This study originated from ongoing debates over the potential of biotechnology to address the challenges posed by food insecurity, disease, and environmental degradation in developing countries. African countries are particularly vulnerable, yet reap hardly any benefit from new biotechnology. There are a number of complex reasons for this. Biotechnology is knowledge and resource intensive - those who invest in its R&D are largely companies and research institutions based in developed countries. Biotechnology products are also predominantly proprietary. Many African countries lack the necessary resources - financial, technical and scientific - to acquire, adapt and exploit such technology.
A mechanism widely accepted among national and multinational institutions, donors and businesses for providing developing countries with access to global biotechnologies and tools is partnership.
This study investigated partnership projects formed between agricultural research institutions and non-profit and private sector participants from African countries (south), from developed countries (north) as well as multilateral organisations.
Through the partnerships investigated in this study, we looked at several hitherto under-explored aspects of such partnerships: their characteristics, and the contributions they made to the development of scientific and technical capabilities, to policy development on agricultural biotechnology, and to processes in technology transfer and development.
The study’s ultimate objective was to contribute to the literature and policy on building R&D capabilities, and on the evolution of institutions for the development and adoption of agricultural biotechnology in the south.
To achieve our objectives we undertook an in-depth investigation of three case studies, to generate our primary data: Millet and Sorghum Improvement Initiative (MSII) in Mali; the Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project in Kenya, and the Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI) in Egypt. Extensive data from these case studies were supplemented by data generated through an inventory of public private partnership (PPP) projects and major players.
The conclusion of the study was that the partnerships investigated were stronger in developing scientific and technological capacity but less successful in developing the capacities that deliver the products and integrate user perspectives at an early stage. The study highlights three positive impacts:
R&D capacity was created to some extent in all three case studies. In particular scientific staff were provided with the necessary cutting-edge research tools, and appropriate salaries. These provisions motivated staff to stay in their respective countries and mitigated the risk of ‘brain drain’. These PPPs also helped the development of policy and institutions for biotechnology. For example, the IRMA project in Kenya catalysed the development of guidelines and regulation for biotechnology. The partnerships also assisted the creation of a variety of new products and companies. In Egypt, Biogro International was a new start up company supplying the biological pest control tool called Agerin, the exclusive right for the technology being obtained from AGERI.
In the original project proposal we promised to deliver two quality articles, develop a new project(s), generate new data, and maintain and expand our networks and contacts with key actors in the field of biotechnology. We also planned to give a presentation at an international conference. We have exceeded these targets as outlined below:
(i) As part of our effort to disseminate our findings to end users, we organised and presented our findings at a workshop, Technology Based Public Private Partnerships and Innovation Systems in African Agriculture held 19th November 2004 at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London.
(ii) Results of this study have been impacting on users. We gave presentations at three international forums: World Bank Workshop, Washington; AGERI in Egypt; and the first CESAGEN International Conference, London. We also gave seminars at the Open University. David Wield and Joanna Chataway have been asked to provide a paper for a high level workshop at the end of January 2005 on science and technology capacity building in Africa. Results of this study will inform the paper.
(iii) An article by Seife Ayele on Biotechnology generation, delivery and adoption: the case of Bt biopesticide in Egypt has been submitted to the International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development.
(iv) Two further articles (by Seife Ayele and David Wield; and Joanna Chataway) are scheduled for publication in special edition of the Journal of International Development, July 2005. Further papers are also in progress.
(v) We have submitted a book proposal entitle Innovating Partnerships: Renegotiating Agricultural Research and Development in Africa to Earthscan.
(vi) In addition to the qualitative data generated from the three case studies, data on 19 partnerships was also generated. This formed part of a snapshot database on PPPs, created in collaboration with the United Nations University Institute for New Technologies, the Netherlands.
(vii) We have also maintained and expanded our collaborative networks with key players in the African biotechnology sector and we can continue to rely on support in the form of access to organisations and data.
(viii) New research ideas have emerged from this project. We have recently submitted a bid to the ESRC/Science in Society Programme under the title Regulatory practices and challenges of the African crop biotechnology sector. The proposed study builds on the current research project. It aims to examine practices and emerging developments in the national regulatory systems of crop biotechnology in Egypt, Kenya and South Africa.
Our research questions were formulated to fill an important knowledge gap in the field, and the responses now form a new database. Our findings, such as the contrasting approaches to science and technology capacity building and the differing impacts of PPPs will enrich the methodology for PPP analysis and partnership theory. We have contributed to policy and practice, particularly in the sphere of African crop biotechnology. We have also contributed to the ESRC Science in Society Programme objectives, particularly to its topical theme ‘science, technology and globalization’. Our research added value to the Programme’s objectives by enhancing ‘public and policy debate about new scientific and technological developments and their relationship to social needs’ and evaluating the role of R&D institutions and exploring alternative models of their design in the light of public goals and aspirations.
