This volume presents a state-of-the-art overview of the rapidly evolving field of agribusiness, highlighting the most current issues, concepts, trends and themes in research, practice and policy. With a particular emphasis on technology, product and process innovation, the authors cover a wide array of topics relating to such issues as research and development, technology transfer and patents and licensing, with particular respect to the roles of academic institutions, private organizations and public agencies in generating and disseminating knowledge.

Featuring case studies of innovative initiatives across the industry, this book will appeal to researchers, business leaders, university administrators and policymakers concerned with the multi-faceted implications of this dynamic and controversial sector.

Inhalt
Chapter 1: Introduction.- Part I: R&D Spending and Agricultural Innovation Organization and Emerging Trends.- Chapter 2: The Shifting Structure of Agricultural R&D: Worldwide Investment Patterns and Payoffs.- Chapter 3: Private Sector Research and Development.- Chapter 4: Structural Change and Innovation in the Global Agricultural Input Sector.- Chapter 5: Private-Public R&D in the Development of the Canola Industry in Canada.- Part II: Institutional Incentives for Agricultural Innovation.- Chapter 6: Why do US Corn Yields Increase? The Contributions of Genetics, Agronomy, and Policy Instruments.- Chapter 7: Whither the Research Anticommons?.- Chapter 8: Patent Characteristics and Patent Ownership in Agricultural Biotechnology.- Chapter 9: Innovation and Technology Transfer among Firms in the Agricultural Input Sector.- Chapter 10: Land-grant University Research as a Driver of Progress in Agriscience.- Chapter 11: Agriscience Innovation at Land-grant Universities, Measured by Patentsand Plant Variety Protection Certificates as Proxies.- Part III: Technology Transfer from the Public to the Private Sector.- Chapter 12: Transfer and Licensing of University Research and Technology in Canadian Agriculture.- Chapter 13: Technology Transfer in Agriculture: The Case of Wageningen University.- Chapter 14: The Evaluation Process of Research Commercialization Proposals and its Links to University Technology Transfer Strategy: A Case Study.- Chapter 15: The Technology Cycle and Technology Transfer Strategies.- Part IV: Technology Transfer to Agricultural Producers.- Chapter 16: The Role of Extension in Agricultural Technology Transfer: A Critical Review.- Chapter 17: Technology Adoption by Agricultural Producers: A Review of the Literature.- Chapter 18: Commercialization Mechanisms for New Plant Varieties.- Chapter 19: Water Efficient Maize for Africa: A Public-Private Partnership in Technology Transfer to Smallholder Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.- Part V: Benefits from Agricultural Research and Innovation.- Chapter 20: Public Research and Technology Transfer in US Agriculture: The Role of USDA.- Chapter 21: The Role and Impact of Public Research and Technology Transfer in Brazilian Agriculture.- Chapter 22:Public Agricultural Research and its Contributions to Agricultural Productivity.- Chapter 23: A Bayesian Measure of Research Productivity.- Chapter 24: Innovation and Technology Transfer in Agriculture: Concluding Comments.