View from afar: 'visible' productivity of scientists in the developing world

Much of what we know about science and technology in less developed countries comes from international databases such as bibliographies and citation indices. However, it is not clear if researchers whose work appears in international databases are representative of scientists in the developing world as a whole, or whether they differ in terms of important social characteristics. A search of international databases on agriculture and natural resource management in Ghana, Kenya, and Kerala was used to compile a bibliography that could be compared with results from a face-to-face survey of researchers. Results indicate that many of the characteristics of those who are internationally visible differ from the wider population of scientists. The implication is that the ''view From afar'' based exclusively on information drawn from international databases does nor accurately reflect the population of researchers or domestic productivity in less developed countries.