Another factor, arguably a more limiting one in the decentralization of agricultural research capacity in Africa, is the small numbers of researchers employed relative to the farmer population. In Africa the agricultural population-to-researcher ratio in agriculture ranges from 2,500 to 50,000, numbers that clearly illustrate that there is a limit to how close one can bring research to farmers. For comparison, the ratio in developed countries was about 400 in the early 1980s (Pardey et al., 1991) and has most likely further declined in recent years. These figures do not include the researchers employed by private agricultural input and processing industries. Their inclusion would sharpen the contrast in research capacity even further.
The interaction between farmers and researchers in the developed countries is of a completely different order to that of most African countries. Farmers in developed countries are relatively few (2-5 percent of the working population), are well-organized, can articulate their technology demands, make use of the latest communication and information technologies, and can be reached easily through the market or their own professional organizations. Most developed countries are now moving towards consolidation of agricultural research capacity in fewer locations because being physically close to the farming community has become less relevant. This situation does not currently apply in African countries.
The proposed ACARE, if adequately resourced, will complement the trend to decentralized, participatory/adaptive research by national agricultural research systems, by providing economies of size in the conduct of strategic research on pervasive priority problems of a regional or continental character, where spillovers are possible. The participatory knowledge quadrangle is intended to bring them together with other stakeholders. In a sense, the ACARE, international advanced research centres and the advanced research institutions will be trying to raise attainable and potential productivity levels with partners and in the process create more de facto yield gaps, as described in Chapter 3. The participatory knowledge quadrangle (PKQ) will be vital in trying to close such gaps thus increasing productivity and improving food security.