Technology can aid agricultural development, but only if farmers want to use it.
A critical test of research success is the effectiveness of the technology development and diffusion process in tailoring the results to the needs and requirements of farmers. This has caused considerable frustration and led the scientific community to take a new and careful look at the conventional modes of conducting and applied research. In response to the above impasse, the international agricultural research community is endeavouring to make a truly qualitative shift in the way in which it operates. Initiatives are now under way to promote productive partnerships and there are considerable grounds for believing that research results will soon be able to find rapid fruition in farmers' fields. Success in this domain would also be critical in renewing enthusiasm among policy makers and the international donor community for increasing investments in research.