Data requirements and methodologies for Multi-Country Research : A paper presented at the Workshop on Developing an African Research Agenda for accelerating development in Sub-Saharan Africa held in Harare, Zimbabwe, March 23-26, 1997

This paper, presenting data and methodology for coooperation at'nationaf,"regional and continental levels in research, discusses the need to consider possible constraints facing individual research institutions when making a move towards cooperation. Some constraints are identified, including finance, institutional dependence, institutional interests, the extent of emphasis on capacity building, data availability and work load. The case of Botswana (economic transition) and that of BIDPA (programme) are used to illustrate main points in the discussion. The paper concludes that there is need for international cooperation to build on national priority research; that there is advantage in setting up national interlinked programmes for research; and that while the time is ripe for cooperation, the key to building multi-country research depends on the efficiency of usage for information technology.