In keeping with the recommendations of our latest external reviews, ICRISAT focuses on research programs through four global research themes, one of them being Markets, Policy and Impacts (earlier known as SAT Futures and Development Pathways). The theme's objective is to inform and provide strategic direction and prioritization of research issues. It also responds to market chain analyses, optimal input and output options (including seed systems) and on more effective policy and impact generation. The poor face a wide range of social and economic constraints, so we maintain constant communication with them to understand their needs and seek solutions through our micro level studies.

Priority foci

The research agenda of the Global Theme is focused on four key areas:

• Strategic assessments for agriculture and economic growth in semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa, and implications for agricultural research priorities
• Development pathways and policies for rural livelihoods
• Market studies, situation outlooks and institutional innovations (Synthesis studies and institutional learning through implications for research spillovers across regions and institutional arrangements)
• Impact Assessment and Research Priority setting

The strategic linkages of the theme with the other global themes target analytical contributions relating to the evaluation of technology investment trade-offs, resource pricing issues, analysis of market preferences and opportunities, and understanding the uptake process and binding constraints to technology adoption. In particular, linked activities are established on: Farmer investment strategies in soil and water management technologies (linked with GT-Agroecosystems (AES)); Seed systems and technology delivery pathways (linked with GT-Biotechnology (BT), GT-Crop Improvement (CI) and AES); Markets and product commercialization (market preferred traits, market trends, constraints and synthesis) (linked with GT- CI); and Priority setting, adoption and impact assessment (linked with GTs BT, CI and AES)

Goal

The global theme aims to deliver vital information and analytical tools that provide a rational foundation for decisions that affect the welfare of farmers and consumers in the semi-arid tropics. It builds from ICRISAT's strong socioeconomics and policy research rooted from a long tradition of working at the farm level, and strengthened by the participatory and multi-disciplinary approaches to ensure that ICRISAT addresses the pressing concerns in SAT agriculture and the changing external environment both at the micro and the macro-level. Through innovative partnerships with the national and regional agricultural research systems and other stakeholders, the theme effectively contributes to the global research agenda by complementing the efforts of national programs to improve the well-being of SAT populations in Asia and Africa.

Strategy:

People-oriented and partnership-based social science research to help generate tools, lessons, policies and investment guidelines that contribute to improved food security, livelihood resilience and poverty reduction while protecting the environment of the production systems in the semi-arid tropics.

Theme deliverables

• Knowledge on rural investment patterns, market opportunities, commodity outlooks and implications for agricultural research priorities in SAT farming systems
• Micro level database and information on the dynamics and determinants of poverty, development pathways and policies for rural livelihoods
• Policy instruments for technology delivery, market development, and agricultural diversification in the SAT
• Innovative institutional arrangements and mechanisms for technology exchange, market access and targeting of spillovers based on institutional experience
• Synthesized and policy relevant information on technology adoption pathways and impacts
• NARS capacity building and policy communication.

The social science team has successfully used a targeted approach directed at specific target areas and continues to support the institute's targeted efforts for science quality, relevance and impact in the semi-arid tropics. This team has

• Generated a large SAT knowledge base
• Helped inform decision making on policy issues
• Documented impact pathways and impacts generated by ICRISAT-NARS
  technologies
• Built up a network of partnerships as the base for further collaborative studies.

Contact information

GLOBAL THEME ON INSTITUTIONS, MARKETS, POLICY AND IMPACTS
ICRISAT
Patancheru 502 324
Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
Phone: +91 040-30713512/3517
Email: c.bantilan@cgiar.org ; ecoadm@cgiar.org ; mpiteam@cgiar.org

Office Location

GT-IMPI is located in building 212, First Floor, at ICRISAT-Patancheru