Launch of DfID’s Research Strategy: DfID Press Release
On April 22nd 2008, Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, launched DfID’s new Research Strategy that will see the UK become the largest Government funder of research for development.
The five year strategy - the result of an extensive global consultation in which INASP and its network took part – outlines how DfID will double its investment in research to £220 million a year by 2010 and put research at the heart of its efforts to tackle global poverty. The funding will build on the success of past research but also takes DfID’s work in new directions. With emphasis on climate change, sustainable agricultural, growth and governance, the strategy will also set aside resources to address fast emerging issues - such as food prices – and prepare for future challenges that could emerge in the years to come. Some of the key features of the new strategy include:
• £400 million for research on agriculture, fisheries and forestry;
• £100 million to study climate change;
• £37 million to establish an international growth centre; and
• £8.5m for ‘Building Capacity for better Governance and Social Policy Research’
The research strategy is available on DfID’s research site http://www.research4development.info/, which includes a large number of case studies and around 20,000 research results gathered over more than 20 years of funding ‘public goods’ research.