Economics of Research and Innovation in Agriculture.

• Author: Moser, Petra
• Position: NBER Books

With constraints tightening on water, arable land, and other natural resources, feeding the world's growing population is a critical challenge for the 21st century.

Agricultural innovation can help meet the needs of future generations. However, the returns to agricultural R&D are difficult to measure. Many wealthy countries have reduced their share of GDP devoted to agricultural R&D. Dwindling public support leaves universities--historically a major source of agricultural innovation--increasingly dependent on funding from industry, with uncertain effects on the nature and direction of agricultural research. These factors create a need for systematic empirical evidence on the forces that drive agricultural research and innovation.

This volume...