Media Summary

Increases in crop yield will be the principal path to meeting future world food needs. This paper reviews the history of the search for crop yield increases in the post-Green Revolution period within the CGIAR. The paper sets out a stage theory of increases in crop productivity, against which to understand the determinants of such increases under varying market and institutional conditions. The paper then reviews the experience with organizing crop management and varietal improvement research and in targeting such research to diverse farming systems and institutional settings around the globe. The changes in the organization of agricultural research is framed in regards to advances in the science versus an improved understanding in the conditions under which agricultural technology will be adopted by farmers. The paper concludes with reflections on the needs in organizing research to meet future increases in crop productivity