Policymakers realize that higher levels of investment in agricultural research are key to increasing agricultural production to meet global needs. Despite this, many low- and middle-income countries struggle with serious capacity and funding constraints in their agricultural research and higher education systems. Quantitative information is fundamental to understanding the contribution of agricultural research to agricultural growth. Indicators derived from such information allow the performance, inputs, and outcomes of agricultural innovation systems to be measured, monitored, and benchmarked. ASTI fulfills a unique role in supplying the necessary information to promote an understanding of the status and direction of national agricultural research systems in developing countries. Such data constitute a powerful resource for national and regional research managers, policymakers, donor organizations, and other stakeholders.
In recent years ASTI has been transformed from a data-focused initiative conducting basic descriptive analyses to a more holistic program comprising three core components:
- the collection, processing, validation, and dissemination of data;
- the facilitation of targeted, demand-driven analytics; andthe delivery of context-specific outreach to ensure that ASTI’s resources are converted to outputs and events that influence outcomes.
To ensure its long-term sustainability and relevance, ASTI is establishing an active network of relevant national, regional, and international partners. This means transforming to regional multi-stakeholder platforms in which the ownership of data collection, analysis, and outreach functions are shifted to the countries. This will enhance the impact of ASTI’s data and analysis at the national level.
