GCP/BGD/034/MUL GCP/BGD/034/MUL Annex 9Annex 9

National Food Policy Capacity Strengthening Programme National Food Policy Capacity Strengthening Programme (NFPCSP)(NFPCSP)

Towards a Towards a Research Needs DigestResearch Needs Digest::

Key Clusters & Research ThemesKey Clusters & Research ThemesProf. J. Mohan Rao, Adviser to FAO Prof. J. Mohan Rao, Adviser to FAO

andand

Technical Assistance Team, NFPCSP, FAOTechnical Assistance Team, NFPCSP, FAOin consultation with in consultation with

FPMU, Ministry of Food and Disaster FPMU, Ministry of Food and Disaster Management &Management &

Thematic Research TeamsThematic Research Teams

26 February 200726 February 2007

Aims of the Assessment of Research Needs (ARN)

To assess research needs and take stock of research appropriate to enhancing food security in Bangladesh:• For policy-makers, researchers and civil

society, to inform decisions about setting research priorities

• For NFPCSP, to inform decisions about setting a research agenda for technical assistance and awarding grants

Process and Outputs• The Assessment follows a 3-Stage process

• Every Stage has 2 steps:

Participatory - Gov & Civil Soc Institutions Centralized - Tech Asst Team, NFPCSP

• The following is the sequence of outputs:1 Topics & Titles – data in Clusters (Surveys)

2a Ranked Clusters within Dimens. (1st Workshop)

2b Research Themes in Key Clusters (“RND”)

3a Ranked Research Themes (This Wrkshp)

3b Calls for Proposals (Calls)

ACTIVITY OUTPUT

ARN: PROCESS & OUTPUTS

Participatory Centralized

Generation of Raw Data(ARN Survey)

Grouping of Data into Clusters

Topics & Titles in Clusters

Ranking of Clusters(1st WkShop)

CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6

Ranked Clusterswithin Dimensions

Digest of PriorityResearch Themes

Key Clusters &Res. Themes

Ranking of Res. Themes(2nd WkShop)

CHAPTER 7CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10

Ranked Research Themes

Calls for Res. Proposals

RND transmitted to InformDecision-Makers

ARN: PROCESS & OUTPUTS (contd.)

Scope and Limitations• The RND is limited to socio-econ. research• This includes socio-economic implications of

scientific-technological research but not scientific-technological research

• Coverage of respondents is wide but not necessarily statistically representative• This has been a learning experience for all of us.

Your inputs at this Workshop will be valuable also for the work we take up for future editions of the RND

Sources of the Primary Data

• Primary Data = Res. TOPICS & TITLES

• Interviews generated the Topics

• Bib. Search (1999-2006) yielded the Titles

• Interviewees from– Government Departments– Research Institutes and Universities– Non-Governmental Organizations– International Organizations and Donors

Key Statistics on the Primary Data

• >75 persons from >50 agencies

were interviewed over a 2-month period

• Total number of respondent-identified TOPICS 298

• Total number of bibliographic TITLES 629

Classification (1): Principal Dimensions

Main 1. Production and Availability

Dimensions 2. Physical and Social Access

3. Economic Access

4. Utilization and Nutrition

Cross-cutting 5. Governance and Institutions

Dimensions 6. Infrastructure

7. Environment

8. Women+other Disadv. Groups

Classification (2):“Clusters” or Sub-Dimensions

• Clusters are chosen to partition the Dimensions

• Each Cluster groups issues closely related in both logic and experience

Definition of Key Terms in RND• Clusters are sub-sets of a Dimension of Food Security

32 Clusters chosen to fully partition Dimensions

• Key Clusters generally are the 3 top-ranked Clusters

A few are hybrids of 2 Clusters• Research Themes (RTs) are sub-sets of a Key Cluster

• Cross-Cutting RTs belong to cross-cutting dimensions

• Overarching RTs relate to Measurement & Valuation

Procedures for SelectingRND Priorities

• Equal treatment of the 4 Main Dimensions• Starting point was Participatory Ranking of

clusters by the 1st Workshop Participants• 3 Key Clusters for each Main Dimension (12)

• 34 Research Themes chosen by the authors:• 7 Res Themes per Dimension in 3 Key Clusters (28)• 1 Res Theme per Cross-Cutting Dimension ( 4)• 2 Res Themes on Measurement & Valuation ( 2)

