Bangkok workshop launches new ASTI partnership

December 20 2018.

Agricultural research was one of the main drivers behind the enormous increases in food production in Southeast Asia and the Pacific during the 20th century. Ensuring food security in the coming decades—especially in light of climate change—will require sustained investment in agricultural research, and the data to inform it.

In December 2017, the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) launched a new initiative to collect, analyze, and disseminate crucial data to help support agricultural research in the Indo-Pacific region.

Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) Indo-Pacific will provide agricultural research stakeholders in the region with reliable and up-to-date data to analyze investment and capacity trends, identify key gaps, set future investment priorities, and ensure effective coordination and coherence of agricultural research initiatives. The initiative is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.

More than 20 agricultural researchers and representatives from countries in the region attended the inception workshop, which was held 12-17 December, 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop introduced the participants to the ASTI program and its methodology, tools, and data collection procedures.

Participants also discussed developing a research agenda on issues related to investments, capacities, and policy developments in agricultural research. Lastly, presenters from IFPRI and APAARI opened up discussion to hear ideas and suggestions from the country representatives on how to institutionalize the collection of this important data at the country level, and build capacity for policy-relevant analysis as well as dissemination and advocacy activities to ensure uptake of key messages at national and regional levels.

“We hope to build a solid foundation for the long-term monitoring of agricultural research investment and capacity in the region,” said Norah Omot, ASTI Indo-Pacific program manager.