The Independent Science for Development’s (ISDC) series on comparative advantage (CA) has published its second episode. Comparative Advantage Theoretical Basis for Beginners explains how CA works and how using a CA approach can better capture strategic opportunities and synergies across CGIAR, and with partners.
The episode features two renowned experts in the field of economics. Professor Christopher Barrett, Cornell University, and Professor Joshua Graff Zivin, University of California San Diego, discuss how CGIAR and other organizations can gain from actively applying a CA analysis.
In the episode, the two experts detail how CA maximizes gains between organizations for better results while also providing an illustrative example to help viewers understand the impact of a CA approach. In doing so, the experts allow the viewer to think about how dividing responsibilities across CGIAR entities and partners can be beneficial for all.
Fundamentally, CA is about how costly one type of quality-adjusted deliverable is in terms of other desirable types of quality-adjusted deliverables, and how the trade-offs between those deliverables differ between organizations. It is also distinct from the concepts of productivity and absolute advantage. CA focuses on areas where organizations can gain from meaningful specialization and partnership.
In this blog, ISDC offers a wealth of knowledge and insights into CA. You can access a collection of engaging video and podcast episodes that delve into critical global development challenges and key economic theory. Don’t miss this incredible resource. Explore the Comparative Advantage platform to learn how CA can be used to drive innovation and efficiency in agricultural research for development.
