & mgmt)
Cross-cutting tools
- Information & communication technologies
- Geospatial information technologies
- Modeling
- Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
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