Science, Environment and Development Group

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Tuesday, 14 October 2003 (Note change in day)
Assessing the Impact of the Green Revolution
Leader: Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
Guest Speaker: Robert Evenson, Professor of Economics, Yale University
11:45 am - 2:00 pm, Perkins Room (E-415), 4th Floor, Eliot Building, KSG (Map)
Lunch will be served

Biography:

For further information, see CV of Robert Evenson or http://www.econ.yale.edu/faculty1/evenson.htm

Presentation slides:

Evenson, Robert. "Assessing the Impact of the Green Revolution." PowerPoint presentation from Knowledge for Development Seminar, 14 October 2003, Center for International Development, Harvard University.

Seminar Report:

Evenson, Robert. "Assessing the Impact of the Green Revolution." Report of the Knowledge for Development Seminar held 14 October 2003. Prepared by Vanessa Timmer, Center for International Development, Harvard University.

Background documents:

Evenson, R. E., and D. Gollin. 2003. "Assessing the Impact of the Green Revolution, 1960 to 2000." Science 300 (2 May): 758-762. [password-protected**]

We summarize the findings of a recently completed study of the productivity impacts of international crop genetic improvement research in developing countries. Over the period 1960 to 2000, international agricultural research centers, in collaboration with national research programs, contributed to the development of "modern varieties" for many crops. These varieties have contributed to large increases in crop production. Productivity gains, however, have been uneven across crops and regions. Consumers generally benefited from declines in food prices. Farmers benefited only where cost reductions exceeded price reductions.

Further readings:

Evenson, Robert E. 2003. "Making Science and Technology Work for the Poor - Lecture 1: The Green Revolution in Africa." Delivered at the UNECA conference held 7-10 October 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and sponsored by the United Nations University (UNU), Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (INRA), and UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Evenson, Robert E. 2003. "Making Science and Technology Work for the Poor - Lecture 2: The 'Price of Admission' to the Growth Club for African Countries." Delivered at the UNECA conference held 7-10 October 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and sponsored by the United Nations University (UNU), Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (INRA), and UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Evenson, Robert E. 2003. "Making Science and Technology Work for the Poor - Lecture 3: Development Strategies for Africa." Delivered at the UNECA conference held 7-10 October 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and sponsored by the United Nations University (UNU), Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (INRA), and UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

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** Access to this document is restricted to subscribers to the k_dev_sem listserv; contact Kristen Eddy or Mary Anne Baumgartner if you have forgotten the password