China feeds more than 1.2 billion people, thanks to its much more efficient production techniques, using manual labor to a much higher extent. Knowledge incorporated to agriculture buried malthusian doomsaying ideas of great catastrophes for lack of food to an ever increasing population. Africa is still haunted by the ever threatening monster called hunger, since it still has primitive and poor, organizationally speaking, agricultural practices. There is a positive relation between the results obtained by incorporating knowledge and new technology and the investments in agricultural research. But the socio-economic returns are high, as is proved by quite a number of specialized studies.
Agricultural research is one of the pillars for food safety in developing countries.
Appropriate and more efficient technologies are indispensable to guarantee an adequate food supply for an ever growing population and to decrease the current undernourishment in underdeveloped countries. Technological innovations point to new uses of agricultural products and its derived products. Regarding food products, research is being conducted to incorporate in them nutritional and medicinal properties, which will improve the quality of life of the population, especially the poorer. In addition to this, these new food products may contribute to reduce health expenditures. Adequate Level of Investment in Agricultural Research Initially, we must admit the chronic lack of data and indicators on investment in agricultural research in developing countries.