Basic scientific research is needed to enhance the overall long-term potential for sustainable production. As the results are global public goods, such research may best be done by international public institutes. Countries with limited financial resources may choose to build on research results from larger countries or international institutes and focus their own efforts on adaptive research. There is potential to increase South-South cooperation between countries with larger public-sector research institutes and smaller national agricultural research institutes in countries with similar agro-ecological conditions and challenges.