There has been considerable debate but little empirical analysis among academics, policy makers, and civil society about whether intellectual property rights would induce private research in developing countries. China passed its plant variety protection act (PVPA) in 1997 which allowed us to do...

This study addresses the questions of future sources of technology for increasing food and agricultural production by considering the situation in Asia. This region of the world is particularly appropriate for studying these questions because of the dynamic changes in population and incomes. How...

The application of modern biotechnology to plant breeding is considered to be more efficient and quicker than conventional breeding techniques in the development of new and more resilient crop varieties. To test the impact that biotechnology is having on a industrial plant breeding activities,...

It is widely accepted that new technology is an important source of agricultural growth. Developing countries have tried a variety of policies to accelerate the development and diffusion of new technology. These policies include: (1) government investment in agricultural research and extension,...

Private R&D is a major source of innovation and productivity growth in agriculture worldwide. This paper examines trends and determinants of agricultural R&D in China. Results show that while the public sector monopolized agricultural research until recently, private agricultural R&D has grown...

This report reviews the impacts of the Asian Maize Biotechnology Network (AMBIONET), organized by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) with funding from the Asian Development Bank to strengthen the capacity of public maize research institutions in China, India,...

The ag-biotech industry underwent considerable consolidation in the last decade in part to take advantage of economics of scale and scope. The paper investigates the impact of such consolidation on inventive activity at the firm level. Careful attention is paid to the role of firm size,...

Consumer attitudes towards genetically modified foods (GMFs) play a crucial role in the development of the technology. Both government and food manufacturers of agricultural products in the US and China are optimistic about the potential market for these foods. This paper compares two national...

Technology and innovation play an increasingly important role in the economic development of both developed and developing countries. We investigate how policy and market factors influence firms’ (or other potential innovators’) decisions on innovation or imitation by developing a conceptual...