ACIAR works closely with policymakers in our partner countries to optimise the impact of its research-for-development investments. A policy dialogue on rice futures in the Mekong region was held at the end of ACIAR’s 5-year Rice-based Systems Research program. These proceedings comprise the papers presented at the dialogue and synopses of the panel discussions. They emphasise that technical solutions alone are in

Known as the ‘feminisation of agriculture’, farming women are no longer just part of the family labour unit, or just care for the household gardens. Because of increasing rates of male migration from poor farming households, usually to work in the cities, women have emerged as the key producers, performing a wide range of tasks related to planning, cropping, managing, processing and marketing, in and around the agricultural fields. Despite women’s increased agri

This report describes a trial in three Indonesian provinces that developed a niche market for poultry products produced on farms that implemented appropriate biosecurity activities. The aim of the trail was to test whether a market chain could provide incentives for all chain participants to produce and market these ‘Healthy Farm’ products. The trial showed that supermarket consumers were prepared to pay a premium price for meat and eggs produced on approved biosecure farms; and that the existing market can be used to improve biosecurity in smallholder poultry farms in Indonesia.

For the past 30 years, ACIAR has funded research aimed at controlling Newcastle disease in village chickens. In Africa, the Australian Government has contributed around $10.8 million to Newcastle disease control projects, about $1.1 million of which has been contributed by ACIAR. This report estimates total net benefits to Africa of around $479 million, which amounts to a benefit of around $60 for every dollar spent.

  This study reports the findings of a review of 27 Impact Assessment Series reports (covering 103 bilateral research projects) published by ACIAR since 2005. This is the second ACIAR review of returns from bilateral investments, and confirms that returns are high. A few research areas, such as use of Australian trees in Indonesia, pig breeding in Vietnam, and grain storage in the Philippines, stood out as being particularly successful.

This report assesses the impact of three ACIAR projects on wheat and maize in Afghanistan. An initial desktop analysis was augmented with a detailed survey of farmers in Afghanistan, undertaken by in-country non-government organisations.

PNG is extremely diverse, both geographically and culturally, and the sociocultural environment surrounding its agricultural and livestock systems is complex. ACIAR has invested strongly in socioeconomic research in PNG to gain a better understanding of how livelihood improvements can be made. A workshop held in Lae in June 2013 brought together researchers from Australia and PNG to share the accumulated knowledge and lessons learned from a suite of ACIAR socioe

Adoption studies are undertaken 3 to 4 years after a large project is completed to assess the level of uptake and the legacy of the project. They provide valuable insights into the uptake of project results and the impact on local communities. This adoption study looks at projects completed in 2008–09.

The major focus of crop productivity research in recent decades has been on improving drought and salt tolerance, water and fertiliser use efficiency, and disease and pest control. However, by themselves they are unlikely to be sufficient to meet future food security demands. Therefore it is time to look at new approaches, including increasing the photosynthetic efficiency of crop plants, better using the non-limiting inputs of sunlight and carbon dioxide from the air.

Many impact assessments focus on estimating net economic benefits from a program, and identifying a causal relationship between the impact and the intervention. Natural resource management research, however, operates under dynamic, complex and unpredictable conditions, and is likely to be a contributory cause rather than the sole cause of program results.

  The southern Philippines fruits and vegetables program was a collaborative research model jointly managed by ACIAR and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD). These proceedings represent the results of  nine projects covering a range of commodities and research areas, the ultimate goal of which was to contribute to economic growth in the southern Philippines and to improve the livelihoods of Filipino farmers and their families. 

Improving smallholder cattle productivity and profitability is a recognised pathway to help alleviate rural poverty. These proceedings represent results of research from three ACIAR-funded projects that operated predominantly in Cambodia between 2007 and 2012. The three projects focused on cattle health and husbandry, livestock movements and spread of trans-boundary diseases, and improved feeding systems.

This impact assessment report analyses the extent to which ACIAR-funded research into rodent control has been taken up in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The report identifies factors that favour and constrain adoption, and lays out a plan for future action.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs commissioned a Panel to conduct a Review of ACIAR. The Review was asked to address issues including: the appropriateness of ACIAR’s goals and strategies in helping people overcome poverty; ACIAR’s effectiveness in improving livelihoods through more productive and sustainable agriculture, and achieving knowledge generation and capacity building outcomes; and the efficiency of ACIAR’s operations and arrangements for managing research programs and building capacity, including internal capability and systems, risk management, performance oversight, and transparency.

Adoption studies are undertaken 3 to 4 years after a large project is completed to assess the level of uptake and the legacy of the project. They provide valuable insights into the uptake of project results and the impact on local communities. This adoption study looks at projects completed in 2007–08.

This report provides an exploration of the concept of payments for environmental services (financial benefits to land managers who, through improved practices, enhance environmental services such as carbon sequestration, protection of water quality and biodiversity conservation) and the value chains for wood products in Lao PDR. Both these topics are intrinsically linked by their focus on the forests of Laos and their aim of improving livelihoods for thousands of Lao people, many of whom live below the poverty line.

Research funded by ACIAR is largely directed towards attaining food security. This report documents the food security issues in three of ACIAR’s focus areas: East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands. The studies help identify which problems are amenable to solutions, through research, development and extension.