As organic agriculture becomes increasingly appealing in many countries, it attracts more and more research funding. Not surprisingly, discussion of research needs have been the focus of attention more in the last few years than ever before. In 1998 the European International Federation for Organic Agricultural Movements had a session on research needs in organic agriculture, and FAO facilitated a workshop on research methodologies. European Union funding enabled a detailed analysis of funding for organic agriculture in 18 European countries. In Scandinavia, an analysis of present projects and future needs is currently in preparation, while a UK study will detail information about research projects in other European countries.
Research is invariably a risky undertaking.
Setting research priorities should involve assessing the likely benefits from research, taking into account the probability that useful conclusions can be drawn and changes implemented. Undoubtedly, assessing these benefits is difficult, but too often a discussion of research is little more than the presentation of a wish list, reflecting the interests of the author. In general, very little attention seems to be given to prioritising research topics. Although it is clear that different countries' needs vary, this is difficult to discern when considering research agendas. Most current research appears to relate to farm production.