National scientific strategies in tropical soil sciences

A bibliometric analysis of the publications on tropical soils and agriculture shows that different strategies can be found across countries, in the way scientists publish and disseminate their results, choose their research topics (fertilization and microbiology of soil being the research priorities in the Third World), and distribute their effort across fields. We propose some indicators measuring these orientations, and a reconsideration of the data sources used in the evaluation of research activity in the Third World, and of the influence of the North on the South, since we have found that Third World production in substantially higher than is usually estimated. Finally, we indicate some guidelines for policy definition in the light of these results, focusing on the necessity of an active and mobile scientific community, and of more important communication between scientists working in similar ecological environments. (Résumé d'auteur