Targeting Poverty Alleviation in Priority Setting in National Research Organizations: Theory and Practice

This paper provides a brief overview of research priority setting methods at various levels in national research systems, noting the changing emphasis from supply-driven to demand-driven approaches at both macro-and micro levels of priority setting. The scope for incorporation of a poverty dimension into priority setting is then reviewed within a general framework that recognizes the complexity of the link between research investments and poverty alleviation. This review suggest circumstances where choices in the allocation of resources among commodities, regions, technology types, and technology characteristics might allow targeting of poverty alleviation. The effectiveness of this targeting is likely to be very situation specific. A case study of macro-priority setting in Pakistan shows the limited scope to influence benefits to the poor through reallocation among commodities. More country case studies to integrate poverty data into priority setting are required to reach definite conclusions. Given present knowledge, more emphasis should be placed on enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of research systems in promoting broad-based technical change, than on major efforts to target poverty directly in priority setting.