Many of these new varieties have developed as IRRI germplasm has gradually found its way into locally bred varieties. The rate and extent of their adoption by U.S. farmers from 1970 to 1993 were measured, and the economic value of the improved productivity from these varieties was estimated. The benefit-cost ratio for U.S. government contributions to IRRI is as high as 17 to 1. The U.S. investments in international agricultural research on wheat and rice were made primarily for humanitarian reasons, and they have been extremely effective in reducing poverty and hunger in developing countries. But they have also yielded direct economic benefits to the United States that far outweigh the U.S. costs.
American consumers benefit from the cheaper and better products.
U.S. agriculture benefits from the widespread adoption of farming technologies that increase yields and lower production costs. Overall, the U.S. economy reaps enormous rewards from the nation's investments in international agricultural research. Besides generating agricultural advances, investment in agricultural research is an investment in international stability and economic growth overseas, which reaps further rewards for the United States and other donor nations. Growing more food on the same amount of land without further degrading natural resources can only be accomplished with cutting-edge technology. Agricultural research is absolutely essential to producing enough food to feed the world's burgeoning population while sustaining the natural resource base that supports agriculture.