In the globalized world that characterizes this turn of century the Regional/Sub-Regional
Organizations (ROs/SROs) play a key role in facilitating scientific and technological
cooperation among groups of countries. Through cooperative action, the ROs/SROs facilitate
joint research efforts, seeking to assure a critical mass of human and financial resources in
strategic areas of research, and to promote concerted action among the various stakeholders of
agricultural research for development (ARD). Given the increasing institutional diversification
of ARD, this in itself is an important objective. These organizations also play an important role
in the context of integration processes that are taking place in different parts of the world,
mainly at the sub-regional level.
But despite the important role they play, Regional/Sub-Regional organizations are
confronting serious problems of sustainability, as well as an increasing challenge of evolution
and consolidation in terms of being able to respond successfully to the opportunities and
requirements that are being generated by the deep changes taking place in the organizational and
scientific context of ARD. In order for these organizations to play an active role in this changing
environment, it is important to analyze the factors that are limiting their effectiveness and their
sustainability, as well as explore ways and means through which the ROs/SROs can be
supported and strengthened...