The Impact of Research-Led Agricultural Productivity Growth on Poverty Reduction in Africa, Asia and Latin America

Twenty-percent of the world’s population, or 1.2 billion live on less than $1 per day; 70% of these are rural and 90% are in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Research-led technological change in agriculture generates sufficient productivity growth to give high rates of return in Africa and Asia and has a substantial impact on poverty, currently reducing this number by 27 million per annum, whereas productivity growth in industry and services has no impact. The per capita “cost” of poverty reduction by means of agricultural research expenditures in Africa is $144 and in Asia $180, or 50 cents per day, but this is covered by output growth. By contrast, the per capita cost for the richer countries of Latin America is over $11,000.