In late August 2015, the Agricultural Science & Technology Indicators (ASTI) program launched its revised website, equipped with easy-to-use tools for viewing, comparing, and downloading key data and information on agricultural research and development (R&D).
According to ASTI News and Notes, the new tools allow users to: • Rank and compare the status and direction of agricultural research investment and capacity across countries in Africa south of the Sahara, West Asia and North Africa, and Central America and the Caribbean. • Access detailed national-level trends in agricultural research investment and human resources, and download factsheets and other information on interactive country pages. • Explore in-depth datasets for a large number of low-and middle-income countries in the data download tool.
“PIM is committed to strengthening the scientific capacity of national agricultural research institutes,” notes PIM Director Karen Brooks. “This is a major objective of our research cluster on Science Policy and Incentives for Innovation, within which ASTI is a key pillar. ASTI is supporting policy and decision making in agricultural research and development, such as with the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa. The new ASTI website will be a great help to both researchers and policy makers engaged in the process. ”
The following short video tutorial demonstrates how to engage with interactive data, compare countries and regions, and download custom datasets.
About ASTI
Accurate, reliable, and internationally comparable quantitative information on investment in science and technology is fundamental to understanding the contribution of research to agricultural growth. ASTI provides this trusted open-source data on agricultural research systems across the developing world.
Led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), ASTI works with a vast network of national, regional, and international partners to collect, compile, and disseminate information on financial, human, and institutional resources at both country and regional levels across government, higher education, nonprofit, and (where possible) private for-profit agricultural research agencies.
The CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM), in conjunction with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), provides financial support for this important initiative.
