The economic impact of CGIAR-related crop technologies on agricultural productivity in developing countries, 1961–2020

Keith O. Fuglie , Ruben G. Echeverria (2024) The economic impact of CGIAR-related crop technologies on agricultural productivity in developing countries, 1961–2020 #21 p.

This article highlights the diffusion and productivity impact of CGIAR crop research. The report shows that by 2020 , CGIAR-related crop technologies were adopted on at least 221 million hectares across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The adoption of these technologies saw impacts increase by about $600 million annually in the 2010s, demonstrating a sustained positive trend.

In addition to raising farm income, productivity gains in critical crops have lowered food prices, benefitting broader populations. This is a key reason why agricultural productivity growth, particularly food crop productivity growth, has had more significant impacts on poverty reduction in low-income countries than comparable productivity growth in other sectors, the report states.

• The report says improved crop varieties, a hallmark of CGIAR efforts, have been the primary driver of these positive impacts. 
• Notably, the impacts have expanded beyond CGIAR’s original focus on traditional crops like rice and wheat, including roots, tubers, beans, cassava and maize. 
• The report notes that pest management and natural resource management have also emerged as critical components of CGIAR’s efforts to enhance crop productivity. 
• It also notes that CGIAR innovations have helped to save forests and natural grasslands from cropland conversion, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions.