This Research Topic provides a platform to document and synthesize findings and perspectives on increasing and improving investment in research and innovation to transform agrifood systems in the Global South. Agriculture and food systems lie at the crossroads of today's global challenges, such as food security and nutrition, poverty and inequality, biodiversity loss, climate change, and urban-rural integration. Innovations (in policy, finance, knowledge sharing and social institutions, as well as science and technology) are urgently needed to address these challenges, particularly in the Global South.
The goal of this Research Topic is to present and critically synthesize evidence that addresses the challenge of increasing and improving investment in research and innovation for agrifood systems in the Global South. Areas of special interest for this collection include current status of investment, prioritization of investments, investment needs and gaps, integrating social equity and environmental concerns into innovation, improving instruments and pathways for the uptake of innovations, the impact of past investments.
We welcome submissions with a pragmatic approach to tackling issues around improving innovation, including original research, reviews, perspectives, policy and practice papers, and policy briefs papers. We encourage papers with global or regional coverage, however, country specific studies with a broad analytical perspective are also welcome.
The Research Topic specifically welcomes papers on the three major themes, outlined below (but not limited to):
Theme 1. Quantitative assessment of investment in innovation in agrifood systems for the Global South. Example topics: current level of investment in agrifood innovations; model-based assessment of innovation investment gaps.
Theme 2. Priority areas for investment in innovation. Example topics: innovation priorities for urban and peri-urban agriculture; innovation priorities for financial instruments for incentivizing farmers to protect and restore nature.
Theme 3. Approaches, pathways, and instruments for improving investment in innovation. Example topics: Comparison of instruments for assessing the impact of innovations; Principles for monitoring and evaluating innovations for sustainable agrifood systems.
The Research Topic has been initiated by the International Commission on Sustainable Agriculture Intensification (CoSAI), which operated from 2020-2021, and was supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land, and Ecosystems. The Topic Editors are Dr. Ruben Echeverría, Prof Dr. P.V. Vara Prasad, and Prof Dr. Pablo Tittonell, CoSAI Commissioners, and Dr. Julia Compton is the outgoing Head of Secretariat of CoSAI.
We acknowledge the funding of the manuscripts published in this Research Topic by the International Water Management Institute(CGIAR). We hereby state publicly that International Water Management Institute (CGIAR) has had no editorial input in articles included in this Research Topic, thus ensuring that all aspects of this Research Topic are evaluated objectively, unbiased by any specific policy or opinion of the International Water Management Institute (CGIAR).
This Research Topic provides a platform to document and synthesize findings and perspectives on increasing and improving investment in research and innovation to transform agrifood systems in the Global South. Agriculture and food systems lie at the crossroads of today's global challenges, such as food security and nutrition, poverty and inequality, biodiversity loss, climate change, and urban-rural integration. Innovations (in policy, finance, knowledge sharing and social institutions, as well as science and technology) are urgently needed to address these challenges, particularly in the Global South.
The goal of this Research Topic is to present and critically synthesize evidence that addresses the challenge of increasing and improving investment in research and innovation for agrifood systems in the Global South. Areas of special interest for this collection include current status of investment, prioritization of investments, investment needs and gaps, integrating social equity and environmental concerns into innovation, improving instruments and pathways for the uptake of innovations, the impact of past investments.
We welcome submissions with a pragmatic approach to tackling issues around improving innovation, including original research, reviews, perspectives, policy and practice papers, and policy briefs papers. We encourage papers with global or regional coverage, however, country specific studies with a broad analytical perspective are also welcome.
The Research Topic specifically welcomes papers on the three major themes, outlined below (but not limited to):
Theme 1. Quantitative assessment of investment in innovation in agrifood systems for the Global South. Example topics: current level of investment in agrifood innovations; model-based assessment of innovation investment gaps.
Theme 2. Priority areas for investment in innovation. Example topics: innovation priorities for urban and peri-urban agriculture; innovation priorities for financial instruments for incentivizing farmers to protect and restore nature.
Theme 3. Approaches, pathways, and instruments for improving investment in innovation. Example topics: Comparison of instruments for assessing the impact of innovations; Principles for monitoring and evaluating innovations for sustainable agrifood systems.
The Research Topic has been initiated by the International Commission on Sustainable Agriculture Intensification (CoSAI), which operated from 2020-2021, and was supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land, and Ecosystems. The Topic Editors are Dr. Ruben Echeverría, Prof Dr. P.V. Vara Prasad, and Prof Dr. Pablo Tittonell, CoSAI Commissioners, and Dr. Julia Compton is the outgoing Head of Secretariat of CoSAI.
We acknowledge the funding of the manuscripts published in this Research Topic by the International Water Management Institute(CGIAR). We hereby state publicly that International Water Management Institute (CGIAR) has had no editorial input in articles included in this Research Topic, thus ensuring that all aspects of this Research Topic are evaluated objectively, unbiased by any specific policy or opinion of the International Water Management Institute (CGIAR).
