Carl Pray

Carl Pray is struck by the scarcity of reliable data on private sector agricultural research and development, particularly in developing countries. Economists, policymakers and donors do not have the information they need to develop effective government strategies or policies for increasing agricultural productivity and reducing hunger, poverty, and resource degradation in developing nations. Studies of the impact of private sector research and innovation on farmer and consumer income and the environment are also limited.

With $500,000 from the Gates Foundation, Pray is leading a team from the United States, Canada, Europe, and developing countries that will collect and analyze data on private sector agricultural R&D and innovation. The team also will examine the policies that influence private investment in the research, development, and deployment of new technologies in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

 
The ultimate objective is to improve decision-making on policies and investments that promote private investment in poverty reducing and productivity enhancing agricultural research, development, and innovation.

The project will focus on technologies that are relevant to small-scale, resource-poor farmers, food-insecure households, and other vulnerable social groups. It targets countries that are generating new technologies (India, Kenya, Pakistan, and South Africa), as well as countries that are largely importers of technology (Bangladesh, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia).

Where possible, researchers will collect information from publicly available sources, such as corporate annual reports and reports to government organizations, but much of the data will have to be gathered through interviews or surveys.  

The data collected and the results of its analysis will be made available through websites, reports, seminars and publications.