The nature and trends of agricultural research development in Africa: an informetric study

The study recognizes agriculture as the mainstay activity of most economies in Africa and analyses research nature and trends in the discipline by using descriptive informetrics and focusing on seven indicators, by using the AGRICOLA and ISIE databases from 1991 to 2005. We observed that research output in the discipline is much higher in South Africa and Kenya, and research collaboration is greater than non-collaborative research output and collaboration is less among African countries. The most popular research domains were found to exist in environmental science, soil science, plant/ crop production and [agricultural] economics. Helpful conclusions and recommendations for an agricultural policy, capacity and research orientation have been made.