New report on vegetable seed systems in Ethiopia: challenges and opportunities

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Analysis of five decades of WorldVeg publications in scientific journals and books indexed in Scopus and Web of Science showed 1,353 publications. Scientific output has rapidly expanded, especially after 2007. Since the first scientific publication in 1977, the number of publications has grown 6.8% annually. A few highly productive scientists account for a large share of publications. Still, the mean h-index of the most prolific WorldVeg scientists is lower than that of the most prolific scientists at four comparable organizations (CIP, CABI, Icipe, and WorldFish). This indicates a need for more high-impact publications, prioritizing quality over quantity.

WorldVeg publications are highly collaborative, with an average of six authors per publication, and highly international, with 80% of publications having authors from multiple countries. The geographical scope of WorldVeg publications has expanded from Southeast Asia to include South Asia and Africa. Latin America remains underrepresented. Plant sciences, horticulture, agronomy, and food security are the main thematic areas of scientific publishing. There is a growing emphasis on sustainability and climate change. A thematic analysis shows a transition from foundational research on genetic resources and pest management towards more integrated approaches addressing climate change, nutrition, and sustainable food systems. These emerging themes align with global agricultural priorities, presenting an opportunity for WorldVeg to leverage further its expertise in developing solutions to increase the productivity and sustainability of vegetable systems while promoting consumption.

Bannor RK, Oppong D, Akber A, Schreinemachers P. 2025. A bibliometric analysis of scientific publications by the World Vegetable Center. Publication No. 25-1093. World Vegetable Center, Shanhua, Taiwan. 41pp.

This work was funded by UK International Development from the UK government and long-term strategic donors to the World Vegetable Center: Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Germany, Thailand, Philippines, South Korea, and Japan.