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Status of Agricultural Research in the Region
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The Asia-Pacific Region, as defined by FAO, comprises twenty-nine countries which range from Pakistan in the West, to China and Japan in the East. Twenty-six of the countries are classed as developing and only three, i.e. Australia, Japan and New Zealand, are classed as developed.
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The Region accounts for 75% to 95% of the World's production of rice, jute, coconut, rubber, oilpalm and tea. Further, the Region has almost a monopoly on buffalo production as well as on aquaculture. Appropriate research and development of these crops/commodities is vital for food, nutritional and employment security of the people of this most populous region.
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The major constraint to agricultural production in the Region is the non-availability of arable land. The per capita availability to agricultural population in the Asia-Pacific Region is 0.3 ha against 1.7 ha in the rest of the world. This fact has to be seen in relation to the population increase which the area faces. As already 83% of the total cultivable land is under production, no new frontiers can be opened. Production increases must therefore come from improved productivity on the available land. Other major constraints continue to exist in a good number of countries, including shortage of well-trained researchers.
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In many countries, despite the development of a functional research infrastructure and the availability of proven research results, the impact of new technologies at the small and resource-poor farmer level has not really been felt. Although many studies and projects have been carried out to improve the situation, the problem of the limited adoption of the technologies persists. Researchers, extensionists and developers alike are concerned about this problem and research will be employed to further clarify and overcome the problem.
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Governments are aware of the need to give research and technology adoption greater attention, but in most countries budgetary constraints prevent allocation of adequate resources. The national capabilities for policy research and analysis of the socio-economic implications of new technologies also need to be reinforced.
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In general, most Asian countries have made good progress in the planning, organization and management of agricultural research. This is an ongoing process with adjustments and restructuring being introduced routinely.
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Appropriate use has been made of international cooperation. In particular the CGIAR centres IRRI and ICRISAT, due to location and mandate, have been contributing to technology development in the Region. Although research improvement in both quality and quantity of output is needed, the main problem is the transfer of useful research results to farmers and the linkage between research, extension and farmers generally needs to be strengthened.
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Regional and national research priorities have been reviewed recently in two major studies ("Agricultural Research in the Asia and Pacific Region", Asian Development Bank (ADB), 1988, and "Agricultural Research Systems in the Asia-Pacific Region", FAO/RAPA, 1986). In both studies emphasis is on production-oriented adaptive research that directly benefits small farmers. Socio-economic and policy-oriented research leads
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