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

Abstract

The study recognizes agriculture as the rriainstay activity of most economies in Africa and analyses research nature and trends in the discipline by using descriptive informetrics and focusing or) seven indicators, by using the ACRICOLA 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-colloborative research output and collaboration is less among African countries. The most popular research domains were found to exist in environmental science, soil science, plonti crop production and [agricultural] economics. Helpful conclusions and recommendations for an agricultural policy, capacity and research orientation have been made.