A strategy for agribusiness demands prospective analysis in agricultural R&D in Brazil

This paper has the objective of introducing a conceptual and methodological framework, as well as a strategy for setting agricultural R&D priorities based on client demands to Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) a large public agricultural research organization. It is the result of a five year project aiming at developing a strategy, conceptual framework and methodology for determining R&D client demands, using a technological demands prospective analysis of agricultural production chains. Besides strategy, conceptual framework and methodology development, the project also included results validation, training of key personnel and application of technological demands analysis in determining R&D demands in several Embrapa R&D centers. This paper also discusses results of some studies carried out on R&D demands determination and further applications of prospective analysis of production chains, in agricultural research environment as well as in planning of development organizations.