ABSTRACT
In his invitation to participants, Vernon W. Ruttan noted that "health issues could seriously erode production capacity in rural areas." In a proposal some years ago to the AID Research Advisory Committee Ruttan talked about reciprocal relationships. There are very significant impacts on agricultural production from poor health. At the same time, there are obviously important influences of agricultural development on health. Deforestation and soil erosion are important threats to community economic viability in some areas. This is not necessarily the result of modernization of agriculture. It may occur as a result of pushing traditional agriculture farther onto fragile environments. The main thing the Commission on Health Research for Development identified, and tried to press, as a guideline for action, is the enormous significance of local research capacity. The Commission report discusses the contribution that many developing countries are making toward the broader knowledge base that is useful not only in their own country but more broadly.
