Part I


 Basic Classifications


 Two basic classifications structure this report. First, we classify the
cutting edges for growth in agriculture's capacity to produce into four
categories: science and technological advance, improved institutions,
human skills, and an expanded and improved capital base. Secondly, we
classify agricultural research into three categories long a continuum
running from problem-solving to basic or disciplinary research. The three
categories are problem-solving (PS), subject-matter (SM) and disciplinary
(DISC) or basic research. These two classifications provide a perspective
on the substance of research done in the agricultural research establish-
ment (ARE), and the role and responsibilities of the ARE and associated
public and private agencies in doing PS, SM and DISC research. These
perspectives, in turn, help us to understand what is needed to get the
necessary research done for the next 50 years.


 The Four Cutting Edges for Growth
 in Agriculture's Capacity to Produce
 Growth in agriculture's productive capacity results
from progress made on four fronts or cutting edges:
technological advance, improved institutions, human
skills, and an improved and expanded capital (physical
and biological) base. All are essential-none is in-
dividually sufficient. The challenge is to obtain an
appropriate combination of them.
 Technological advance is crucial and necessary, but
alone it is not sufficient for agricultural progress. One
agricultural system after another around the world has
failed to take advantage of modern technology because
of adverse policies and institutions that hampered use
of available technologies. Further, as agricultural
systems advance technologically, they become increas-
ingly dependent upon highly trained people and effec-
tively operating public research and control facilities.
It is the highly trained people of an agricultural system
who generate both technological advances and the in-
stitutional innovations conducive to the proper ex-
ploitation of technological advances. Also, complex


technologies, institutional controls and forms and, in
recent years, the computerization of agricultural pro-
duction, marketing, processing and food distribution
all require skilled managers. Improvements in human
beings have become more fundamental and primary as
our agricultural systems have developed.
 Further, we must not forget the importance of
accumulating biological/physical capital. The lands of
Holland, for instance, are now productive because
much capital was invested in soils that were originally
poor or inaccessible. The Dutch added drainage
systems, dikes, canals, plant nutrients, organic matter,
buildings, service roads, fences and a vast amount of
social infrastructure to convert poor inaccessible soil in-
to an excellent land base for one of the most productive
agricultural systems of the world. Capital is being in-
vested in soil to create more productive land in the
United States, also, and the saturation point for such
investments is far in the future. Agricultural systems
increase in productivity because of investments of
capital in orchards, vineyards, breeding herds,
research stations, input supply industries, processing
plants and marketing facilities. Capital accumulation,