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Abstract
The primary legacy of the Soviet agricultural research system for the former Soviet republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus was a highly organized, fully funded, and overcapitalized agricultural research establishment. The new repub-lics inherited a large number of research institutions and a huge complement of scientific staff. Evolution of their economies and their agriculture, however, chal-lenges these countries to reform their technology system to make it responsive and effective. Up to now, a preservationist strategy has been the dominant means for dealing with agricultural research structure, implying the maintenance of existing institutes as a system. This is true despite a strong desire by scientists and government to optimize agricultural research. Future development in these coun-tries depends largely on the political will of agricultural research system leaders to take bold steps to reform agricultural research according to a sound strategy that takes into account changing demand for agricultural research as reflected in emerging local and international markets.