By Arno Maatman, Mariana Wongtschowski, Willem Heemskerk, Nour Sellamna, Kristin Davis, Silim Nahdy, Washington Ochola, and Dan Kisauzi.
Presented at the ASTI-FARA conference Agricultural R&D: Investing in Africa's Future: Analyzing Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities - Accra, Ghana on December 5-7, 2011. http://www.asti.cgiar.org/2011conf
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Similar to Dynamic Networks of Interactive Learning and Agricultural Research for Development: Three Critical Roles for Agricultural Advisory Services (20)
Dynamic Networks of Interactive Learning and Agricultural Research for Development: Three Critical Roles for Agricultural Advisory Services
1. Dynamic networks of interactive learning and agricultural research for development: three critical roles for agricultural advisory services By: Arno Maatman, Director ICRA
2. Co-Authors Mariana Wongtschowski, KIT Willem Heemskerk, KIT Nour Sellamna, ICRA Kristin Davis, GFRAS Silim Nahdy, AFAAS Dan Kisauzi, AFAAS Ochola Washington, RUFORUM
5. Situation (1) Strategic Applied Research Extension Producers Research policy Demand articulatio n Farmer to Farmer extension through “model” farmers International (donor&) research networks Impact analysis
6. Situation (2) Strategic Applied Research Advisory Producers & Agriculturally-linked entrepreneurs Research policy Demand articulatio n Farmer to Farmer exchange .. POs International networks Interactive learning value chain actors Impact analysis
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10. Making a difference (2) Research Actors (Producers/ SMEs) Advisory services Innovation clusters Innovation network
This paper has much to do with me: I started as R … food sec. policies / risk mgt in agric. Sector agribusiness devt. We look here at innovation and R – and in particular applied research – to support innovation.
Interaction, negotiation and learning are key factors in innovation.
Innovation = complex & continuous process; tomato producers – competing Gh/ BF; several innovation challenges: seed supply; fertilization to reduce water content; organizational issues – to coordinate supply; to negotiate with the market queens; market analysis & competitive intelligence; new channel options – processing/ drying local markets
25 years ago – I was based in BF .. Among other things as advisor to the national research org INERA innovation then was perceived relatively easy [by me at least] the most significant flows of info / knowledge/ ideas R to Ext producers
Today .. Much more complex picture (and this is even a rude simplification): overlaps / private sector = producers + entrepreneurs
Research .. Despite trends / reversals in trends etc .. Low researcher – farmer ratio; … (we have discussed this extensively); in addition agric research is not the unique domain of the NARI/ SROs and CG centers arrival of universities / university outreach / action-research programs.
Public extension went down in the 80s / 90s; NGOs filled in some of the gaps; POs are increasingly important. Nonetheless: …
ICRA has been involved in training/ coaching of professionals in ARD also called IAR4D for over two decades; IAR4D is championed by FARA as well together with FARA we have produced a white paper describing, among other things several examples / cases of R4D .. Not all perfect, but at least with a clear intention to make a difference. The difference is in 4 principles:
AR4D involves the strategic positioning of R in innovation networks (formal/ informal) …
Researchers cannot do everything alone: in our paper we argue that in order to make AR4D work – AAS play crucial complementary roles.
The challenge is big .. For innovation to be nurtured and to go to scale – several elements of a complex puzzle have to be put together.
However .. [picture is not readable on purpose] … while it is important to have an idea of the puzzle .. Innovation systems are best built step by step.
Public private roles will / may change over time
Important: innovation relies on social capital .. Pro-poor innovation requires reducing the barriers to entry for interactive learning ! Public funding remains critical ..
There is a lot happening …
The argument is that R should aim to become an even more relevant/ strategic partner of producers/ entrepreneurs etc. in learning networks … [There still is room for improvement here Sissokho ; why looking at donors; instead focus on the “client” …]