Public–Private Partnerships in International Agricultural Research_ An Analysis of Constraints.pdf

Public–Private Partnerships in International Agricultural Research: David J. Spielman1 An Analysis of Constraints Klaus von Grebmer2 ABSTRACT. Public–private partnerships are a potentially improvements potentially lead to higher incomes, important means of conducting pro-poor agricultural research greater food consumption, better nutrition, and in many developing countries. Yet within the international favorable changes in the allocation of individual agricultural research sector, there are few examples of success- ful collaboration that have contributed to food security, pov- and household assets (Hazell and Haddad, 2001; erty reduction or agricultural development. This study Meinzen-Dick et al., 2003). Such changes play an hypothesizes that partnerships between public research agencies important role in improving the livelihoods of re- and private, multinational firms are constrained by funda- source-poor smallholder farmers, food-insecure mentally different incentive structures; prohibitive costs, both households, and other vulnerable social groups, direct and indirect; mutually negative perceptions between the sectors; and high levels of competition and risk associated with and also contribute to agricultural development valuable assets and resources. Based on a survey of key stake- and wider economic growth. holders and a review of the literature, findings suggest that the Public-sector institutions account for approxi- primary impediments t