Rice Science and Development Politics

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) was established to help solve world food problems. This book examines the planning and development of the Institute, its efforts to persuade Asian governments to try to increase food production by following its advice, and the interaction between technology at IRRI, rice scientists, and national research strategies. The book focuses on conditions in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, arguing that an adequate research strategy must be based on the fundamental diversity of rice agriculture itself. It shows how strategies which are organized differently have met continuous difficulties, and have ultimately been revised or abandoned. The authors insist that the experience of the IRRI has implications for science and technology research in many other areas.