Returns to investments in small ruminant research in Indonesia the Small Ruminant Collaborative Research Support Program (SR-CRSP) in West Java']Java

Small ruminant research carried out by the SR-CRSP on management, nutrition and reproduction was developed and evaluated through an Outreach Pilot Program in West Java, Indonesia. On-farm testing indicated that introduction of different management practices could increase birth rate and survivability of Javanese Thin Tail sheep. This article presents results from an assessment of research investments that measures the potential returns from this technological package, with various adoption and spillover effects, weighs the benefits against the research and training costs of the SR-CRSP, and looks at distribution of benefits among consumers and producers of sheep in Indonesia. The rate of return in the most conservative scenario was 19%, with potential short-run benefits exceeding the costs incurred by breeding and nutrition research, and training of 23 masters and doctoral students in 10 years. Market conditions favor producers in the distribution of benefits. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.