Basis for IdentifyingResearch Themes

1. Particip. Scoring Ranked Clusters

2. Ranked Clusters 3 Key Clusters

3. Choice of Research Themes is based on a) TOPICS from Interviews - Knowledge Needs

b) TITLES from Bibl.Search - Knowledge Gaps

c) National Food Policy & related policy reviews

d) Collective deliberations within the TAT

e) Discussions with Thematic Research Teams

A STRATEGIC VISION

Our strategy for prioritizing research is aimed at tackling knowledge gaps that seem partly responsible for the slow progress on the food security and nutrition fronts that Dr. Fiorillo referred to in his presentation

Key Clusters: Production & Availability

1. Economics of Production and Output Diversification

2. Access to Inputs, Input-Output Market Structures and Policy Interventions

3. Extension, Information and Other Public Services

Key Clusters: Physical & Social Access

1. Access Via Government Safety Nets and Other Food Security Interventions

2. Storage and Stocking Policies

3. Shocks, Seasonality and Stability of Access

Key Clusters: Economic Access

1. Ultra-Poverty, Poverty, Inequality and Exclusion

2. Incomes, Access to Assets, Employment and Factor Markets

3. Food Prices, Purchasing Power, Pricing Policies and Food Markets

Key Clusters: Utilization & Nutrition

1. Food Safety and Food Quality

2. Food Culture, Dietary Patterns, Food Composition, and Nutrition Standards

3. Public Health and Educational Interventions Impinging on Nutrition

Examples of RT Choices

A. Involving Communities & Local Power Structures in Safety Net Provision

a. A high proportion of proposed titles fall under safety nets

b. TAT/TRT deliberations emphasized the governance dimension

B. Ultra-Poverty and Micro-Credit: Links and Missing Links

a. Ultra-poverty is a high-ranked cluster

b. Large literature on micro-credit but much less on ultra-poor coverage and ultra-poor impact

Examples … (contd.)

C. Food Contamination and Food Adulteration

a. Part of the 2nd ranked cluster “Food Safety and Quality”

b. Growing popular awareness of health risks, and high priority accorded in the National Food Policy agenda

More examples will be given in the Parallel Group Sessions

Cross-Cutting & Overarching RTs

1. Transparency of Policies and Accountability of Institutions Related to Food Security

a. Major issue raised by 1st Workshop participants

b. Though bib. is rich, local governance and implementation merited large weight in survey

2. Power-Transport-Communication-Irrigation, etc.

a. Top-rank Cross-Cutting & 3rd rank of All clusters

b. Need indicated by large weight of topics proposed by interviewees

Cross-Cutting & … (continued)

3. Long-Term Environmental Degradation and Food Security

a. A rare cluster for which TOPICS > TITLES indicating strong need

b. 2nd rank Cross-Cutting & 4th rank of All clusters

4. Disadvantaged Regions, the Disabled, Elderly, Children and Ethnic Minorities

a. Highly rated for 2 Dimensions in TAT discussions

b. Related to ultra-poverty and vulnerability/Monga

Cross-Cutting & … (continued)

5. Issues in Measurement of Food Security, Vulnerability and Poverty

a. Considerable literature but also persistent demand

b. Changing realities & also methods and resources

6. The Economic-Social Value of Nutrition & FS

a. Biblio. Search drew a virtual blank while there were quite a few proposed Topics from interviews

b. Valuations can help inform policy choices across all the 4 dimensions

Ranking of Research Themes1. There are 7 pre-selected RTs per dimension

Please RANK these RTs* from 1 to 7

2. There are 6 cross-cutting & overarching RTs

Please RANK these RTs* from 1 to 6

1=Most important 7 (or 6)=Least important Enter ranks in the right-most blank column Let your ranking reflect your sense of national

priorities over coming 5-10 years No blanks please, and no repetition of ranks

* RT = Research Theme = Research Area

Contact for Feedback: lalita.bhattacharjee@nfpcsp.org

CONCLUSIONS

• The ARN and its findings are truly the collective product of a wide range of national stakeholders

• Based on technical inputs and a participatory process, the ARN offers a menu of options

• Policy-makers can focus the community of researchers and available resources by prioritizing the Research Themes on the basis of their importance and urgency