The document discusses key pathways to reduce poverty in Asia through agricultural research, including improving productivity for diverse markets, crop diversification, dealing with small land holdings, and policy tools. It raises big questions around whether research should focus on high-value consumer crops, farmer entrepreneurship, or risk management. Partnerships are also discussed, and how to effectively form, maintain, and evaluate them to ensure benefits are shared.

1. Pathways from Agriculture Research to Poverty Reduction in
Asia: Report from break-out session

2. Key Pathways
• Productivity improvement still important but for
different markets and purposes, particularly
diversification
• Diversification
– Consumer driven
– High value
• Land consolidation: how to deal with small holdings
• Policy tools/mechanisms: subsidies, large
infrastructure, safety nets
• Nutrition/health

3. Big questions
• Should the CGIAR focus on high value consumer driven
crops?
• Should CG focus on nurturing farmer
entrepreneurship?
• Who will benefit from the research and partnerships?
• What is the fate of small holders? Should we look at
ways to help farmers exit farming?
• How to manage risk from increasing variability of
climate change? Should CGIAR get involved in risk
management?
• Should CGIAR focus on research around agriculture
investments (Subsidies, infrastructure, etc.)

4. Partnerships
• Can we have consumer driven partnerships –
• Range of issues generated:
– Incentives for partnering? Who benefits and how?
– Power and knowledge in partnerships?
– Match-making brokering – using media
– Partnership maintenance.
– Capacity to engage in partnerships
– How to evaluate partnerships?